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But I was raised with it; its fully programmed in me.
There have been so many times when someone has complimented something and then its fallen through or broken.
The lockdown coincided with her visiting friends and family in Los Angeles.
Corona just made it an easy decision for me, she says over our Zoom conversation.
Did it feel scary to do an episode about your own alopecia areata?
So on top of it, Im feeling like I should be grateful.
Denas character thinks beyond superficial things, and then shes sitting there and shes stressed about her hair.
And I was like, What do you mean?
What is that hunger?
Its this collective burden that we have.
Im not a spokesperson for the Middle East or Arab Muslim women.
Especially withRamy,a lot of people did not feel represented by it and had problems with it.
And heres the thing: Ilovethat.
But when its an attack because you feel were giving this blanket statement on Arabs, it feels stifling.
And there is a perception like were airing out this dirty laundry with what were doing.
I dont know if its that it avoids it versus it just hasnt gotten to it yet.
And this is something weve spoken about for the ongoing seasons.
Ive experienced that growing up.
Were past that in many, many ways.
I personally didnt want the second season to just be about a guy.
I wanted to show how there are different areas in life that we can get agency for women.
Theres still a bit of shying away from that.
Growing up in Bahrain, I wasnt educated in Islam the way Ive started to learn now.
And it was so fear-based, and there was zero connection; it was mechanic.
My spiritual connection just cut off.
Its almost like I was doing it for my mom.
And there was so much shame and fear in that world that something felt wrong.
I didnt enjoy being in my own body.
Recently I have come back to a curiosity about Islam.
And knowing yourself sexually can bring you closer to God.
Theres a reckoning around race happening in media right now.
Its funny; I was only thinking of where Im from as a positive.
I felt aware of that, and it wasnt a problem for me.
I didnt get emotional about it.
Even when I tried.
They were like,shes actually scared and not sure.
That was frustrating to me, and the turning point.
I told my agent I dont want to take these roles anymore.
But thats not the case at all.
And I feel grateful that Im able to talk back to him through the reading that Im doing.
And hes figuring out what thats really like.
If I had any questions, my mom would be like,you cant ask that, haram.
Sometimes people ask, Are you just poking fun?
And its more that Arabs especially Egyptians are a funny culture.
The language is sarcastic.
Its an honest representation in that respect, too.
And Ramy knows that he created an unlikable character.
Thats the whole point.
I want her to make more mistakes.
