Rashid Asaf: "I retire at the peak of my performance"

Veteran actor Rashid Assaf revealed that he has been considering retirement for years, but he hopes to conclude his artistic career at the peak of his creativity and popularity among his audience, refusing to set a specific date for his decision to stop acting or to disclose the reasons that drive him to continue.

During his appearance on the program “Al-Ikhtiyar” with actor Milad Youssef, Rashid Assaf confirmed that he has been thinking about retirement for some time, but he wishes to take this step while maintaining the status he deserves. He pointed out that family and financial circumstances, particularly with his family residing in the United States, compel him to keep working to this day.

Rashid Assaf stated that he dreams of bidding farewell to his audience while standing tall, after a career in which he feels he has earned appreciation and love. He expressed his hope that the day will come when he can say that the audience has honored him, stood by his side, and treated him fairly, and that he managed to deliver works that brought joy to people and advocated for their causes, or at least prayed for their well-being.

During the interview, Assaf also recalled aspects of his childhood, emphasizing that he worked in various jobs from an early age to help support his family. He used to sell fruit, and during cinema breaks, he sold chocolates and magazines. He noted that despite his difficult circumstances, he was among the top-performing students.

He added that his daily interactions with people in the streets and markets gave him the opportunity to get to know different social strata, which later reflected on his artistic performance and his ability to embody and imitate characters from a young age. At that time, he harbored a dream of acting and made sure to follow cinematic films.

Rashid Assaf also recalled his first time in front of the camera, revealing that he participated as an extra in the fifth episode of the series “Haram al-Hana,” appearing in only one scene. He explained that he initially believed the camera had clearly captured him, only to discover later that it was pointed in the opposite direction and he did not appear as he had expected. This memory remains one of the unforgettable moments from his childhood.

Regarding the imitation of his persona, Rashid Assaf affirmed that he is pleased when artists imitate him, provided that the imitation is done respectfully and reflects genuine affection. He considers such imitation a sign of an artist’s success and his ability to reach the audience.