The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

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Lotfy Labib was a pillar of Egyptian comedy. It’s hard to remember the most iconic Egyptian movies without one of his lines popping into your head, or using his punch lines in our daily conversations. From his extensive legacy, here are five of his most iconic roles.

Rady from Assal Eswed

Rady encapsulates all the quirks and mannerisms of taxi drivers on the Egyptian streets. He provides a striking contrast to Massry’s character, and that discrepancy gives the movie so many hilarious moments. The best thing about Rady, though, is his character development. He goes from being a deceitful person to someone who can be and do better.

This role is also special, as Lotfy Labib wasn’t the first pick for Rady. The role was originally going to Mohamed Sharaf, but he had some health issues that made him unable to continue. When Lotfy Labib heard this, he asked the producers to cut his payment and give the rest to Mohamed Sharaf to aid with his health issues. Lotfy Labib wasn’t just a great actor; he was an amazing human being.

Latif El Dambogy from Shikamara

Even in the role of the villain, Lotfy Labib could make us laugh from the heart. He took on the role of the evil uncle and stepfather, gaslighting the younger generation. Coming up with his twisted schemes and discussing them with his assistant is one of the funniest parts of the movie, as well as overdoing the role of a concerned paternal figure to Jaida and Boody to sell the fact that he means them no harm.

The last scene particularly, where Ragaa El Gedaway throws his belongings from the roof and departs in defeat, showcases his exceptional physical acting skills. He conveyed his emotions entirely through facial expressions and body language, without needing to utter a word.

A’am Serianosi from H Dabbour

In this role of a chivalrous old school worker, he gave us a good laugh every time he gave Dabbour a reality check. Even though Dabbour was very rude to him at first, A’am Serianosi was always kind and steered him in the right direction. He was one of the main reasons Dabbour overcame his enemies and became a better person all around. ِWe could imagine that Lotfy Labib’s kind and chivalrous character was close to his real personality.

Mr. Azmy from Eza’et Hob

This role is more serious than his usual parts, yet it remains close to the audience’s heart. Lotfy Labib plays the manager of a radio station. When he loses one of his best hosts, he turns to Hassan to replace him, encouraging him to change and become more modern, with his constant catch-phrase “Ed5ol El Alfeya Ba2a”. By the end of the movie, he is moved by what Hassan goes through and realises that he should have never urged him to change. This performance shows the scope of Labib as an actor.

Mr. Fakhry Kamel from Gana El Bian El Taly

More on the theme of bosses in this one, too. Lotfy Labib’s character owns a TV channel, but this time it is a classic comedic role and one of the most iconic. His interactions with Nader and Effat, whether negative or positive, are hilarious. The exaggerated reactions he gives are what made that character as iconic as it is.

Lotfy Labib: A Lifetime Gift of Laughter

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Acting alongside A-list comedians like Ahmed Helmy, Mohamed Henedi, and Ahmed Mekky and bringing out their talents more and taking the moment to the next level is the essence of Lotfy Labib’s gift to us. It’s also worth mentioning that he worked until the very end of his life, with his final role being in the 2024 movie Maqsoom. We lost a legend, but we are comforted by the legacy he left us.