Art & Culture

Jala Hisham’s Exclusive Photo Diary From the Set of ‘Ras El Afaa’

BYMeriem Belhiba

March 17, 2026

There’s always that one actress who gravitates toward roles that leave audiences unsettled. One minute you hate her, the next you’re defending her in group chats like she’s your actual friend. For a while now, that actress has been Jala Hisham.

Just weeks before Ramadan, she had already begun to claim her space with Midterm, one of the first Egyptian Gen Z-led series that actually felt in sync with its audience. As Naomi, she pulled off something rare: making viewers uncomfortable, then attached, then unexpectedly protective. You were never quite sure where you stood with her, and that uncertainty was the point. By the end, you weren’t just watching her, you wanted to be her best friend.

But none of this came out of nowhere. There was that brief but striking moment in Khali Balak Men Zizi (2021), her encounter with Amina Khalil. It lingered not because it was loud, but because it tapped into something familiar, the quiet complexity of female relationships when we don’t see the full picture.

Then in 2025 came Awlad El Shams. As Souad, she leaned fully into a manipulative and difficult character, frustrating, unsettling, and hard to like. And still, you found yourself understanding her. (We all felt bad for Walaa.)

That’s what sets the 31-year-old apart. She doesn’t chase likability. Instead, she works in the grey area, which is exactly what makes her one of the more compelling actresses of her generation. With her, you’re not just watching a character, you’re feeling everything they choose not to say.

This Ramadan, she returned with a different kind of performance. In Ras El Afaa’, she plays Salma, an ER doctor defined by restraint. Composed and observant, she carries more than she reveals. The role could have easily slipped into cliché, but she keeps it controlled, minimal, and precise. That restraint becomes even more noticeable in the relationship at the center of the story.

As part of the on-screen couple with Ahmed Ghozzi, the romance unfolds gradually. It builds through small, understated moments, looks, pauses, and conversations that say less than they mean. It’s not the loudest love story this season, but it is one of the most memorable.

How could we not want a glimpse at what was going on behind the scenes during shooting? As luck would have it, Hashim invited us on the Ras El Afaa’ set with an exclusive photo diary below.

“You know a scene is special when the laughter is impossible to fake. We were supposed to stay in character, but Salma and Hassan definitely let Jala and Ahmed take over here.”

“Watching scenes back on the monitor is always my favorite part. It is the moment when you realize whether the magic actually happened or if you were just having too much fun.”

“I am not exaggerating when I say I spent half this scene wondering if the kayak was about to flip. Salma looked very composed… Jala was preparing a full emergency exit strategy.”

“This scene felt like stepping into an old romantic film. The kind where love is simple, warm, and slightly magical. Salma and Hassan remind me that sometimes the most beautiful stories are the quiet ones.”

“That moment where Salma casually says, ‘I want a surprise, I want a proposal, Hassan.’ I remember thinking… this is either the most confident woman alive or the beginning of chaos. Either way, I find it very cute… and I might actually try it in real life. If he says no, though, So help him God on what happens next.”

“Salma is usually calm under pressure, but balancing on this boat while pretending to look graceful was a different kind of challenge. I kept telling myself, ER doctors handle chaos every day… surely I can handle a paddle.”

Jala Hisham’s Exclusive Photo Diary From the Set of ‘Ras El Afaa’

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Jala Hisham’s Exclusive Photo Diary From the Set of ‘Ras El Afaa’

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