One of the most legendary actors in modern cinema is currently battling an illness. Steve Kenis, agent of veteran actor Omar Sharif, has just told Associated Press that the actor has Alzheimer's disease.
Although the statement did not include other details, Sharif's son Tarek gave a more detailed account in an interview with the Spanish newspaper 'El Mundo.'
The 58-year-old told the newspaper, "My father has Alzheimer's. It is difficult to determine at what stage." The interview includes details about how Sharif forgets his own face in an old family portrait and refusing to leave his room to do his daily routines. Sharif's son also mentions that his father mixes up the names of his former costars.
The Egyptian actor was born Michel Demitri Chaloub, who started out in several productions in his native Egypt. In 1962, he was cast as Sharif Ali in 'Lawrence of Arabia,' a role that earned him the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.
He also appeared in several movies like 'Behold a Pale Horse,' 'Genghis Khan,' 'The Night of the Generals' and 'Mayerling.' Sharif nabbed the lead role in 'Doctor Zhivago' and won another Golden Globe Award, this time for Best Actor.
Sharif has continued working for several decades, appearing both in TV and films. He starred opposite Antonio Banderas in the 1999 film 'The 13th Warrior,' which was loosely based on Michael Crichton's book 'Eaters of the Dead.' In 2003, he played Mr. Ibrahim in the film adaptation of 'Monsieur Ibrahim et les Fleurs du Coran,' a role that got him the César Award for Best Actor.
The actor has also provided the voice of the narrator in the prehistoric drama '10,000 BC.' His most recent film appearance is in the 2013 French Moroccan film 'Rock the Casbah,' which starred Morjana Alaoui, Nadine Labaki and Lubna Azabal.
