Cynthia Khalifeh is a Lebanese actress and TV show host, Cosmo got the chance to interview her at the 2020 Cairo Film Festival. The star told us all about her struggles being in the spotlight, being an inspiration to many young girls, handling criticism and much more. 

Lets get into the interview…

Cosmo ME: How old were you when you first realized that you wanted to pursue acting?

Cynthia Khalifeh: Honestly, I don’t remember wanting to be anything else. From a very young age, I would always say that I wanted to do cinema. I started off as a child actor and I remember being obsessed with Disney. At that time, my father knew an actor in Lebanon. So, at the age of 11 or 12, I’d keep nagging my father to call him up and introduce me to the industry.

I always share this story to tell people to say that if you have a dream, you cannot sit on your couch and expect people to come to you. Nobody will discover your talent; you need to put yourself out there and nurture yourself. And when you do, people would want to adopt you.

C: What are some struggles that you have faced in your career?

CK: I am still facing them and apparently it will keep happening. For every 10 ‘No’s’, you get one ‘Yes’. No matter how big you become, you are always waiting for the next big thing to come. I have asked successful actors where they used to struggle, and they all say the same thing: the struggle will never end. But I don’t see it as a struggle anymore, I see it as an ongoing challenge, and this is what keeps me going.

C: How do you handle criticism?

CK: If I am confident about my decision, the criticism doesn’t matter to me. When you are convinced about a particular decision before making one, you will not regret it. I always make sure I am confident about every decision I make. Not so long ago, I wore a blazer to the El Gouna Film Festival and everyone went crazy. I was so confident about my looks, so it never got to me. I always tell people to be completely convinced about your decision when you are making it.

C: How did acting change you?

CK: Growing up, I was always well supported from my family. I never needed external validation. Fame never filled any void in me, it only added more to my life.

But when you gain fame and you know all eyes are on you, your job will be to please people and be the life of the party. When you are used to doing that, it becomes a part of your personality; you start to believe that it is your duty to live up to the expectation that people have of you. There are times where I feel like I must be the provider of energy. As much as I enjoy this aspect of my life, there are days I want to enjoy my own privacy and keep things low-profile.

C: How do you feel when young girls look up to you and wish they looked like you?

CK: I get messages often where girls put themselves down and tell me they wish they were like me, or they wish they were as strong as I am. 

I am touched when I receive these messages, but I wish I could be an inspiration more than an intimidation. Sometimes I even go as far as messaging them and making them feel good. So, when there are young girls who wish they looked like me, it bothers me more than it flatters me. At the end of the day, it is my job to seem perfect and make it look like I have a perfect life, but nobody is.

C: Speaking of young girls wanting to look like you, have you ever wanted to look like someone else?

CK: When I see other beautiful, successful women, I look at them as an inspiration more than a comparison. There is a big difference in looking at someone with envy and looking at someone as an inspiration.

C: What inspires you the most in your life?

CK: Humans. Movies and music also inspire me, but the real inspiration is people. I love talking to people and learning about cultures. Geeks, artists, young and older people are all inspiring to me. Every human being is so rich inside and there is nothing more inspiring than humans.