If she thinks it, she’ll say it. If she feels it, she’ll share it, and if she dreams it, she’ll most probably do it. She’s the irresistible Syrian actress Jumana Mourad. Her carefully selected roles are the key to her popularity, and her striking features and enigmatic spirit have put her in a league of her own.DG caught up with insightful star to talk about life, love & politics…

Memories;
What are your childhood memories?
Lots of very good memories, I had a very happy childhood among family and friends.

A happy memory after you became a professional actress?
My happiest memory is the first award I received.

What was your first role?
It was a TV series called ‘Remah El Nar’; however I would not count this role. Although it made me feel as though I’m on the right track. After that I decided to enhance my talent by studying drama in London.

Which of your roles would you consider a defining moment within your career?
There are many roles which I truly cherish.
Jumana’s preferences;

What is your favorite hobby?
Reading and swimming

Do you have a daily habit?
Yes, I enjoy walking for an hour each day.

In your opinion what is your best quality?
I’m very punctual with my appointments.

What is your worst quality?
I’m a workaholic.

What is your Favorite Place?
Home.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of being famous?
The love of people is definitely an advantage, but their interference in my personal life is distressing.

What is the one red line you will not tolerate or allow people to cross?
My personal life.

What do you consider your favorite Egyptian food?
Mahshi, Molokhia and Rokaak.

Do you believe in luck?
Absolutely. I believe in luck, but you need a lot of intelligence with luck to achieve what you want. I started my career by mere coincidence that is why I am always concerned about doing the finest I can to satisfy my fans.

What does fashion signify to you? Elegance and constant change that suits my personality. People in Jumana’s life; Who do you confide in? My mother Who do you miss? My mother – always. Whom would you apologize to? No one. What is your judgment regarding jealousy between actors? I’m referring to the venerable kind of jealousy - not the type that is driven by envy; It is acceptable in a very limited way, competition is a very healthy sign however if it evolves to envy then it becomes really bad.

How do you deal with rumors?
I completely ignore them.

What is your position concerning the immense number of TV series that were released in Ramadan? (During Ramadan 2011, the series reached 30 series)
The holy month of Ramadan is the biggest market for Arabic Drama; it creates competition between the actors. However some actors do not take enough credit due to the great number of television series, it is impossible for the audience to watch all these series. Some people prefer to watch the series after Ramadan, this is why the Producers Association should synchronize special seasons for the series release and create new seasons other than Ramadan.

What about the incredible increase in the Actors pay? (Seeing you own a production company)
The celebrity who sells well is worthy of their income, but in general I am against exaggeration.

Who is your closest friend?
I have a lot of friends inside and outside the acting field.

Whose opinion do you acquire regarding your work?
My mother.

Jumana’s Artistic opinions;
Who is your favorite Singer?
Mohamed Mounir and Shereen.

Which television series did you mostly like this Ramadan?
Unfortunately, I did not watch any drama this Ramadan since I was relentlessly watching the news channels to observe Syria’s latest news.

Which role do you wish to present?
I don’t have a specific role, however there are lots of roles that I would like to present that I haven’t had a chance to do yet.

What is the difference between Syrian Drama and Egyptian Drama?
I don’t really like the idea of making a distinction between them, both are Arabic Drama. We have a lot in common. If anything, we should combine forces to present the dreams and aspirations of all the Arabs.

You participated in the movies ‘El Farah’ and ‘Cabaret’, both of them depended on collective work, not specifying a certain star. How did you choose the roles, particularly since you earned an award for your incredible role from the Film festival Association?
Each of the films has its special aura... And in both I felt that I chose the perfect role, and different from what I presented before. Working collectively was great.

Your Role in ‘Kaf El Kamar’ came as a surprise to your fans, was this premeditated?
The role was both difficult and extremely complicated, but at the same time – controversial. This was what attracted me to the role. I fell in love with it while reading the script. The actors are always searching for roles which add to their filmography, and each role is considered a phase. When you find a role that will add to you, you just have to seize the opportunity. The audiences expect enhanced and better roles and this creates a huge responsibility regarding the actors’ choices.

Tell us about your experience working with Director Khaled Youssef… I really enjoyed working with Khaled Youssef and I have learned a lot from this experience both on the professional and personal level. He is a very dedicated and candid director with his cast. He exerts a lot of effort in his movies in order to make them more controversial. We had many rehearsals before starting the movie; it felt like a work shop, I really enjoyed it. It was the first time for me to partake in such a work shop and believe me it was more intense than filming itself. It prepares you and makes you live the personality 100%, this is why I became Lobna even before starting the actual filming. Khaled Youssef has the talent of choosing his cast well; it was the perfect role for me, and afterreading the whole script I truly felt immersed in the character. On the personal level Khaled Youssef is an incredible person, someone you can depend on. Before acting you worked as a presenter, do you think you would repeat this experience and what kind of programs would you like to present? Nowadays I am presenting season two of the program ‘Top Chef’, produced by LBC. I think it is a very enrichingexperience and I enjoy it tremendously.

‘Top Chef’ Season one has succeeded a lot and had a soaring audience rating.

How would you evaluate yourself in the series ‘Matloob Regal’ and what was the reaction in the Arab world about this series?
I can not evaluate myself; however the whole series was very risky since it was different from what we Arabs are accustomed to. The series wasfull of interesting events and had a lot of suspense in it which made the audience literally glued to the screen. The Turkish soap operas have succeeded tremendously in
the Arab world, and usually they are very long and in spite of that people willingly follow them. ‘Matloob Regal’ also succeeded a lot since it was about daily and real life stories of Arab women, their suffering, worries and dreams.

Tell us a little bit about your future work plans…
At this point, there are a lot of things I have read, but I’m still choosing between them. Nevertheless I have to finish shooting ‘Top Chef’ Program first.

What are the characteristics you look for in a man?
He has to be kind, gentle, and understand the nature of my work and help to develop it.

What is your opinion on the Arab Spring and about what is happening in Syria?
I am an actress not a politician; the political game is an intricate game that I think is far beyond our league. As a Syrian citizen I am against the bloodshed and I hope there will be a quick solution for this chaos. I hope security will prevail in the entire Arab world and accordingly we will flourish.

One word for the following;
Mother: Tenderness
Cheating: Hurtful
Love: Life
Acting: My destiny

What are your wishes for 2012?
I wish to be a mother; especially since I’m planning to get married soon. I have a feeling that there will be arevival in the Drama and Cinema industry. I am not saying this because I have several work plans this year; the artists have a reservoir of ideas and talents, especially subsequent to living an awfully different experience in 2011 with the rise of the Arab spring.