Veteran Egyptian actor Ahmed Khalil died on Tuesday aged 80 after catching Covid-19, according to a statement from the Egyptian Actors Syndicate.
Syndicate president Ashraf Zaki also said that a funeral service will be held on Tuesday at a mosque in the district of Sheikh Zayed in Cairo.
The actor tested positive for Covid-19 late last week, before being moved to hospital at the weekend after his condition worsened drastically.
Many of the late actors' friends offered their heartfelt condolences on social media after news of his death broke.
"Today we lost an important figure. He was one of the purest people I ever met and he truly touched my heart," wrote Egyptian actress Youssra on Twitter.
"He was one of the princes of Egyptian cinema. He was always nice and had a very calm nature. May God rest his soul. My most heartfelt condolences go out to his loved ones and the region's artistic arena," wrote veteran Egyptian actor Nabil Al-Halafawy on Twitter.
Who was Ahmed Khalil?
Born in 1941 in the Nile Delta province of Daqahliyah, Khalil graduated from the country’s High Cinema Institute and snagged his first roles in the late 1970s.
Though he has starred in some well-received films over the years, the bulk of his acting was on the small screen, which is where he truly shined.
Khalil has also been hailed for some of his earlier theatre work through which he met his first wife, Egyptian comedienne Soheir El-Bably.
Khalil's second marriage was to a German woman whom he met while she was on holiday in Egypt. The actor has often described his second wife, who stayed away from the spotlight, as the “love of his life” and their marriage was of a great deal of interest to his fans on account of his wife’s foreign nationality.
With roles on hit series such as Hawanem Garden City, Hadith Al-Sabah wal Masaa and Seket El Helaly, Khalil cemented his position as a truly formidable talent, able to compel millions with his performances, which were also quite varied in their nature.
His film roles, however, were more sparse and did not leave the same mark on viewers as his television roles did.
He is survived by his wife and their daughter, Heidi.
