The young Syrian artist Jwan Al-Khadr revealed his complete rejection of playing a "gay" character in dramatic works.
In an interview with the "With You" platform, Al-Khadr stated that he cannot go against his nature or detach himself from his true self, as he described it. Despite being a graduate of the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts, he considers himself a product of an Eastern society that does not accept such characters. The Syrian artist added that while an actor should be able to play any role, in reality, he cannot reconcile with a gay character nor defend it, as he does not accept their existence even in real life, and treats them as if they were mentally ill. However, he sympathizes with them and understands their struggles, yet he regards them as individuals suffering from depression.
Regarding his opinion on the series "Street Chicago" and the controversy it stirred due to its bold scenes, Al-Khadr said: "The writer and director of the work, Mohamed Abdel Aziz, has his perspective, which I appreciate presenting through the work, whether I agree with it or not. However, when we discuss this series and its exploration of a street filled with bars, the events unfold around it, leading us to expect the level of conversation between the characters. For example, when we present Sham culture series, we adopt a Sham accent and use deep terms because the environment inherently possesses these terms."
It is noteworthy that Jwan Al-Khadr is currently participating in the series "Red Heart," written by Fad Helal and directed by Ammar Tammam, where he portrays the character Taif. The series is scheduled to be aired during the upcoming Ramadan season in 2021.
