Egyptian actress Hala Shiha apologized via her Instagram account to "all artists in Egypt," particularly addressing the head of the Actors' Syndicate, Ashraf Zaki, after her retirement from art and describing it as "forbidden." In her apology, Shiha clarified that "art will remain a noble, genuine, and influential message; aimed at the sentiments of every viewer; and Egypt, with its art and artists, will continue to be the soft power in the Arab world."
Shiha met with Zaki at the Syndicate's headquarters, expressing her "gratitude" for his support during her crisis. The Actors' Syndicate issued a statement indicating that "actress Hala Shiha met with Dr. Ashraf Zaki, head of the Actors' Syndicate, at the Syndicate's headquarters, where she thanked him for his significant support during her recent crisis and for standing by her and all artists, asserting that the Actors' Syndicate will remain the true shield for all artists in Egypt."
Regarding the possibility of her returning to acting, Zaki mentioned that he would "consider Shiha's return to the artistic field again with the Syndicate council."
Shiha's crisis began in 2021 after her marriage to the Islamic preacher Moaz Masoud and her second retirement from acting. Subsequently, she criticized artists in her country, labeling art as "void." Her last work, the film "Mesh Ana" with Egyptian singer Tamer Hosny, faced significant controversy after Shiha refused to do voice dubbing for her scenes and also declined to participate in the film's promotional poster.
Additionally, visual artist Ahmed Shiha, Hala's father, criticized his daughter's statements referring to art as "forbidden," expressing his deep anger toward her and asserting that such actions put the family in an embarrassing position.
