The death of the artist Muhammad Al-Taji after a struggle with illness

The artist Ashraf Zaki, head of the Acting Professions Syndicate, announced the news of the death of the artist Mohamed Al-Taji this evening, amid a state of sadness in the Egyptian artistic community, while his family and the Acting Professions Syndicate continue to complete the funeral procedures and determine the date and place of the funeral of the body.

Al-Taji's departure came after a period that witnessed him suffering from a health problem and undergoing surgery during the past months. The artist reassured his fans this August of his health condition, and earlier denied reports that he had undergone serious spinal surgery, stressing that the operation he performed was simple and not related to the vertebrae of the spine.

On August 20, Al-Taji revealed in media statements that he had been discharged from the hospital and returned to his home after undergoing surgery, confirming that his health condition was good, but he refused to disclose the nature of the operation, describing it as “very private.”

Muhammad Al-Taji was born in Cairo on April 28, 1958, and began his artistic career in the 1970s, before proving his presence in many dramatic, cinematic, and theatrical works, and becoming one of the distinctive faces in Egyptian art.

Al-Taji’s name is linked to an ancient artistic family, as he is the grandson of the great artist Abdel-Wareth Asar, one of the most prominent acting pioneers in Egypt.

Al-Taji had spoken on more than one occasion about the influence of his grandfather in shaping his artistic personality, explaining that he stayed with him during the last years of his life, and would read works to him because of his poor eyesight, which opened the way for him to the world of acting.

Al-Taji’s entry into the world of art was not a path imposed on him by his family, as he revealed in previous interviews that his grandfather, Abdel-Wareth Asar, did not directly encourage him to pursue professional acting, but rather he feared for his name, before his passion for the field led him to become a professional and work in theater, then television and cinema.

During his career, the late artist participated in a large group of works that left a presence with the audience, and he especially distinguished himself in the roles of social, comedic and dramatic characters, benefiting from his ability to present different characters with a special imprint.

In recent months, Al-Taji has remained present in the artistic and media scene, and appeared in meetings during which he talked about his memories with the artistic community, and his relationship with his grandfather, Abdel-Wareth Asar, and he also addressed a number of issues related to his career and personal life.