Meet Ruba Zarour; the young Lebanese actress, who not only mastered the skills and abilities to act, but also achieved the know how to write and direct. Ruba has experienced each position and what the position entailed, which allowed the young actress to gain a better feel for exactly how the industry worked. Ruba’s interest in the world of theater began in her mid-teens when she started appearing in multiple plays and commercials. After graduating high school, Ruba went to “Notre Dame University” to obtain a Bachelor Degree in Mass Communication Arts, learning invaluable skills such as directing, cinematography, and script writing. But, her love for performing arts did not stop there, after two years of working behind the scenes at MTV Lebanon, Ruba began to focus her energy on her acting career.
Ruba moved to Los Angeles at the age of 22, in order to follow her love of acting, where she registered herself in acting groups and studied under top acting coaches, like Larry Moss and Howard Fine. Later in 2015, Ruba received a role in the featured film Cash Flow #2, a couple months later she was picked to be the lead in the film “Listen”, by the famed Lebanese Director Philipe Arictingi. We spoke exclusively with Ruba about her bustling life as a rising star in the city of Los Angeles.
What are you currently inspired by?
“My professional inspiration has no separation from my personal inspiration. I am fascinated by the psychology of the human mind; how the brain can create neural pathways through neuroplasticity, and the fact that I can incorporate it in my art. It blows me away how many roles people play in life, and I believe that approaching a character in a scene is as just the same way as approaching life – you have to delve into the experiences, background, and influences of the human being.”
What do you think is the best part about working in the industry today?
“The fact that anyone has the capability to create content and share it on a wide array of platforms makes today’s industry very exciting, and especially for actors. Acting, like producing and directing, is creating. There is no need for an actor to sit and wait for roles, they must create the roles.”
Who are some of your favorite actors & directors?
“Some of my favorite actors are Vincent Cassel, Marion Cotillard, Edward Norton, Eva Green, Mathew Mcconaughey, Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Eddie Redmayne…”
“Favorite Directors: Tarantino, Fellini, Godard, Luc Besson, Martin Scorsese, Clint Eastwood, Wes Anderson, Tim Burton, Hayao Miyazaki, Steven Spielberg…”
Is there any place your dying to travel to?
“I am naturally a very curious person; anything that I am unfamiliar with would be my next destination. I do believe that travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer. So yea, I am dying to travel the world.”
You write, direct, and act. What do you enjoy most and why?
“Having the opportunity to spearhead the entire process through these three different roles makes me appreciate what it takes to create a successful production. What I enjoy the most though is working on a character in all its complexities and bringing it to life.”
Talk us through a day in the life of Ruba Zarour.
“As I am not the type to be on a strict time schedule, I usually give each upcoming week a main goal, and work on things as the week progresses with fluidity. However, I do add to the mix Sports, Reading, Yoga and a great deal of laughter.”
“I prefer my days be different from each other; I prioritize the things that interest me, and try to make the most of even the smallest opportunities.”
What do you believe sets Beirut apart, being your hometown?
“Beirut is a city with immense unrealized potential. To me, it’s a symbol of resilience, of individuality, and of tolerance. You can see the scars and glow of the effects of Beirut’s deep history in its identity and culture; a modern and vibrant city with strong ties to its own tradition. I find that this makes people in Beirut very passionate, and I can draw energy and identify with that every time I return.”
What has been your most challenging role?
“Haven’t played it yet.”
How would you describe your ideal role?
“I have always been interested in playing roles that are the furthest from my personality. Playing a psychopath or someone with multi-personality disorder is one, and definitely a highly skilled badass secret agent (with a lot of backflips and gun shooting) I also manage to enroll in as many acting classes as I can, because that’s where I am continuously challenged to explore different emotions and work on interesting characters.”
What is something most people do not know about you?
“Ahh, I have little people who manage my internal thoughts – Just like a piece of theater. Our brain is a story-telling machine, and the “self” is a story.”
“Something else people don’t know about me is that I remember them through their hands. I relate personalities with hand gestures and movements. I’ve stolen various hand gestures that I’ve found interesting from people around me, and have made them my own… I could write a full article on this if I don’t stop here.”
Where to next?
“Truth is I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m on my way! “
Where can we follow you?
Facebook: Ruba Zarour
Instagram: rubazarour
Snapchat: Rubazarour
Photographer: Carlos Aoun
