From Beirut to Hollywood: the linguistic mastery of Fares Fares
In short: After fleeing the Lebanese Civil War as a teenager, Fares Fares mastered Swedish in just three months. Today, the acclaimed Swedish actor moves seamlessly between international roles, demonstrating a rare ability to inhabit new languages and cultures with profound ease.
Born in Beirut, Lebanon, in 1973, Fares Fares moved to Örebro, Sweden, in 1987 at the age of 14. His family, of Assyrian origin, sought refuge from the Lebanese Civil War, settling near relatives already established in the country. This transition marked the beginning of a remarkable linguistic journey; Fares famously achieved fluency in Swedish within only three months of his arrival.
His professional foundation was built in the Swedish theater scene, beginning with a local group in Örebro at age 15 and later attending drama school in Mölnlycke. After spending six years at Theatre Tamauer, he transitioned into film, often collaborating with his brother, director Josef Fares, in projects like Jalla! Jalla! (2000) and Kill Your Darlings (2006). His talent eventually earned him prestigious recognition, including a Guldbagge Award for Best Actor and two Robert Awards for supporting roles.
Fares's career is defined by a versatile presence in both European and Hollywood productions. He gained international visibility in the 2010 crime thriller Easy Money and later made his Hollywood debut in the 2012 film Safe House. His filmography spans high-profile roles in Zero Dark Thirty (2012), the Star Wars franchise in Rogue One (2016), and acclaimed television series such as Chernobyl and Westworld. This adaptability extends to his linguistic range; for the 2013 film The Keeper of Lost Causes, he learned to speak Danish in just two months.
Beyond acting, Fares has expanded into directing and producing. He established a significant creative partnership with director Tarik Saleh, notably in the Cairo trilogy, which critiques political corruption in Egypt. In 2020, he moved behind the camera as a producer for the miniseries Partisan, and in 2023, he made his directorial debut with the Netflix original film A Day and a Half.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Fares Fares
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/culture-fares-fares.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in UK & Irish culture · More in Cultures · Latest · A–Z · All topics
