Today we’d like to introduce you to Yasmeen Scarab.
Yasmeen, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born and raised in Alexandria, Egypt. I’ve always wanted to entertain others as young as seven years old. Growing up around my father who was a very musical man and friends with a lot of legends (Lionel Richie, Donna Summer, Diana Ross, etc.) I was ALWAYS watching live concerts and listening to classics growing up. I loved seeing others create art with their own talents. I loved the emotion these artists brought to their audience. They made them feel something… And I knew I wanted the same thing. From 3rd grade until 11th grade – I was bouncing between California and Egypt every other year or couple of years. I came back to CA for senior year and that’s when I told my dad NO MORE MOVING! I’m going to pursue my career in full force. That definitely didn’t happen right away. Starting to live on my own from 17 was definitely hard. I sloooowly moved every six months or so closer and closer to Los Angeles from Northern CA. I finally got to Hollywood when I was 22. I moved RIGHT onto Hollywood Blvd. Typical tourist. xD Worst idea ever. A young woman living alone, tsk tsk.
Fast forward two more years, I finally get signed to an agency, I get a manager, and have a PR rep. 2019 was MY year. I booked three commercials, was flown out to Seattle, and starting making real money. I thought, “YES! FINALLY. the ball was rolli-” Then good ol’ corona came along and stopped EVERYTHING. After waiting around for a whole year hoping and praying for production to pick back up… I finally gave in and came to Egypt to try to act out here for the time being. I came to Egypt after about ten years – so nice little cultural shock. Two weeks into my visit and I had six different agencies reach out. I booked my first commercial three weeks, THREE WEEKS, into my visit!!! It just aired on TV 3 days ago. Proud moment right there. I love acting, I love directing, and I love bringing happiness to others whether it’s with my silly videos, comedy, or good performances. I’m only going to keep pursuing, keep practicing, and keep on with this beautiful journey. I’m currently still in Egypt since right now is our Pilot Season, and once I’ve made a big enough name for myself here, I’ll come back to LA and dominate the wooooorrrrrrld. (or you know, book a movie role, at least. :p ) Hopefully, my journey motivates others around the world to understand that things take time and if you truly know what you’re destined to do in life, nothing and no one should get in your way. I have literally traveled across the world AND BACK to pursue my dream, and I’m still trying… The journey is what matters so I can live and tell more of my story.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not been a smooth road, but that’s what makes it fun and memorable. Easy come easy go. I’d rather go through all the obstacles to get where I need to be and have a damn good story to tell at the end. Living on your own in Los Angeles AND having a passion is already the #1 struggle any artist can face. LA is a very demanding and very expensive place to live. You need money to stay in LA, and you need to work non-stop to afford said place, and working a lot takes up all your free time for auditions, shooting, creating, etc. So it’s really a vicious cycle that one needs to master. Networking and helping others is most important if you really want to make it far.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My dream was always to act and be successful at it. But as I grew older and learned more about the whole industry, I realized I want to direct as well. I love directing others to be great and bring a whole vision together. So even though acting is still first priority, directing has become another passion of mine. Given that I’m fluent in Arabic as well, I’ve been casted for many middle eastern roles, which I absolutely love. It helps me have a wider audience from both ends of the world. It’s definitely who I am and what I’m most known for, The Egyptian. Ha, I think my proudest moment is when my parents see me on their TV screens and I can genuinely sense true happiness in their eyes. That right there is all I need to keep going.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I’m always down to create something beautiful. Money has never been my concern. I’ve done more FREE work than any paid work for sure. People who DM me on Instagram @yasmeenscarab or send me an email explaining what it is they need me for, I always love responding and figuring out how we can benefit each other and help each other grow. The support comes from everywhere, whether it’s a follow on social media, a YouTube subscription, or sharing my videos, the support is real and I love every ounce of it, big or small.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: imdb.me/yasmeenscarab
- Instagram: instagram.com/yasmeenscarab
- Facebook: facebook.com/yasmeenscarab.page
- Twitter: twitter.com/yasmeenscarab
- Youtube: youtube.com/yasmeenscarab
