27 June 2023 , 17:33
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A teacher from London has revealed how he landed his dream role – starring opposite his screen idol Harrison Ford in the new Indiana Jones blockbuster.
By day, aspiring actor Mohammed Kamel, 46, teaches English at the Functional Skills Educational Centre in Wembley, North West London.
But he has now bagged his biggest role yet, playing a villain in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, which opens nationwide in UK cinemas on June 28.
Mohammed stars in a pivotal fight scene opposite Harrison Ford and British co-star Phoebe Waller-Bridge, during which she knocks him out by smashing a champagne bottle over his head!
He beamed: "Filming with Harrison Ford and Phoebe Waller-Bridge was an absolute dream come true. I grew up idolising Harrison and loved his Star Wars, Indiana Jones and Blade Runner films so much. I watched them on repeat constantly, and could recite all the dialogue!
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Mohammed Kamel (left) landed his dream role alongside Harrison Ford (Supplied)
He also appears alongside Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Dis)"So imagine how I felt when I found out that I had won a part in the new Indiana Jones movie! I couldn't contain myself."
Last year the Mirror exclusively revealed how after impressing casting directors during auditions, Mohammed had landed a key part in the fifth series of The Crown, portraying the role of Ali Al-Fayed, Mohammed Al-Fayed's younger brother and uncle to Dodi Al-Fayed. Upon its release, Season 5 of The Crown topped Netflix's Top Ten English titles, with close to 110 million hours viewed.
Now Mohammed has told how his success in The Crown led to him landing his dream role in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny – one of the most expensive films ever made – where he plays the right-hand man of the film’s supporting villain, Rahim, portrayed by actor, Alaa Safi.
"It was all very secretive at first," he revealed.
"Kate Bone, the casting director who hired me to portray Ali Al-Fayed in The Crown, contacted my agent and asked me to submit a self-tape video audition for a mystery feature film.
"The next thing I knew, I was told I had landed the part, and that a driver was coming to pick me up from my house and take me to Pinewood Studios.
"It was only when I got to Pinewood and was taken to the costume department to measure up that I realised I had landed a role in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny, and that I would be acting in a crucial fight scene opposite Harrison Ford and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.
"They say never meet your childhood heroes because you could end up being disappointed. But in my case, nothing could be further from the truth.
"I spent six weeks on set with Harrison Ford and he was so lovely, friendly and kind to me - even offering me a piece of his orange every morning, which he loved to have for breakfast.
Mohammed described Harrison as "lovely" (Lucasfilm Ltd.)"During a filming break, Harrison memorably asked me: 'Mohammed, you never sit down in between takes and you always have such good posture when you are standing. I'm guessing you must have had military training. Is that true? Were you ever in the military?'
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"I replied: 'Good question, Harrison. I've actually never been in the military, but my Uncle Daniel was an American marine who served in Korea and Vietnam.'
"I told Harrison how my Uncle Daniel returned from Korea and dated a famous Hollywood actress called Betty Hutton, who then introduced him to superstar Elizabeth Taylor.
"Harrison not only loved that story but went on to say: 'When you see your Uncle Daniel, please thank him for his military service.' I found that very touching and it just showed what a kind and thoughtful man Harrison is in real life."
Mohammed revealed how he first met Phoebe Waller-Bridge at Pinewood Studios.
"For my character, I had a false moustache applied to me every morning, and Phoebe and I shared a make-up truck. She took such a genuine interest in me and was incredibly friendly, chatting to me about my time at drama school and asking about my experience working on The Crown.
Phoebe took a "genuine interest" in Mohammed's work on The Crown (PA)"But we then had to play enemies in front of the camera and had our own big fight scene. The fisticuffs end with her smashing a champagne bottle over my head.
"The bottle was of course only a prop made of sugar.
"But after I fell to the ground, I acted unconscious.
"And Phoebe was so genuinely concerned, she asked me: 'Oh my God, Mohammed, are you okay?"
"I replied: 'I'm fine.’
"But Phoebe said: 'Then why don't you get up? You had me worried there! I really thought I had hurt you!’
"I told her: 'I have to wait for the director to say cut first. I won't move until the director says cut.'
"Then we both burst out laughing.
"But the director wanted multiple takes from many different angles, and so Phoebe ended up smashing the bottle over my head about 100 times! By the end of filming that scene, my bald head was literally caked in sticky sugar!”
"When we finally got the perfect shot, Phoebe gave me a high five and a big hug."
Mohammed also praised the film's acclaimed Hollywood director, James Mangold, renowned for previous Oscar-winning hits including, Girl, Interrupted and Walk the Line.
"After we finished filming, James sent a car to collect me and drive me to the other side of Pinewood.
"He knew it was my last day on set and said he wanted to thank me in person.
"James shook my hand, hugged me and thanked me for my work. That was such an incredible, special moment, that showed what a class act he is, and was the perfect end to a dream six weeks on set with my screen idols."