Actress believes more needs to be done for women\'s rights

Darine Hamze named 'Prettiest Arab Actress' Lebanese actress Darine Hamze has revealed that she is “very proud”, after being named the Prettiest Arab Actress by US film website Internet Movie Database (IMDb). The website is an online database of information related to films, television programs, and video games from around the world. Boasting of over 100 million unique users each month, the site is popular with film buffs and those wanting more information on the latest cinema releases.
In an exclusive interview with Arabstoday, Hamze said she considered the latest accolade a “major achievement considering the site’s large following.”
Hamze’s latest film, Betroit, is currently out in cinemas across Lebanon and is proving to be incredibly popular. The actress plays an abused and oppressed woman, in a bid to highlight the problem of violence against women in the Arab world. Owing to its phenomenal success, Betroit is likely to be rolled out in cinemas across the Middle East and America in the near future.
Hamze, who is also an accomplished singer, said she “fell in love with the role” as soon as she read the screenplay. She believes the role empowers women and sends a strong humanitarian message.
“Many women are subjected to injustice and violence at the hands of their husbands, and although we are in 2013, some men still treat their wives in a shameful way” said Hamze.
The actress praised Lebanese women’s rights organisations for “continuing to defend women and their rights”, saying more needed to be done to support these groups.
Speaking about the increasing number of independent projects the actress has recently been involved in, which have often been poorly paid, Hamze said: “When Hollywood actress Hilary Swank appeared in the independent film titled Boys Don't Cry in 1999, she was paid only $75 a day, probably $3000 for the whole job. But what is striking is that she won the Academy Award for best actress for her role in this film.”
Hamze also confirmed that she agreed to appear in the Lebanese series The Team for free because she wanted to educate the younger generation about the Lebanese civil war.
Referring to criticism she often receives, Hamze said: “I am an inherently adventurous person. An actor should go beyond their acting capabilities, always striving to be better and expanding the way they express themselves.”
Hamze’s new TV series, Escape To The Fire, aired for the first time on Lebanese TV on Monday. The series, directed by Albert Kilo and written by Jean Kassis, co-stars Talal Jerda as well as number of other well-known Lebanese soapstars.