Did You Know Beauty and the Beast's Visual Effects Were Created by an Egyptian?

One of this year’s hottest releases was Beauty and the Beast, the live-action feature of one of Disney’s most celebrated princess tales. The film is already blowing the doors off this year’s box office and has been dominating headlines even before its release.

Aside from the fact that Hermione Granger (aka Emma Watson) is playing Belle (which is a lot of childhood wires crossed from some people), you may also have heard of the various controversies surrounding the film such as Ms. Watson’s revealing attire at one of the premieres or the fact that half the world went up in a homophobic uproar when LeFou turned out to be gay. What you may not know, however, is that an Egyptian worked on the film’s visual effects and he has quite the repertoire under his belt.

This isn’t Mohamed Ali’s first film in his long career in visual effects. The talented conjurer has also worked on Fast and Furious 7, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2,Thor, Pixels and Captain America: The First Avenger.

Born in Egypt, Ali graduated from San Francisco’s Academy of Arts, where he left with a degree in visual effects, and he has apparently climbed his way to the top. It’s always good to hear more about the people whose blood, sweat, and tears go into making Hollywood movies. They truly are the foot soldiers, the backbone, and - 

what they are without getting the same recognition as the actors or directors.

There is a prolific Egyptian presence in Hollywood, with actors such as Rami Malek and Omar Metwally garnering a great deal of fame and recognition for themselves and the MENA region. Assigned as the new casting director for Guy Ritchie’s new Aladdin feature is Egyptian, Marwa Gabriel who has started the casting process and any Egyptian actor can apply.