Name |
Ben Youcef |
Height |
6'2 |
Naionality |
American |
Date of Birth |
|
Place of Birth |
America |
Famous for |
|
"I was born in Algiers on The Mediterranean Coast into a family of 7 children. Fighting for attention among my brothers and sisters was probably where my acting career really began. Throughout my life I've been exposed to many cultures. My father was an Algerian diplomat stationed in Saudi Arabia for much of my childhood. I moved to London for University where I studied Business with a minor in Theatre. Before moving to Los Angeles I spent two years modeling for leading magazines and advertisers in NYC.
My objective as an actor is to bring a new understanding of the Middle Eastern culture to the rest of the world. My life integrates the Islamic spirit with modern energy. I still retain an almost naive way of seeing the world that comes from a truthful place of a kid that was me."Below is a quote from The Jewish Journal about Ben Youcef leading the prayers before 150 Jews, Muslims and Christians at the Southern California Islamic Center. Several Jews migrated over to the prayer room and lined up as the prayer leader led the worship. It was the full-on experience -- standing, kneeling, bowing -- just what you see on the evening news but with, yes, some Jews and Christians sprinkled in. I mentioned to a woman standing nearby that the young man leading the prayers, Abdelwahab Ben Youcef, was almost unnaturally handsome.
"Oh, he's an actor," she said. "Below is a quote from Theolog.org "The Blog of The Christian Century" about Ben Youcef calling to worship. A moving blend of voices issued the call to worship and intoned the benediction at the prayer service. In overlapping sequences, Episcopal priest Ian Elliott Davies sang an Anglican chant. He was joined by Jewish cantor Mark Saltzman and then Muslim muezzin Abdelwahab Benyoucef, who intoned prayers in Hebrew and Arabic. Liturgist Gwynne Guibord, who heads interfaith relations for the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, said the singers were to be true to their tradition without concern for musical harmony. But the softly mixing tones spoke volumes about a harmony of purpose.