Iraqi artist Yousif Abbas makes history with multifaceted role in a major US series
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Iraqi musician and artist Yousif Abbas has revealed further details about his extensive and pivotal contributions to the major upcoming American series, Debriefing the President. Directed by Leslie Greif and starring Joel Kinnaman as CIA officer John Nixon and Waleed Zuaiter as Saddam Hussein, the series is based on Nixon's real-life interrogation of the former Iraqi leader.
Abbas, the sole Iraqi participant in the production, composed the entire original soundtrack. He described this as one of his most challenging projects due to the social and political sensitivity of portraying Saddam Hussein. His goal was to create neutral music reflecting the unseen emotional aspects of the interrogation, skillfully blending Eastern instruments like the Ney, Joza, and Santoor with a Western orchestra.
Beyond his groundbreaking musical score, Abbas played other crucial roles. He meticulously translated the script into authentic Iraqi dialect and coached actor Waleed Zuaiter in his portrayal of Saddam Hussein, utilizing 62 video clips to study body language. He also undertook linguistic proofreading of the script.
Filmed entirely in Egypt by an American production company to capture an atmosphere similar to Baghdad, Debriefing the President is expected to make a significant impact. Yousif Abbas's multifaceted involvement marks a historic achievement for Iraqi talent on a major international stage.
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