Lebanon-born American actor Danny Boushebel is the Middle East’s latest emerging star to be making waves in Hollywood, and he is headed to Cannes Film Festival with the highly anticipated social drama film Much Loved, as part of Cannes 2015 Director’s Fortnight. The flagrant feature film, directed by Oscar-nominated and multi award winning French-Moroccan director Nabil Ayouch, stars Danny as the movie’s leading man, and follows four prostitutes struggling to survive and thrive in the city of Marrakech, Morocco today. “Working with Nabil on the set of Much Loved was an extremely rewarding and satiating experience for me as an actor,” said Danny. “From our first meeting in New York, and after discussing the topic matter of the film, I was very enthusiastic about being a part the project.”
In 2012, Nabil Ayouch picked up the prestigious Un Certain Regard Award in Cannes for his movie Horses of God, and hopes Much Loved will receive the same level of accolades during its festival run. “Nabil is a great visionary and a true artist, someone I was very keen to work with,” said Danny. “We worked closely, yet loosely, to bring this pivotal role to life since the story covered very sensitive and real material.” Director Nabil Ayouch added. “Much Loved has been made with a low budget but lots of heart. Since the very beginning of the process, Danny was fully involved and dedicated. His part was not easy for several reasons. I’ve discovered a great actor and a wonderful guy. One of the biggest talents that we today have in the Arab world.”
Although born in the Middle East, Danny’s parents fled Lebanon, amid the beginning of the Lebanese Civil War, in order to seek a finer living and safer haven away from the regional political unrest. His diverse background made him more inclined to spend a lot of time in and around Europe and the Middle East in search for the perfect place that he could call home. “I moved around quite a bit before settling down, at first in New York, then Los Angeles,” said Danny. “I lived for a long while in London where I received my intensive acting training at The Academy Drama School, often referred to as the Academy, in Whitechapel, London.”
After a successful time in London, Danny moved to New York. In 2009 he cemented his acting career in the highly acclaimed theatre production of Baghdadi Bath, where Danny was the show’s leading man. “I had a great time in Baghdadi Bath at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club in New York City,” said Danny. “The play, which was performed in Arabic with an English translation, was an alternately humorous and bleak look at Iraq under the American military occupation. During our run The New York Times came out and gave us a rave review.”
Since living in America, Danny has become a well-seasoned and respected actor in theatre, television and film. His extensive TV and film credits include; The Blacklist, Homeland, Anna Nicole, Drop Dead Diva, Damages, and Pan Am. In March of this year his feature film She’s Lost Control premiered in both New York and Los Angeles, and is currently enjoying its theatrical release in select cinemas. His movie Unfreedom, in which he plays Malik, a supporting role, opens in cinemas across North America on May 29, 2015.
“I consider myself a very fortunate actor as show business isn’t the easiest of businesses to break into. I enjoy working on anything that can push me as an actor – whether in theatre on TV shows or in film. I just love my job and every day is a blessing,” said Danny.
Earlier this year, Danny appeared in season 3 of the award-winning Netflix original House of Cards, opposite Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright, and can soon be seen as a guest star in an upcoming episode of Elementary (Ep. 323 ‘Absconded’) directed by the EMMY award-winning Guy Ferland, set to air on CBS next month.
From one actor to another Danny said “As an actor you need a solid go-getter team around you. It is so important to find representation that fully believe in you and know how to take you to the next level in your career. You can’t do it alone. To be a great actor takes an equally great team.”
Danny concluded. “You need to have short term immediate goals, but more importantly long term ones too as acting is a long journey that you are embarking on. Being a constantly working actor should be you’re motivating force, and plan, based on a solid foundation stemming from the support of your loved ones or the ones that are willing to go with you all the way unconditionally. With that being said, I believe that with courage, determination, a clear vision and perseverance you can achieve anything in life and you can make all your dreams a reality.”
Catch Danny in the hit TV show Elementary on CBS May 7, 2015.
To learn more about actor Danny Boushebel visit www.dannyboushebel.com or www.imdb.me/dannyboushebel. Follow him on: www.facebook.com/officialdannyboushebel www.instagram.com/dannyboushebel www.twitter.com/dannyboushebel
