A Wembley teacher landed his dream role starring opposite his screen idol Harrison Ford in the new Indiana Jones movie.
Mohammed Kamel, 46, combines teaching English at the Functional Skills Educational Centre in Lancelot Road with his passion for acting.
He's previously appeared as Mohamed Al-Fayed's younger brother Ali in The Crown, but has now bagged his biggest role yet, playing a villain in Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
He said: "Filming with Harrison Ford and Phoebe Waller-Bridge was an absolute dream come true. I grew up idolising Harrison and watched his films on repeat and could recite all the dialogue. When I found out that I had won a part in the new Indiana Jones movie I couldn't contain myself."
The story focuses on the hunt for a timepiece made by Archimedes that the Nazis think can turn back time. Mohammed, who grew up in Wembley, stars in a pivotal fight scene opposite Ford and Kentish Town-raised Waller-Bridge, which sees her knock him out by smashing a champagne bottle over his head.
The scene - using a prop bottle made of sugar - had to be replayed scores of times.
"The director wanted multiple takes from different angles so Phoebe ended up smashing the bottle over my head about 100 times! By the end of filming my bald head was literally caked in sticky sugar but when we finally got the perfect shot, she gave me a high five and a big hug."
It was his part in Netflix hit The Crown that led to playing the right-hand man of one of the film's villains Rahim (Alaa Safi.)
"It was all very secretive, the casting director who hired me to portray Ali Al-Fayed, contacted my agent and asked me to submit a self-tape video audition for a mystery feature film. The next thing I knew, I was told I had the part, and a driver was coming to pick me up and take me to Pinewood Studios.
"It was only when I got to Pinewood and was taken to the costume department that I realised I had landed a role in Indiana Jones and would be acting opposite Harrison Ford."
Mohammed spent six weeks on set with Ford and says he was "a kind and thoughtful man".
"They say never meet your childhood heroes, but nothing could be further from the truth. He was so lovely, friendly and kind to me - even offering me a piece of his orange every morning, which he loved to have for breakfast."
He first met Waller-Bridge while sharing a make-up truck at Pinewood.
"I had a false moustache applied every morning, and Phoebe was incredibly friendly, chatting about my time at drama school and asking about my experience on The Crown. But we then had to play enemies in front of the camera. After one take I fell to the ground and acted unconscious. She was genuinely concerned, and asked me: 'Oh my God, Mohammed, are you okay?"
When I replied that I was fine she said: "Then why don't you get up? You had me worried, I really thought I had hurt you!'
"I told her: 'I have to wait for the director to say cut first. I won't move until the director says cut.' Then we both burst out laughing."
After graduating from Brunel University, Mohammed trained as an actor at ArtsEd and began to write and direct short films. His day job involves teaching students from deprived backgrounds, which he finds rewarding, and luckily his bosses allow him time off for auditions and filming.
He praised James Mangold, acclaimed director of hits including, Girl, Interrupted and Walk the Line.
"After we finished filming, James sent a car to drive me to the other side of Pinewood. He knew it was my last day on set and wanted to thank me in person. He shook my hand and hugged me. That was such an incredible, special moment and showed what a class act he is."
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny is out now in cinemas.
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