Rising Star: Moroccan-Dutch Actor Zouhair Mtazi Shines in "Mocro Maffia" and Dutch Cinema

From dream to reality. As a child, Zouhair dreamed of becoming an actor. He loves American and classic Arab and Bollywood films. His father, who lived and worked in the Netherlands as a foreign worker, brought them home once a year when he returned to their residence, located in Khouribga, a city about 120 kilometers southeast of Casablanca, where young Zouhair lived with his mother, grandmother, two brothers and a sister aged three to fourteen. The whole family watched classics like "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" or the American action film "Dirty Harry" several times. But before returning to the Netherlands, his father would put the box of films away, out of the children’s sight. "My father was very strict. The films were not to distract us from our studies, so he put the box in a locked room," recounts the 43-year-old Moroccan to RTL Nieuws. I constantly desired that box. When it was brought out of the attic again, I was so happy."

Concerned about building a better future for his children, Zouhair’s father was not enthusiastic about bringing his family to the Netherlands. He especially feared that his son would take the wrong path in his country of adoption, as happened to other young people in the neighborhood. But the diabetes of Zouhair’s younger brother pushes him to change his mind. There, the child can receive better treatment. The family then settles in the Netherlands. The young Zouhair, then 14 years old, adapts to his new life. "Everything was well organized, the streets were clean, the green spaces well maintained. Every morning there was milk on the table..., he recalls. There are so many stories worth telling, perspectives to explore." A few years later, he plays roles in series such as Mocro Maffia or the great Dutch film "De Vuurlinie".

A path he is proud of: "When I see where I come from, I find it very special." The path is nevertheless strewn with pitfalls. "This environment is competitive and uncertain. You can be at the top one day and forgotten the next. That’s why I’m constantly working, learning and adapting. I don’t just want to be recognized as an actor who got lucky. I want to be the one who persisted, who overcame obstacles and who really mastered his art." Zouhair is optimistic about the future. "I want to continue to learn, to grow. I have projects in directing and writing in addition to acting. I have stories I want to share, voices I want to amplify. And at the heart of it all, I hope to inspire - whether it’s my son, by showing him that it’s possible to follow his dreams, or someone who sees my films and feels less alone in their struggle."

He does not fail to give advice to young actors wishing to follow in his footsteps: "Be authentic, be patient and be ready to work hard. And above all, don’t let anyone tell you your dream is too big or impossible. Every great dream begins with a bold dreamer."