Makhyoun is known for his powerful and charismatic performances and distinctive screen presence. Over the years he became one of the most respected figures in Egyptian arts, leaving behind a rich legacy that spans for decades in cinema, television and theatre.
Makhyoun was born on 25 February 1946 in Abu Hummus, Al-Beheira Governorate, and he graduated from the Higher Institute of Theatrical Arts where he studied music and acting
His talent shone at an early age in unforgettable roles like playing Wahid in the second season of screenwriter Osama Anwar Okasha’s Al-Shahd wel Demou (Honey and Tears, 1985). He later took part in Okasha’s Layali Al-Helmiya (Helmiya Nights, 1987) too, playing Taha Al-Samahi, the son of a local strongman who, initially against the British occupation, becomes politicised.
He also performed the role of Adel Abu-Leila in Okasha’s Zizinia (1997), and played the great musician Mohamed Abdel-Wahab in Um Kolthoum (1999), starring alongside Sabrine as the diva.
One of his most exceptional features as an actor is his distinctive voice, which qualified him for the radio at the start of his career with programmes like Eyoun Attia (Attia’s Eyes) and Endama Yamout Al-Khouf (When Fear Dies).
At the beginning of his acting career he also took part in films like Ali Badrakhan’s Al-Karnak (1975), playing a political prisoner. Makhyoun participated in films that were on the list of best 100 films in the Egyptian cinema, including Youssef Chahine’s Eskendreya Lih? (Alexandria…Why?, 1979) He also participated in Chahine’s Hadouta Masriya (An Egyptian Story, 1982), and Raafat Al-Mehei’s Lel Hob Qessa Akhira (One Final Love Story, 1986).
In the same year, Makhyoun joined forces again with Badrakhan in Al-Gou (Hunger), playing the remarkable role of Gaber, described by the late film critic Samir Farid, as “so delicate, it bordered on Sufi transcendence”.
In 1991, Makhyoun played the role of the detective Noureddin in Asmaa Al-Bakri’s Shahateen wa Nobalaa (Beggars and Noblemen), set during the final days of World War II, about a former university professor who meets a prostitute in a brothel and kills her.
In television he featured in Khalti Safeya wel Deir (Aunt Safeya and the Monastery, 1996), directed by Ismail Abdel-Hafez, in the role of the police officer Hamza. He also played the role of Hassan Al-Hudaybi, the second guide (or leader) of the Muslim Brotherhood – appointed in 1951 after founder Hassan Al-Banna’s assassination two years earlier – in the TV series Al-Gamaa II (The Brotherhood II).
In 2000s, Makhyoun participated in trendier films like Damm Al-Ghazal (Blood of the Innocent, 2005), Khareg Ala Al-Qanoun (The Outlaw, 2007) and Zai Ennaharda (On A Day Like Today, 2008).
Having taken part in both seasons of Gawdar: One Thousand and One Nights, Makhyoun appeared last Ramadan in the TV series Sawa Sawa (Together), playing the role of the lead’s grandfather. He also participated in Efrag (Release), another Ramadan series, directed by Ahmed Khaled Moussa.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 18 June, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
Short link: