Adel Imam, the iconic Egyptian actor, celebrates his birthday on May 17. Imam has enriched the Arab and Egyptian art scenes with many works that have captured the hearts of the masses. However, there are also roles that he has turned down, including important and iconic ones, such as the character of Sheikh Hosni in the film “El Kit Kat”. Mahmoud Abdel-Aziz ended up playing the role, which became one of his most memorable performances. Imam also refused to play the role of Hassanein Araby in fear of being typecast. Instead, the role was played by Salah El-Saadany, who gave a legendary performance. Imam also turned down several roles in films directed by Youssef Chahine, as he feared his movies were too complicated for audiences. Several other roles, such as those in the films “Swagat El Atabes” and “Al-Bayih Al-Bawab”, were also turned down by Imam, while other actors such as Ahmed Zaki and Nour El-Sherif excelled in them. Despite turning down these roles, Imam remains an important and beloved figure in Egyptian and Arab cinema.