Famous boxer Muhammad Ali wanted to play that same role in The Message/ Al-Risalah, which was released in 1977. Here is the story of Libyan Ali Ahmed Salem:
Born in Benghazi in 1945, Salem began his career as a radio broadcaster. Later, he worked as a newscaster on Libyan television. He prepared and presented a travel documentary with a program called "Our Language and Literature". As an actor, he took part in a comedy series called "Poets Court".
However, his fame brought him the role of Bilal-i Habeshi in the movie The Message. After his role in the movie, his ties with the director Mustafa Akkad did not break. Ali Ahmed Salem continued to walk on the same path as Muhammed Akkad after Cagri. He worked as an assistant director in Akkad's movie "Lion of the Desert", which deals with the martyr of the Libyan jihad, Ömer Muhtar. In 2017, he was named among the 48 influential figures of the Arab world by the Arab Information Ministers Council in Cairo and received an award.
Bilāl ibn Rabāḥ (580–640) was one of the most trusted and loyal Sahabah (companions) of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He was born in Mecca and is considered to have been the first mu'azzin in history, chosen by Muḥammad himself. He was a former Abyssinian slave and was known for his voice with which he called people to their prayers.
Before he died, Salem made a statement saying, "I have been unemployed since the conquest of Mecca", referring to the last scene of the movie The Message.
MUHAMMED ALI ATTENDED TO THE ROLE
The historical The Message film's script, directing, and acting received great acclaim. During the preparation of the film, Akkad announced that he wanted to play the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali as Bilal-i Abyssinian. Akkad refused this request, thinking that it would get in the way of the film's message.
Unknown about the movie
The film first began shooting in Morocco in 1976. Hz. When a group of people who thought that it would not be appropriate to show the life of Mohammed in the cinema put pressure on the King of Morocco, the King deported Akkad and his team. Gaddafi provided the funds for the film's completion when the financiers withdrew their support from the film and hopes were fading. Even soldiers from the Libyan army took part in the scenes of the Battle of Badr. Actors and staff from 28 different countries were studied in the film.
In an interview with Mustafa Akkad, he shared his memory after the movie Çağrı as follows:
A few years after the movie was shot, Salem Gedara, who played the role of "Wild", called me. And he started insulting me. When I asked him what happened, he said to me, that because he killed Hamza in the movie, people started attacking him in the street. This situation was fascinating.
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The tears of the Libyan actor Ali Ahmed Salem when the scene of torture “Bilal” was shown – (video)
Ali Ahmet Salem, a Libyan actor who portrayed Bilal the Abyssinian in the film the Message, has passed away (2019)
https://ilkha.com/english/latest/the-message-s-bilal-has-passed-away-213382