By Monique
Moran Atias’ Leila Al-Fayeed is the glue that holds the Al-Fayeed family together on Tyrant. Amira might think she’s the glue, but it’s clearly Leila. Similarly, it’s Atias’ amazing acting that breathes life into Abuddin’s First Lady and has turned the character into a force to be reckoned with.
Atias imbues a thinker’s perspective to her acting, which helps her get into the psychology of her characters. It seems Atias’ way into Leila’s psychology is studying the mind of a woman who has lost everything and still hopes to achieve greatness in order to prove her worth in a society that discriminates against women. Atias also gives Leila a great sense of power, a power shown in Leila’s ability to be an intense political strategist, making her an imposing force in the family (so much so that it seems that even Jamal cowers to her at times).
This season of Tyrant now has many characters that are very well developed and even some new characters that add to the show’s drama. It’s exciting to know that Leila has been developed to the point that she’s really the shadow leader of Abuddin, and I’m always waiting to see what she’s going to do each week.
What do you think of Moran Atias and her portrayal of Leila? Give your opinions in the comments section below!
TYRANT — “A House Built on Sand” — Episode 204 (Airs Tuesday, July 7, 10:00 pm e/p) Pictured: Moran Atias as Leila. CR: Kata Vermes/FX
Julian 