'United 93' Terrorist So Convincing They Won't Let Him Into The Country
Almost too predictably for a movie that prides itself on its gut-churningly realistic reenactment of one of the most horrific events in recent history, one of United 93's stars is being denied entry into the U.S. to see some of his best terrorist work at the New York premiere next week:
[T]he U.S. embassy in London said Lewis Alsamari, who has lived in Britain since 1995, had not given sufficient notice about his planned trip. [...]
"I think this was because I am still an Iraqi citizen and fought in the army — but that was only because I was forced to," he told London's Evening Standard newspaper. [...]
"I hope I am not going to have to wait until the film comes out in Britain to watch United 93. It seems strange that I cannot go over for the premiere."
It's almost too rich an irony that the same eerily authentic qualities that won Alsamari the part in the first place are what are keeping him from attending the premiere. Hopefully, the diplomacy will be sorted out in time and he'll still be able to make it. It seems unfair that he'd be denied every actor's fantasy of having starry-eyed fans approach, saying, "Amazing performance! You brought out the Arab-hater in me all over again!"
