Khalid Abdalla transformed into Princess Diana’s lover Dodi Fayed as he was seen on the set of The Crown this week, as the hit Netflix series replicates his part in the making of the 1981 Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire.
Photos taken at Camber Sands in East Sussex show Khalid relaxing in a director’s chair, while cameras capture actors running down the beach in scenes similar the the winning production.
In scenes shot for the fifth season of Netflix’s hit series, his father Mohammed was also present. Salim Dau played the role. The two were deep in conversation.
It marked the first occasion Khalid, who sported a full luxurious moustache, has been seen without a face covering on the set, having first been spotted wearing a mask while filming in September.
Dodi was romantically involved 16 years later with Princess Diana. He worked as an executive producer for the 1981 movie after his father Mohamed Al Fayed, a billionaire, set him up in film production.
But in 2012, film producer Lord Puttnam claimed he ordered Dodi off the set of the film – which told the story of the 1924 Olympics – after the man who later stole Princess Diana’s heart tried to give the cast cocaine.
The Crown’s fifth series will feature Khalid (a British actor) as Dodi. The show’s timeline covers the Royal Family’s history through the 1990s.
Dodi was photographed with Diana on their boat, ‘Cujo,’ in July 1997. This photo was taken just weeks before they were killed in the Paris car accident on August 31, 1997.
Khalid Abdalla became Princess Diana’s lover Dodi Fares as he was photographed on The Crown set. The Netflix hit series copies his role in Chariots of Fire, the Oscar-winning movie from 1981.
Dodi Fayed, Princess Diana’s love interest was spotted sitting in his executive producer chair on The Crown’s set. This Netflix hit series replicates his role in making 1981 Oscar-winning movie Chariots of Fire. (pictured left). Pictured right, Executive producer Dodi Fayed, left, with Chariots of Fire producer David Puttham, right
Dodi and Diana, their final holiday, are shown in St Tropez on the 22nd of August 1997 — nine days prior to their death
It appeared as if the Crown had been recreating Chariots of Fire with additional actors running through Camber Sands.
In the photographs, Khalid can be seen wearing a casual pair of denim jeans with a long brown overcoat and a matching jumper.
His father joins him on set and the pair chat with each other from the chairs.
The actor can be seen on another stage walking along the shore with his mobile phone while he takes a break from filming.
While filming Camber Sands, he could be found sipping a cup tea.
Khalid looks casual in a pair of jeans, a brown coat and matching jumper on the photographs.
Another stage shows the actor walking down the beach while taking a rest from filming.
Dodi became romantically engaged to the Princess of Wales sixteen years later, in 1997. This was after Mohamed Al Fayed (a billionaire) set him up as an executive producer of the 1981 movie.
Between takes, the actor – also starring in Kite Runner – could be seen on the beach relaxing as he talked on the phone (left), and enjoying a cup tea (right).
His father Mohammed was also present in scenes that were filmed to make the series. The two of them had deep conversations (pictured).
The actor could be seen sharing an apparent bonding moment in one scene, which was captured at the beach earlier this month (pictured).
Mohamed reached out to place a hand on the shoulder of his son during filming of Chariots of Fire.
Eventually Chariots Of Fire (pictured) took £26million at US box offices alone – and Al Fayed made a reported £6.5million
In photographs taken on the hit Netflix show’s set, Dodi can be seen lounging in a chair alongside his father while on the beach
Connie M’Gadzah (pictured also on the set) was longtime valet for the Duke of Windsor, until his death in 1972. He was later valet to Mohamed Al-Fayed, (pictured).
Dodi, Mohamed and Connie M’Gadzah spoke briefly after that.
The scenes were shot at Camber beach in Camber, British Columbia.
The cast was later seen receiving instruction for scenes at the beach (left, right), and Khalid talking to a director.
While Dodi was behind them on the chair as Chariots of Fire was being shot, Mohamed and Connie were seen laughing together.
The men weren’t joking between takes, or rehearsing scenes for the Netflix hit drama.
Khalid – also appearing in The Kite Runner 2007 as Ziad Jaarrah (2006 film United 93) – was seen having fun with Connie
Lord Puttnam was a producer of films and claimed Dodi was kicked off Chariots Of Fire by him after he attempted to give cocaine to the cast.
‘Dodi had other things on his mind than developing a film career for himself, of which girls and drugs rated pretty highly – and not necessarily in that order,’ he said.
Puttnam arrived one day to find a number of cast members whose mood had clearly been altered by what he suspects was cocaine provided by Dodi.
‘I said to Dodi, “With the best will in the world, Dodi, this didn’t happen. And I never want to see you again around my cast and crew.” It was very unpleasant,’ said Puttnam.
The story was leaked to Dodi’s father. ‘It upset him terribly,’ said Puttnam.
‘Al Fayed had spent a huge amount of his life dealing with his son’s problems and trying to contain them. Perhaps he felt it more difficult to share his problems with the world. It was all very sad.’
Though he will always be remembered as the man who died beside Princess Diana in a car crash in Paris in 1997, Dodi was a little-known playboy at the time of the film’s making in 1981.
Al Fayed had set up the film production company Allied Stars for his son and it was this company that provided nearly £2 million to finance the early development of Chariots Of Fire.
Puttnam said: ‘He was one of the laziest human beings I’ve ever come across. So the idea of him being an executive producer was always going to be hopeless because he had the attention span of the average flea.’
The film told the story of Eric Liddell, the Scottish sprinter and devout Christian who withdrew from the men’s 100m sprint after learning the heats fell on a Sunday.
Though the 100m was Liddell’s best event, he trained instead for the 400m – which he famously won. Puttnam referred to the film as his ‘proudest achievement’.
He was fortunate to find a chance partnership with Fayeds.
Puttnam was inspired by Len, his father who worked at the Associated Press news agency as a picture editor and took images of the 1948 Olympics.
During research Puttnam stumbled upon Liddell’s story. It just happened that Al Fayed’s lawyer at Allied Stars had attended Eltham College with Liddell and became determined to make a film about his hero.
‘So enthusiastic was the lawyer about the project that it all got nasty at one stage because Al Fayed began to suspect, and quite wrongly, that there was some sort of malpractice afoot,’ said Puttnam.
In order to recreate Chariots of Fire, extras could also be seen wearing white shorts or t-shirts while standing naked on the beach.
It was not well received and had poor attendance at London’s first showing in 1981.
‘He felt he was being railroaded into investing in a doomed project about two sprinters with no sex, no beautiful women and not a fast car in sight.’
The film was initially shown in London’s single cinema, which received mixed reviews.
‘I was on holiday in Cornwall and phoned the box office every two hours,’ said Puttnam.
‘The second afternoon performance, I was told, had been only one-third full. “Well, that’s it,” I thought. “It’s over.”
‘But then an extraordinary thing happened. As the film aired, audiences grew exponentially. The American audience grew as more people attended. Slowly, we had a global hit on our hands.’
Mohamed was seen resting his gloved hand against the son’s shoulder during filming (pictured).
Dodi and Mohamed later removed their sunglasses.
Another option is to have extras film as crew members in order capture the action on Chariots of Fire.
It was later revealed that the men had a verbal exchange as they prepared to film more scenes at the beach.
Eventually Chariots Of Fire took £26million at US box offices alone – and Al Fayed made a reported £6.5million (pictured)
Eventually Chariots Of Fire took £26million at US box offices alone – and Al Fayed made a reported £6.5million.
Khalid Abdalla, a Dodi actor will play opposite Elizabeth Debicki. The Crown’s sixth and fifth seasons will see Elizabeth take on the role of Princess Diana. Netflix confirmed in September that Netflix will be bringing the series back in November 2022.
Ahead of landing the role, Khalid appeared in the 2007 film The Kite Runner, and also appeared as Al Qaeda member Ziad Jarrah in the 2006 film United 93, which depicted the events aboard United Airlines Flight 93, one of four plans hijacked during the September 11 attacks.
Khalid was only once seen before on set of this hit television show. On that occasion, Khalid wore a mask for the duration.
Earlier this summer, the British actor was spotted arriving to film scenes for the Netflix alongside his wife Cressida Trew and Welsh actress Erin Richards as they boarded a replica of the mogul’s famous £170,000 superyacht in Marbella.
Khalid, who arrived at the port to film a day, was seen getting on a speedboat and making his way towards the yacht. This boat will no doubt replicate the lavish wealth of the Fayed families.
As he hugged Erin (his co-star in the series), he was happy and in great spirits. The boat then took them to Titania’s entry where they would be filming.
The Titania, which boasts seven cabins and can sleep up to 12 guests, is typically available to rent for £474,363 ($643,000) per week in the summer, and will act as a stand-in for Fayed’s actual yacht.
All the latest Pictures of the set will be available in days following TThe Crown was the latest victim to Covid.
The new series’ filming was stopped on Wednesday by eight of its crew members who had tested positive for HIV, according to a source familiar with the Netflix phenomenon.
The set was re-shot just days after T.he Crown, the latest victim of Covid. According to a source close the Netflix show, filming was stopped on Wednesday because at least eight members of crew tested positive.
Camber Sands was where the cast filmed scenes in Chariots of Fire, which is the fifth season of Netflix’s show.
Netflix announced Thursday night that ‘The Crown’ had completed filming one hour earlier than expected for Christmas break. This was due to a few positive situations within the crew. It is now safe so everyone can have a happy break with loved ones.
Netflix announced Thursday night that ‘The Crown’ had completed filming for Christmas one day early than expected due to a few positive situations within the crew. This ensured safety so everyone can have a happy holiday with loved ones.
After Bertie Carvel (44), and Lydia Leonard (40), were photographed for the first-time as Tony Blair’s wife Cherie in Kent, on Tuesday, the coronavirus epidemic on set was confirmed.
The actor sported a striking resemblance with the former PM, as The Crown recorded the Blairs voting in 1997’s election.
Tony was 43 years old when he became Prime Minister. He had been 42 since Lord Liverpool in 1812, when he became PM at the age of 42.
This scene was filmed in Kent and not County Durham. It featured Tony and Cherie going to the polls with their children, daughter Kathryn, Nicky, and Euan.
Bertie wore a red tie and a bouffant hairstyle, while the rest of the cast was dressed in the same costumes as the Blairs when they walked to Trimdon Colliery’s Community Centre. Production brought in many journalists to capture the frenzy.