Ilham Ali: Al-A'sha Street is one of the most important works in my career.

“Al-Asha Street” was not just an acting experience for Ilham Ali, but rather a profound emotional journey that she lived in every detail.

Ilham Ali lives the character of Wadha in all its details Speaking on episode 9 of the Behind The Sheen podcast, she described the role as one of the most important in her career, saying: “I consider Sharia Al-A’sha one of the most important works in my career. I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said it was one of the top five.” Novelist Badriya Al-Bishr, author of the original novel for the series, was a guest on the episode, where she shared her experience seeing her characters transform from paper to screen.

Ilham Ali: I saw my grandmother in front of me For Ilham, the series wasn't just a historical drama, but a documentation of an era and culture that was almost forgotten. She said, "This work documents our details... Even small things, like the shape of a cup today, may change after ten years, but it documents a moment, an environment, a feeling."

She also spoke about her connection to the character of Wadha, emphasizing that she didn't feel like she was acting, but rather as if she was reliving her grandmother's memories, saying: "I didn't get tired. On the contrary, I saw my grandmother in front of me, and I saw my grandfather's house... the same atmosphere, the same decor, the same feelings." She noted that the biggest challenge was mastering the dialect, not embracing the character.

Competition in Saudi drama and Badriya Al-Bishr's vision When asked about competition in drama, Elham emphasized that she is proud to be part of a Saudi generation that creates drama with a clear identity: “Today, we are no longer a surprise. We have become part of the Arab drama wave, and Arab producers are coming and saying, ‘We want Saudi production.’” Novelist Badriya Al-Bishr expressed her feelings upon seeing her characters transformed into reality, saying: “The moment I discovered, I felt that these characters came from a book, meaning they were not dream characters. It was exactly a scary and happy feeling at the same time.” She also emphasized that the success of any drama depends on the strength of the story: “The story is the foundation. No matter how huge the work is, if the story is not strong, it will not reach the audience.”

Backstage, Elham Ali revealed some of the funny things she encountered during filming, as her colleagues would joke with her, saying, "Elham doesn't know how to act? Elham is annoying on set?!", indicating how deeply immersed she was in the role and even the filming environment.