May Skaf was a Syrian actress and activist. She began her career in 1991. Skaf acted in many series and movies such as Al-Ababeed in 1997 Maraya in 1998 and Omar in 2012. Skaf was known for her opposition to Syrian regime, she was labeled The rebellious artist, The Free artist and Revolution icon. She died in July 2018 in Dourdan from a heart attack.
Early life and career
Skaf was born to a Christian family in Damascus, where she studied French literature at Damascus University. Skaf started to act in many French plays, when in 1991 she got the attention of director Maher Keddo, who chose her for the main role in his film Sahil aljehat. She worked with director Abdellatif Abdelhamid who offered her a role in his movie Rise of rain in 1995. Her first role in TV was in A crime in memory in 1992. Skaf became famous from her breakout role in Al-Ababeed in 1997. She acted in many other series like Albawasel in 2000, Bit alelah in 2002, Ash-Shatat in 2003, Ahel algharam in 2006. She portrayed the medieval Arab womanHind bint Utbah in Omar in 2012, and as Tawq asphalt in 2014. Her last role was in Orchedea in 2017. She participated in the Syrian artists associationin 2001, but she was suspended in 2015 for not making payments to the association.
She was formerly married and divorced, she had one son Judd Alzobbi. Since the beginning of Syrian Revolution 2011, she participated in many protests against Bashar al-Assad. She was arrested and released in August 2011. In 2012 she left Syria secretly for Lebanon then to Jordan, where she immigrated to France with her son in 2013. She accused Syrian police of rape when she was under arrest. The government took possession of her house in Jaramana in late 2014 after she fled the country.
Death
In July 23, 2018, her son watched Skaf die at her bed. Her family doubted the cause of death was due to natural reasons. A couple of days before her death she had traveled to Beirut, which led to speculation that Hezbollah may have had a role in her death. However, the official autopsy concluded that she died from a heart attack. Her maternal cousin Dima Wannous said that she died from a stroke, she also said that she suffered from a great deal of frustration for what happened in Syria.
