Fez — Moroccan actor Ismail Abou El Kanater died yesterday at his home in the United States following recent health complications, according to Moroccan media reports. He was 69.
Born in 1957, Abou El Kanater trained at the Conservatoire of Casablanca before continuing his artistic education in New York. His background in both Morocco and the United States shaped a career that crossed borders and languages.
He appeared in a range of international productions, including the American television series “24” and the film “Queen of the Desert.” He also featured in the Moroccan-French production “Terminus des anges,” alongside numerous Moroccan films and television works throughout his career.
In the United States, he worked under the name Sam Kanater and was active in both screen and stage projects. Earlier in his career, he performed in theater productions in Los Angeles, including a one-man adaptation of Nikolai Gogol’s “Diary of a Madman.”
While he spent significant time abroad, Abou El Kanater remained connected to Morocco’s audiovisual scene, returning for roles in national productions and maintaining professional ties to the country’s film and television industry.
He is expected to be laid to rest in the United States.
With a career spanning decades and continents, Abou El Kanater leaves behind a body of work that reflects the trajectory of Moroccan actors navigating both domestic and global screens.
