DUBAI: Hard work and persistence are the keys to success for Egyptian Montenegrin actress Tara Emad, who is the first Middle Eastern star to score a campaign with Chanel Beauty. For the latest updates, follow us on Instagram @arabnews.lifestyle The actress, who fronted a campaign with Cartier in the past, told Arab News the opportunity is not one she takes lightly. “It makes me feel that I have a role now. Growing up, I always wanted to see representation,” she said, adding that she feels “incredibly grateful” for the chance to serve as that representation for other young women around the world. “It’s rewarding, it’s humbling,” she said. Having started her career at 14 as a model, the now-29-year-old has a number of films and advertorials under her belt. Born to an Egyptian father and a Montenegrin mother, Emad told Arab News that she was always fascinated by the camera as a child and was comfortable being in the spotlight. “I felt that this is where I belong, in front of the camera. My mother noticed how much I loved being photographed and how much I loved posing in front of the camera…It was always the joke in the family that ‘Tara is always camera ready’, no matter what or where. “I was fascinated by the fact that I could do roles and live other people’s lives through characters and be them for a certain amount of time,” she added. “It’s incredibly daring. It’s beautifully demanding.” Emad nabbed her first role at the age of 15, but her breakout role came at 20 when she starred alongside renowned Egyptian actor Adel Imam in the 2014 comedy show “Saheb El-Sa’ada” that aired during Ramadan. “Given that opportunity, I was not aware…how much it was going to reflect later on in my life and how big of a step it was. I was not aware until the series was airing,” she said. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and it has changed everything that came afterward.” Despite her stellar portfolio, the actress is yet to star in an action film. “I would love to do action,” she said. “I don’t think — especially in the Arab world — we have enough roles that are written for lead women (in action movies). There might be some action sequences, but there is not a (female-led) action movie…So I would love to do that.”