Through his self-effacing humor and wit, up-and-coming actor Warchieff is helping bring the world closer to Saudi.
Photo: Francesco Lastrucci
Arabian actor and influencer Mohammed Alhamdan, aka Warchieff, can be spotted everywhere. Yet, rising to fame through his humorous work with Telfaz11, a creative media studio that specializes in locally relevant entertainment content, Alhamdan is not someone who takes himself seriously. Warchieff is the epitome of the modern entertainer and digital star, as his four million Instagram followers will no doubt attest.
Right off the bat, Alhamdan’s sense of humor is self-effacing, as he shares the story behind his moniker. “To be honest, it’s a kind of funny, silly story,” he smiles. “I was playing this video game called Warriors , and in one mission one of the characters yelled, ‘Warchieff!’ and it felt like he was calling me. Straightaway, I changed my Instagram handle to Warchieff. It used to be Silent Killer… which was too intense.” An avid gamer and digital native, Alhamdan’s posts regularly go viral, but they nor he never come across as contrived. His videos are often small skits, or a music video. “I just appreciate it and I do my best not to focus on it too much,” he continues. His natural humor and creativity come to the fore, along with the ease with which he reaches out to his fans. “Being in Saudi is what inspires me; it always has,” he says. “Growing up here and figuring out ways to have fun was always an adventure. It made me enjoy the simple things. I believe it’s always been changing. As we’ve been growing, the talents are growing, I’m even more excited because the ceiling is higher and my dreams are bigger.”
Photo: Francesco Lastrucci
While Alhamdan considers himself as a “little bit of everything” – actor, musician,influencer – it’s his work on screens both big and small that are garnering attention. Over the years, he had experimented with YouTube skits but he considers 2020 to have been his
watershed year. “Back in 2016, I acted in a short film, Wasati, which was released on Netflix early last year. I think it was one of the first times the general public realized I could act in a
drama, away from my Warchieff character, which surprised the audience,” he says of his role shift, adding, “It’s nice to see the world admire and appreciate works done from the region.” He also earned the starring role in Arabian Alien (2020), an experimental film written and directed by fellow Saudi Meshal Aljaser and produced by Almotaz Aljefri, which made its
debut at the Sundance film festival and went on to win critical acclaim. It tells the tale of a married man who overcomes depression when an alien enters his life, and picked up the award for best narrative short at the 2020 Atlanta film festival. Alhamdan is nothing if not versatile. Constantly working and creating, he enjoys exploring new creative mediums.
Photo: Francesco Lastrucci
He has collaborated with Louis Vuitton and Coca- Cola, and is always looking to push the boundaries with contemporary leaders in the region. As both an influencer and rising celebrity, Alhamdan’s every move and look is under scrutiny. But, relaxed as ever, he doesn’t seem fazed. “I wear what I like,” he says of his style. He shakes his mane of curls and slides his hands in his pants while on set of this shoot. “Sometimes, I feel like wearing Yohji Yamamoto, and sometimes I keep it easy with a Stüssy hoodie. It’s simple, yet me. I don’t
usually like it when people dress alike just to fit in.”
Photo: Francesco Lastrucci
Today, with a little more time on his hands due to the Covid pandemic, Alhamdan is diving back into more personal pursuits, like music. Jazzy Spa Sounds is a live-stream platform in collaboration with Alhamdan’s friend Chndy. It’s a space where creativity reigns, offering live DJ sessions, playing with Microsoft Paint, live haircuts – anything goes, as long as it’s fun and entertaining for others. “In the end, Jazzy Spa Sounds can become whatever we want it to be. Don’t be surprised if we end up curating a whole music album or DJ’ing at the next big festival,” he hints. Whatever is to come, Alhamdan faces the future with the same relaxed approach that has served him so far. The slowdown has helped him to take stock and re-evaluate what has been a meteoric rise and it seems that this funny, engaging man is destined for great things.
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Originally published in the Spring/Summer 2021 issue of Vogue Man Arabia
