Claim: Omar Sharif was fluent in Arabic.

Omar Sharif -LRB- عمر الشريف , -LSB- ˈʕomɑɾ eʃʃɪˈɾiːf -RSB- ; born Michel Dimitri Chalhoub -LSB- - arzmiˈʃel dɪˈmitɾi ʃælˈhuːb -RSB- 10 April 193210 July 2015 -RRB- was an Egyptian actor . He began his career in his native country in the 1950s , but is best known for his appearances in both British and American productions . His films included Lawrence of Arabia -LRB- 1962 -RRB- , Doctor Zhivago -LRB- 1965 -RRB- , and Funny Girl -LRB- 1968 -RRB- . He was nominated for an Academy Award . He won three Golden Globe Awards and a César Award .   Sharif , who spoke Arabic , English , Greek , French , Spanish , Portuguese and Italian fluently , was often cast as a foreigner of some sort . He bridled at travel restrictions imposed by the government of Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser , leading to self-exile in Europe . The estrangement led to an amicable divorce from his wife , the iconic Egyptian actress Faten Hamama . He had converted to Islam in order to marry her . He was a lifelong horse racing enthusiast , and at one time ranked among the world 's top contract bridge players .