Editor's Note

Before ChikiSays.com was launched, our co-founder created PiggySays.com, a children's website that featured original interviews, educational articles, games, and family-friendly content.

The following interview was originally conducted by PiggySays.com in 2004 with Biana Tamimi, the young star of Disney's The Young Black Stallion. It is republished as part of the Chiki Says Archive to preserve original children's content from the Piggy Says era.

The interview has been lightly edited for grammar, formatting, and readability while preserving the original questions and responses.

Interview with Biana Tamimi

Chiki Says (Originally Piggy Says): Have you acted before The Young Black Stallion?

Biana Tamimi: No, this was my very first movie role. I had been in a few school plays, but that was my only acting experience before the film.

Chiki Says: You speak Spanish fluently. How did you learn it?

Biana: My mother is from Monterrey, Mexico. She has spoken to me in Spanish ever since I was a baby, and I've always answered her in Spanish.

Chiki Says: You also grew up speaking Arabic. Can you tell us about that?

Biana: My father is from the Middle East, where Arabic is spoken. Since I was a baby, he has always spoken to me in Arabic. I haven't had as much opportunity to practice it because I didn't study it in school like I did with Spanish. I used to take Spanish classes, but now I'm studying Latin instead.

Chiki Says: Since you've been riding horses from a young age, what was it like working with the horses that played Shetan? Were they difficult?

Biana: The horses that played Shetan were really sweet and beautiful. They were all easy to get along with. My favorites were Isabella, a filly used during the desert trekking scenes, and Rambo, the stallion I rode during the race.

A few horses were a little more challenging. There was a stallion named Cyclone, whom I didn't ride, and a few others that occasionally ran off. But overall, I got along well with all of them.

Chiki Says: Did more than one horse play Shetan?

Biana: Yes! There were about eleven horses that played Shetan, although I only worked with about six of them. Each horse had a different job. Some were used for lying-down scenes, others for trekking across the desert, racing, or regular riding. Different horses also portrayed Shetan at various stages of his life, including as a foal, a yearling, and an adult stallion.

Chiki Says: Have you ever trained or broken a wild horse yourself?

Biana: No, I haven't. But I would love to someday. It seems like it would be pretty difficult!

Chiki Says: Does horseback riding run in your family?

Biana: My mother loved horses when she was growing up. Her family owned a ranch with horses, although they weren't involved in serious riding. My uncle was a show jumper and competed by jumping large fences on horseback. Other than that, there isn't a long history of horseback riding in my family.

Chiki Says: What was it like living on location while filming in Namibia?

Biana: The movie was filmed in both South Africa and Namibia. Most of the desert and rock formation scenes were shot in Namibia.

My mom and I stayed in a house right next to the ocean. Even though it became quite cold at night, the daytime temperatures could reach around 120 degrees in the shade.

The weather was unpredictable, but there were enormous sand dunes farther inland. On my days off, I got to go quad biking over the dunes, which was a lot of fun. The ocean was too cold for swimming, though!

Most mornings I woke up early and was picked up around 7:00 a.m., although our schedule depended on the scenes we were filming that day. My mom and I would drive to the set, sometimes for one hour and sometimes for as long as three hours, and we'd review the day's scenes during the trip.

When we arrived, I'd have breakfast before heading to hair, makeup, and wardrobe. After filming, which usually finished around 5:00 p.m., we'd return to our house. I also continued my schoolwork while filming, mostly with my tutor on location.

In the evenings, Patrick Elyas, who played Aden, his father, my mother, and I often went to a nearby restaurant overlooking the ocean for dinner. Sometimes we were lucky enough to see pods of dolphins swimming nearby.

Chiki Says: If you could choose your next acting role, what would it be?

Biana: I really enjoy animal movies because I've loved animals all my life, especially horses. Working on The Young Black Stallion was a perfect role for me because I truly felt like I was Neera.

I'd also like to play the bratty, spoiled, or mean girl in a movie someday. It looks like it would be a fun challenge! A lot of people say I wouldn't fit that type of role, but I'd love the opportunity to prove them wrong.

Chiki Says: Thank you very much for taking the time to speak with us.

Biana: Thank you so much for interviewing me. I had a lot of fun, and I hope to hear from you again soon!

Looking Back

This interview captures a special moment in time during the release of Disney's The Young Black Stallion. We thank Biana Tamimi for sharing her experiences and giving young readers a behind-the-scenes look at acting, horseback riding, and filming in the breathtaking deserts of Namibia.

About This Archive

This interview was originally published on PiggySays.com in 2004 and is republished by ChikiSays.com as part of the Chiki Says Archive. We are proud to preserve original interviews and children's content from the Piggy Says era while continuing to inspire a new generation of young readers.