Ghassan Massoud (born September 20 1958 in Damascus) is a Syrian actor and film maker. He is best known in the West for playing the role of the Muslim military general Saladin in Ridley Scott is 2005 film Kingdom of Heaven. He has also played the Sheikh in famous Turkish film Kurtlar Vadisi: Irak (Valley of the Wolves Iraq). Massoud is best known in Syria for his appearance in many Syrian made films and writing and directing the theatre play Diplomasiyyoun and was part of the Syrian Ministry of Culture is National Theater is 2002 season. Married with both a son and daughter Massoud teaches Drama at both the Damascus Music and Drama School and High Institution of Theatrical Arts. He has appeared in the Syrian films The Chant of Rain and in Haytham Hakkys well known work Memories of the Forthcoming Age and on the Syrian stage was an actor in August Strindberg is Miss Julie.