Belle Ikat is an Egyptian actress and model. She was married to Usher during the time of the Second World War; they were together until she returned to Egypt where he was born. The two remained together for several years, however Usher became very ill, and Belle felt she had to leave him in order to live her own life; she therefore left for Europe to pursue her acting career. It was whilst she was in Paris that she began a relationship with Jean Paul Gaultier, whom she has worked with since their relationship in Egypt. Gaultier has always described their relationship as being platonic, though he has admitted to visiting the studio where Belle lives, and once visiting the set of one of her films he carried a photograph of her with him.
The question many have as regards Belle’s height, is simple in terms of public record. As it is common for women of Belle’s age to be in a wheelchair, it would seem unlikely that this would have had any bearing on her ability to continue her chosen profession; however, some may wish to suggest that her disability may have dictated certain aspects of her career choice. In a country where beauty pageants are commonplace, and where the term ‘heightism’ is freely used and not understood; it is clear that Belle chose to invest her time in pursuing a career that required physical effort, and which involved a certain degree of physical strain. It is clear that Belle was never one to shirk from hard work; the dedication to her craft by Belle, which has continued throughout her life, lends credence to the view that she may have chosen a profession in which she could be challenged physically.
It seems clear that Belle chose her profession at a young age, and that her chosen profession influenced her later choices in life. Was this a factor in her death? We shall never know. What we do know is that Belle was able to enjoy a successful and rewarding life, as she was always the confident and assured woman that you only ever admire, and that was rewarded by the depth of her character, in the end. We can only hope that Belle’s story is seen to the full, in order that this tragic example may prevent other women from being sidelined simply because of their physical shortcomings.