After battling cancer for a few months, legendary Egyptian actor Hesham Selim died.

On Thursday morning, Selim's close friend and Egyptian actors' guild president Ashraf Zaki announced the tragic news on Instagram. Many others from Egypt's A-list followed Zaki's tribute post.

The actor's funeral procession will take place later on Thursday in the Greater Cairo district of Sheikh Zayed, the affluent suburb where Selim lived, as per Zaki.

Selim's cancer diagnosis was first reported in May, and he confirmed it in a televised phone-in, during which he said he was staying in Ain Al Sokhna, a Red Sea beach town outside Cairo.

Born in 1958, the actor made his acting debut in 1972 in the hit film Emberatoriet meem (or "M" Empire in English) alongside legendary actress Faten Hamamah and delivered a memorable performance for which he is still acclaimed.

Selim's five-decade career has seen him collaborate with some of Egypt's biggest names on numerous successful films and television series.

His most recent work, Hagma Mortada (Counterattack), a spy thriller series released during Ramadan last year, was also well-received and became one of the season's most-watched shows.

The late actor was the son of football legend-turned-actor Saleh Selim, who died in 2002.

Selim leaves behind three children: Nour, Zein, and Esmat.