Lior Ashkenazi (Hebrew: ליאור אשכנזי; born 28 December 1968) is an Israeli actor, voice actor, comedian and television presenter.[1] Regarded as one of the best performers of his generation in Israel, he is recognized for his versatile work across independent films, television and the stage. He has received numerous accolades, including three Ophir Awards.
Lior Ashkenazi | |
|---|---|
ליאור אשכנזי | |
Ashkenazi in 2006 | |
| Born | Lior Louie Ashkenazi December 28, 1968 |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1993-present |
| Spouses | Shira Farber (div. 2005)Maya Amsellem (m. 2011) |
| Children | 2 |
A graduate of Beit Zvi, he began his career on the Israeli stage. He had a breakout role playing Zaza, the son of Georgian Jewish immigrants in Late Marriage (2001). He also starred in Walk on Water (2004), Footnote (2011) and Foxtrot (2017). He is also known to international audiences for his role in Golda (2023). He has appeared on television in Our Boys (2019), Valley of Tears (2020) and most recently in Hulu's We Were the Lucky Ones (2024).
Biography
editLior Ashkenazi was born in Ramat Gan, Israel, and grew up in the Neveh Yehoshua neighborhood. His parents are Sephardic Jews from Turkey who immigrated to Israel in 1964.[2] His father, Shmuel, worked as a printer. His mother, Victoria, was a housewife. His parents spoke Ladino at home, and it was his first language. At the age of 16, in the wake of problems in school, he moved to Kibbutz Regavim.[3]
Ashkenazi served as a paratrooper in the Israel Defense Forces, and was stationed in the Israeli-occupied West Bank during the First Intifada.[4]
Ashkenazi was first married to Israeli actress Shira Farber, with whom he had his first daughter. After his divorce, he had a relationship with Israeli playwright and screenwriter Sigal Avin. In December 2011, he married Israeli producer Maya Amsellem. They had a daughter in August 2012.[3]
Acting and film career
editHe studied acting at Beit Zvi. After graduating in 1994, he worked for Habima and Beersheba Theater. Simultaneously, he featured at the Beit Zvi Theater in productions like "Job's Passion," "N.B. Your cat is dead," "Brothers in blood," "The one who gets slapped," "Measure against measure," and "Photos." He starred in many plays at Beit Lessin Theater under the direction of Zipi Pines. He also appeared with the Cameri Theater in Tel Aviv, although Beit Lessin remained his home base.[3] His breakout role came in Late Marriage alongside Ronit Elkabetz in 2001.[4]
In 2016 he appeared alongside Richard Gere in the political drama, Norman.[5] Ashkenazi won an Ophir Award for Best Lead Actor[6] for his performance in the 2017 film, Foxtrot, Israel's entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards.[7]
In November 2018 Ashkenazi appeared in Shakespeare's The Tempest, a joint production between the Old Globe Theatre and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.[8]
In 2019 Ashkenazi appeared in HBO's show Our Boys, an American-Israeli series.[9] In late 2023, it was announced in Deadline Hollywood that he would play the lead role in Mosolov's Suitcase.[10] Filming completed in the first quarter of 2024.[11]
Ashkenazi is also a Hebrew-language dubber. He dubbed Li Shang in the 1998 Disney film Mulan and the 2005 sequel as well as the title character in Bolt.
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Pocahontas | Kocoum (voice) | Hebrew dub |
| 1998 | Mulan | Captain Li Shang (voice) | Hebrew dub |
| 1999 | Tarzan | Adult Tarzan (voice) | Hebrew dub |
| 2001 | Late Marriage (Hatuna Meuheret) | Zaza | |
| 2003 | Rutenberg (Ish HaHashmal, Electricity Man) | Leonard | |
| 2004 | Walk on Water (Lalechet Al HaMaim) | Eyal | |
| Home on the Range | Buck Horse (voice) | Hebrew dub | |
| 2005 | Mulan II | Captain Li Shang (voice) | Hebrew dub |
| 2006 | The Bubble (HaBuah) | Himself | Cameo |
| 2008 | Bolt | Bolt (voice) | Hebrew dub |
| Hello Goodbye | Yossi | French film | |
| 2009 | Ultimatum | Gil | Italian film |
| 2010 | Rabies (Kalevet) | Danny | The first horror feature ever from Israel[12] |
| 2011 | Footnote | Uriel Shkolnik | |
| 2012 | Karon | Michael | Short film |
| Yossi | Moti | ||
| 2013 | Big Bad Wolves[13][citation needed] | Micki | |
| 2014 | The Dune | Hanoch | French film |
| 2015 | Encirclements | Bezalel Ninio | |
| 2016 | Norman | Micha Eshel | |
| 2017 | Foxtrot | Michael Feldmann | |
| 2018 | 7 Days in Entebbe | Yitzhak Rabin | |
| 2019 | My Zoe | Secretary of State Ken Stanitzke | |
| 2022 | Karaoke | Itzik | |
| 2023 | Golda | David Elazar | |
| 2024 | Mosolov’s Suitcase | The Filmmaker |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | BeTipul | Yadin Yerushalmi | |
| 2012 | Nesuuim plus | Shuky Avrahami | Hebrew version of Married with children (his character based on Al Bundy) |
| 2013 | The Missionary | Yonatan Gall | TV pilot |
| 2016 | Ikaron HaHachlafa | Atlas | Lead role |
| 2019–present | Eretz Nehederet | Benny Gantz / Yoni Rechter / Various Characters | |
| 2020 | Valley of Tears | Meni Ben-Dror | |
| 2021 | Hit & Run | Assaf | Netflix series |
| 2022 | Boged (Traitor) | Georgi | Lead role |
| 2024 | We Were The Lucky Ones | Sol | Disney+/Hulu series |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Israeli Film Academy | Best Actor | Late Marriage | Won | |
| Best Supporting Actor | Rutenberg (Ish HaHashmal) | Nominated | |||
| 2004 | Best Actor | Walk on Water | Nominated | [14] | |
| 2011 | Best Supporting Actor | Footnote | Won | ||
| 2017 | Best Actor | Foxtrot | Won | ||
| 2015 | Fangoria Chainsaw Awards | Best Actor | Big Bad Wolves | Nominated | [15] |
Personal life
editAskenazi has a daughter from his previous marriage to screenwriter and actress Shira Farber, whom he divorced in 2005. In July 2011, he married film producer and distributor Maya Amsellem, whom he met a year earlier when they both worked on the film "Footnote." They had a daughter together in August 2012.
In several interviews, Askenazi has admitted that he sometimes provides false information about his personal life.[16]
References
edit- ^ Lior Ashkenazi’s filmography (in Hebrew)
- ^ Culture (2018-03-28). "Lior Ashkenazi Goes International". Jewishjournal.com. Retrieved 2018-08-15.
- ^ a b c The Naked Truth, Haaretz
- ^ a b Shooting Star Haaretz. 18 August 2005
- ^ Hollywood Press Praises New Israeli Films 'Norman,' 'Past Life' Haaretz. 18 September 2016
- ^ To Culture Minster's Horror, 'Foxtrot' Wins Highest Award at 'Israeli Oscars' Haaretz. 19 September 2017
- ^ Kamin, Debra (19 September 2017). "Israel's 'Foxtrot' Sweeps Ophir Awards to Become Country's Oscar Entry". Variety. Penske Business Media. Retrieved 19 September 2017.
- ^ Israeli Actor Lior Ashkenazi to Play Lead Role in L.A. Shakespeare Play Haaretz. 16 September 2018
- ^ "Our Boys Cast". HBO. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
- ^ "Lior Ashkenazi Boards Matthew Mishory's 'Mosolov's Suitcase' as Filming Resumes Following Ukraine War Hiatus". 22 December 2023.
- ^ "Watch Lior Ashkenazi in First Trailer for Matthew Mishory's Hybrid Drama 'Mosolov's Suitcase'". 21 February 2024.
- ^ "Rabies". Archived from the original on 2012-05-10. Retrieved 2013-02-06. JFilm Festival presents: Rabies (Winner - Best Feature - Mile High Horror Film Festival)
- ^ Big Bad Wolves official facebook
- ^ Lior Ashkenazi, Biography. Omanoot Archived January 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ For Your Consideration: The 2015 Chainsaw Award Nominees for Best Actor!
- ^ "סקירת עיתונות: מדוע עיתונאים מראיינים שוב ושוב את מי שמודיע להם כי הוא משקר להם?". העין השביעית (in Hebrew). 2016-09-09. Retrieved 2023-12-10.