Israeli Female Film & Theater Personalities

From Miss Israel to Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot has made heads turn and take notice of her. Serving two years in Israeli Army as a combat trainer surely helped Gadot in her movie career, where she is known for playing strong, action-oriented roles. She was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2018.

Inbar Lavi is an Israeli actress best known for her performance in the American comedy-drama TV series Underemployed. Lavi is also credited with playing important roles on other American TV series like Gang Related, Prison Break, and Lucifer. Her popularity increased when she landed the lead role in the dark comedy television series Imposters where she played Maddie.

Odeya Rush is an Israeli model and actress best known for playing lead roles in American films like The Giver, The Bachelors, and Let It Snow. In 2016, Rush was honored at the Young Artist Awards with the Best Performance in a Feature Film award. In 2017, she received the Awards Circuit Community Award for her performance in Lady Bird.

Yael Grobglas is an Israeli actress known for her performance in the popular American satirical telenovela Jane the Virgin. After appearing in a couple of Israeli films, Grobglas achieved international recognition when she played Shir in a horror film titled Rabies. She then established herself in the American TV and film industry by appearing in projects like Jane the Virgin.

Keren Peles is an Israeli pianist, singer-songwriter, and poet. Over the course of her songwriting career, Peles has contributed immensely to the success of other popular singers like Shiri Maimon and Miri Mesika by writing the lyrics of some of their hit songs. She has also found success as a singer as many of her albums have been certified gold.  

Ayelet Zurer is an Israeli actress best known for playing the female lead in the American mystery thriller film Angels & Demons. A celebrated actress in Israel, Zurer has won many prestigious awards, such as the Israeli Film Academy Award and Israeli Television Academy Awards. In 2003, she was honored with the Best Actress award at the Jerusalem Film Festival.

Alona Tal is an Israeli actress known for playing supporting roles in popular American TV series like Veronica Mars and Supernatural. Tal is also known for her singing skills; she has recorded a song with popular Haitian rapper and musician Wyclef Jean. She has also appeared in several American films like Half Past Dead 2, Broken City, and Opening Night.

Bar Paly is an actress and model best known for her role in the crime drama TV series NCIS: Los Angeles. She was born in the Soviet Union and moved to Israel as a child. She later immigrated to USA, where she entered the entertainment industry. She started out as a model and then began acting as well.   

Ofra Haza was an Israeli actress and singer who achieved great popularity in the Western world where she came to be known as the Madonna of the East. An influential cultural figure in Israel, Ofra Haza played a major role in popularizing the Mizrahi culture. During her illustrious singing career, Haza earned several gold and platinum discs.

Moran Atias is an Israeli-American actress and model who has appeared in numerous Italian films. She began acting as a teenager and then took up modeling as well. After a successful stint as a model, she once again turned to acting and appeared in TV shows and films across USA, Italy, and Israel. She is also engaged in humanitarian work.  

Mili Avital is an Israeli actress, writer, and director who has been active in the entertainment industry for three decades. She studied acting at the Circle in the Square Theatre School and soon made her film debut. She began her career in Israel and now appears in international projects as well. She is the recipient of one Israeli Academy Award. 

Haya Harareet was an Israeli screenwriter and actress best remembered for her portrayal of Esther in the 1959 religious epic film Ben-Hur. Among her works as a screenwriter is the 1967 British drama film Our Mother's House, which was directed by Jack Clayton. She was an international star; she appeared in Israeli, Italian, British, and American films.

Esti Ginzburg is an Israeli model, television host, and actress. One of the most popular faces in Israel, Ginzburg has taken part in international campaigns, modeling for fashion brands like Tommy Hilfiger and FCUK. Ginzburg was also featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue for three consecutive years starting from 2009. Also a philanthropist, Ginzburg works with the Hayim Association.

Rula Jebreal is a Palestinian journalist, foreign policy analyst, novelist, and screenwriter. Her first novel Miral was adapted into a film of the same name. Directed by Julian Schnabel, Miral had Freida Pinto playing the title role.

Noa Tishby is an Israeli actress, producer, writer, and activist. She achieved popularity after appearing in the 2005 science fiction film, The Island, which starred Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson. As a producer, Tishby is credited with co-producing the Peabody Award-winning series In Treatment. A popular activist, Tishby was named among the 50 Most Influential Jews by the Jerusalem Post.

Daliah Lavi was an Israeli actress, model, and singer. Throughout her career, Lavi played important roles in several European and American productions. As she was fluent in many languages, she acted in English, Italian, Spanish, German, and French-language films. Thanks to her impressive physique, she was also popular for playing a femme fatale in many films.

Ninet Tayeb is an Israeli musician, composer, singer-songwriter, DJ, actress, and model. Regarded as one of the most famous people in the entertainment industry in Israel, Tayeb is also renowned for her International collaborations; in 2015, she was named among the hottest new artists to enter the American entertainment industry. She has won a couple of MTV Europe Music Awards.

Ronit Elkabetz was an Israeli actress, film director, and screenwriter. A critically acclaimed actress and director, Elkabetz received several prestigious awards during her lifetime. She received three Ophir Awards as well as the Cannes Film Festival's France Culture Award. In 2010, she received a lifetime achievement award for her contribution to Israeli cinema from the Israeli Film Academy.

Linor Abargil is an Israeli lawyer, model, actress, and beauty queen. In 1998, Abargil won the Miss World pageant. She won the contest shortly after being raped and has since become a global advocate against sexual violence. Linor Abargil is also credited with launching a fashion label named LYA, which aims at serving the needs of religious women.

Michaela Bercu is an Israeli actress and model. In 1988, Bercu became the first Israeli woman to appear on the cover page of American Vogue. She then went on to be featured on several other publications like Swedish Elle, Australian Vogue, L'Officiel, and Cosmopolitan. Michaela Bercu has also appeared in advertising campaigns for brands like L'Oreal, Bloomingdales, and Revlon.

Esther Ofarim is an Israeli singer. She began performing folk songs as a child. As a young woman, she married Abi Ofarim, a guitarist and dancer. The couple performed together as the folk duo Esther & Abi Ofarim in the 1960s. After they divorced, she focused on building a solo career. She is the recipient of an Edison Award. 

Israeli actor-singer Meital Dohan is best known as Yael from the series Weeds. One of her first roles was that of Juliet in a stage production of Romeo and Juliet. She had bagged a contract with Cameri Theater even before graduating. She has also released hit singles such as Yummy.

Maisa Abd Elhadi is a Palestinian actress best known for her role in the TV series Baghdad Central. She grew up in a middle-class family and began her career as a theater actress. After acting in numerous stage productions, she forayed into cinema and TV. She was reportedly shot by Israeli forces while participating in a peaceful demonstration in 2021. 

Gila Golan is an Israeli former model and actress. Born in Poland during World War II, she was adopted by a Catholic family. She was studying to be a teacher when a chance encounter with a photographer led to a modeling career. She soon started acting in films as well. After retiring from acting, she opened an investment business. 

Riff Cohen is an Israeli singer, songwriter, actress, and musician. She is of mixed ancestry and knows several languages. She can sing in Hebrew, French, and Arabic. She studied musicology at Tel Aviv University. She made her professional debut in the late 2000s. Her music has elements of Middle Eastern Urban Rock and North-African folk genres. 

An M.A. in Clinical Psychology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Bracha Lichtenberg Ettinger initially worked as psychoanalyst in Israel and England. Although self taught, she later decided to become a professional artist, eventually moving to Paris, where along with painting, drawing and photography, she also started writing and began serving as visiting professor at various European and Asian universities.

Shoshana Damari was a Yemeni-Israeli singer remembered for her distinctive husky voice. She performed at national and international festivals, visiting many countries and earning prestigious awards like the Israel Prize and ACUM lifetime achievement award. She served as the unofficial cultural ambassador of Israel, earning the nickname First lady of Israeli song. She was also dubbed Queen of Hebrew Music.

Israeli-Arab film maker and Labor politician, Ibtisam Mara'ana is known for her documentaries that examine various aspects of Palestinian and Israeli society, especially showcasing the plight of Arab-Palestinians living as a minority within Israel, concurrently criticizing their deep-rooted practices. Recently elected to the Knesset despite strong opposition from some quarters, she is a member of Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. 

Nisreen Faour is a Palestinian actress best known for her portrayal of Muna Farah in the 2009 independent film Amreeka. The performance earned her critical acclaim and the Muhr Award for Best Actress at the 2009 Dubai International Film Festival. Apart from playing prominent roles in films and TV, Nisreen Faour has also performed in several award-winning theatrical plays. 

Larissa Sansour is a popular Palestinian artist and filmmaker, especially known for her science fiction trilogy of shorts: A Space Exodus (2009), Nation Estate (2012), and In the Future, They Ate from the Finest Porcelain (2019). Also an ace photographer and installation artist, she has held several exhibitions across USA, Europe and Asia.

Samira Saraya is an Israeli-Palestinian actor, rapper, filmmaker, poet, and spoken word artist. Over the years, she has won several prestigious awards including the best screenplay award at the TLVFest. Saraya is also an important activist; she is credited with co-founding a feminist organization called Aswat which aims at changing the perception of the LGBT community in Palestine.

Known for her 2003 feature film, Jeremy Hardy vs. the Israeli Army, Leila Sansour, is more than an acclaimed film director. Raised in Bethlehem as a Palestinian Roman Catholic, she is the founder of a NGO called Open Bethlehem, striving to protect her city's heritage. She documented the effect of the newly-built wall through her latest film, also called Open Bethlehem.