Mili Avital

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Mili Avital
Over The Ocean two (cropped).jpg
Avital in Beyond the Sea, 1991
Born (1972-03-30) 30 March 1972 (age 52) [1]
Jerusalem, Israel
OccupationActress
Years active1991–present
Spouse Charles Randolph (m. 2004) [2]

Mili Avital is an Israeli-American actress. She built an international career, starting in her native Israel, starring on stage, film and television. She won the Israeli Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1991, moved to New York in 1993 to study theater in English, was discovered by an agent while working in a restaurant, and started acting in Hollywood almost immediately. She has maintained her career in both countries since.

Contents

Early life

Avital was born in Jerusalem, the daughter of graphic designers Noni and Iko Avital. Avital's father was born in Morocco, whereas her mother is Israeli-born and of Turkish-Jewish descent. [3] [4] She was raised in Tel Aviv, Israel, and in Ra'anana, Israel. [5] She attended the Thelma Yellin High School of Arts in Givatayim, Israel.[ citation needed ]

American career

In 1993 she arrived in New York City to study acting at the Circle in the Square Theatre School. The following year, discovered by an agent while working as a waitress, she was cast as the female lead in the 1994 science fiction film Stargate , [6] for which she received a Sci-fi Universe award. She has appeared in films such as Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man opposite Johnny Depp, Doug Ellin's Kissing a Fool opposite David Schwimmer, Polish Wedding opposite Claire Danes, and Robert Benton's The Human Stain opposite Anthony Hopkins. In 1999, she portrayed a Bosnian rape victim in the pilot episode of the long-running NBC legal drama, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit . Avital appeared in three other episodes of the series: "Parasites", "Manhattan Vigil", and "Depravity Standard". She also appeared in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Palimpsest". Her television work includes Scheherazade in the Emmy-nominated ABC miniseries Arabian Nights to rave reviews, Jon Avnet's Uprising , and After the Storm . In 2009–2010 Avital appeared in the FX TV show Damages , in a recurring role as the mistress to the husband of Patty Hewes (Glenn Close). She appeared in the 2012 ABC television series 666 Park Avenue . [7]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1991 Me'ever Layam Miri Goldfarb
1993Groupie
1994 Stargate Sha'uri
1995 Dead Man Thel Russell
1996 Invasion of Privacy Theresa Barnes
1997 The End of Violence Featured Performer
1998 Polish Wedding Sofie
1998 Animals Fatima
1998 Kissing a Fool Samantha Andrews
1999 The Young Girl and the Monsoon Erin
1999MinotaurThea
2000 Preston Tylk Emily Tylk
2003 The Human Stain Young Iris
2004Ahava ColombianitTali Shalev
2005 When Do We Eat? Vanessa
2007 Noodle Miri Calderone

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1999 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Marta StevensEpisode: "Payback"
2000 Arabian Nights ScheherezadeTV miniseries
2001 After the Storm CoquinaTV film
2001 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Ava Parulis / Irina ParulisEpisode: "Parasites"
2001 Uprising Deworah BaronTV film
2002Shabatot VeHagimNoaEpisodes: "El Ha-Ma'ayan", "Air Guitar"
2009 Damages Anna MercadoEpisodes: "I Agree, It Wasn't Funny", "London. Of Course"
2009–2012 Prisoners of War Nurit Halevi-ZachRecurring role (11 episodes)
2010 Damages Anna MercadoEpisode: "The Dog Is Happier Without Her"
2010 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Lenore AbrigailleEpisode: "Palimpsest"
2012 666 Park Avenue Danielle TylerEpisode: "Murmurations"
2012 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Laurie ColfaxEpisode: "Manhattan Vigil"
2015 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Laurie ColfaxEpisode: "Depravity Standard"
2017 Landing on Their Feet Dana Berger FineLeading role

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References

  1. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Mili-Avital/news Retrieved 29 November 2023
  2. https://m.jpost.com/not-just-news/grapevine-i-love-you-in-hebrew-446794
  3. "Israeli actress Mili Avital is back on Hollywood's radar". Haaretz.
  4. "Noodle: Mili Avital interview: A strong connection". SBS Movies. 16 June 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  5. Kaplan, Don (25 April 2000). "SCHWIMMER'S ALI BABE; HER STARRING ROLE IN 'ARABIAN NIGHTS' WILL TEST THE FRIENDSHIP". New York Post. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  6. "Hollywood Now: Oscar Winners & New Show Bride and Prejudice". 18Doors. 9 March 2016. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  7. Keck, William (8 August 2012). "Keck's Exclusives: New Bodies Check in to ABC's 666 Park Avenue". TV Guide. Retrieved 13 August 2012.