Aki Avni

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Aki Avni

Birth name	Aki Avni (Hebrew: אקי אבני)
Born	April 27, 1967 (age 39) Rechovot, Israel
Notable roles	Moshen in 24 Julio in Free Zone

Aki Avni (Hebrew: אקי אבני) (born April 27, 1967) is an Israeli actor, entertainer and a television host. He appeared in the movie Free Zone with Natalie Portman. He also played the character Mohsen in the second season of the television series 24. Husband of Israeli supermodel Sandy Bar.

Avni was born and raised in Rechovot. While in school he began performing in various shows in his home town. When growing up he had a mediocre modeling career, and afterwards served in the Israeli Air Force, where he practiced photography. Following his military service, he joined an entertainment troupe at a hotel in Eilat, appeared in children shows and in commercials, and trained at Yoram Levinstein's acting studio. His big breakthrough arrived when he was elected to be a co-host in the "Tossess" youth television program in Israel's Arutz 1. In 1992 he co-starred in the musical "Lelackek T'toot" (Licking the Strawberry), alongside Aviv Geffen in "Naarei Hachof" (The Beach Boys) and played a dramatic role of a young homosexual man in the film "Chesed Mufla" (Amazing Grace). In 1993 he played in another film, called "Zarrim Balaila" (Strangers in the Night).

In 1994, with the launching of Arutz 2, Avni began hosting the date-show "Stutz" (Fling) and the musical "Pachot o Yoter" (More or Less). In 1995 he hosted the Pre-Eurovision contest, participated in the film "Shachkanim" (Actors) and in the musical Grease and starred in the play "West Side Story" alongside Noa Tishby. However, so far Avni had been regarded as a mediocre actor only, known mainly as a television host and stage actor. But he came to critical aclaim, at home and abroad, with his stunning performance in "Time of Favor" in 2002. Avni finished shooting his most recent film, Homeland Security, is in post-production. The film stars Antonio Banderas, Meg Ryan and Colin Hanks and is due to be released summer 2007.