Lior Ashkenazi

Ashkenazi, 2006

Lior Ashkenazi is an award-winning Israeli screen and stage actor.

Biography

Ashkenazi was born to Sephardi Jewish immigrants from Turkey who moved to Israel in 1964. He grew up in the Neveh Yehoshua neighborhood in Ramat Gan. 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.^[1]

In the Israel Defense Forces, he served as a paratrooper. He studied acting at Beit Zvi. After graduating in 1994, he worked for Habima and Beersheba Theater. He starred in many plays at Beit Lessin Theater under the direction of Zipi Pines, one of his teachers at Beit Zvi. He also appeared with the Cameri Theater in Tel Aviv, although Beit Lessin remained his home base.^[1]

Ashkenazi was first married to actress Shira Farber. After his divorce, he had a relationship with playwright and screenwriter Sigal Avin. He also had a relationship with a man whose identity is unknown for a while. In December 2011 he married producer Maya Amsellem. They had a daughter in August 2012.^[1]

Partial filmography

• The Missionary (2013)
• Big Bad Wolves (2013)^[2][3]
• Yossi (2012)(Moti)
• Karon (2012)(Michael)
• Footnote (2011)
• Rabies (Kalevet, 2010) (the first horror feature ever from Israel^[4])
• Hello Goodbye (2008)
• The Bubble (HaBuah, 2006)
• BeTipul (2005)
• Walk on Water (Lalechet Al HaMaim, 2004)
• Rutenberg (Ish HaHashmal, Electricity Man, 2003)
• Late Marriage (Hatuna Meuheret, 2001)

as dubbing voice actor

• Bolt (2008)
• Mulan II (2005)
• Home on the Range (Mered Hachayot, 2004)
• Tarzan (1999)
• Mulan (1998)
• Pocahontas (1996)

Awards and nominations

• Best Supporting Actor—Ish HaHashmal (Israeli Film Academy; nominated 2001)
• Best Actor—Walk on Water (Israeli Film Academy; won 2004)^[5]
• Best Actor—Hatuna Meuheret (Israeli Film Academy; won 2001)

References

External links

• Lior Askenazi at the Internet Movie Database