Orna Banai

{{Infobox person

| name = Orna Banai

| image = Orna Banai.jpg

| native_name = אורנה בנאי

| native_name_lang = he

| birth_place = Be'er Sheva, Israel

| occupation = Actress, Comedian

}}

File:Orna banai.JPG

File:Oded menashe orna banay.jpg and Orna Banai.]]

Orna Banai ({{langx|he|אורנה בנאי}}; born November 25, 1966) is an Israeli actress, comedian, entertainer, winner of the 2006 Israeli Television Academy Award, and past member of the Tel Aviv-Yafo city Council. Many of her relatives are successful Israeli actors and singers. The next generation of the Banai family, including Orna and her brothers, Meir and Eviatar, followed this tradition.

Biography

Banai was born in Beersheba and raised in Omer. Her father was a District Court judge in Beersheba, and her mother was an Grammar teacher and school principal of the comprehensive "Vav" school in Beersheba. She studied at comprehensive "Vav" urban high school in Be'er Sheva majoring in theatre. She did her military service as a coordinator at the High School for Children and Youth near Yeruham. After her military service, she began to study acting at the "Nissan Nativ Acting Studio" in Tel Aviv. In the last year of her studies, she acted in the play "Youth of Varda'la" by Hanoch Levin, in the production of the studio, directed by Yuval Zamir.{{Cite web |title=⁨כשהאחת ורדל׳ה, השנייה מנעילה סאונד⁩ — ⁨⁨חדשות⁩ 30 יולי 1991⁩ — הספרייה הלאומית של ישראל │ עיתונים |url=https://www.nli.org.il/he/newspapers/hadashot/1991/07/30/01/article/136?&dliv=none&e=-------he-20--1--img-txIN%7CtxTI--------------1&utm_source=he.wikipedia.org&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=%22%D7%90%D7%95%D7%A8%D7%A0%D7%94+%D7%91%D7%A0%D7%90%D7%99%22&utm_content=itonut |access-date=2024-12-29 |website=www.nli.org.il |language=he}} After three years of studying acting in Nissan Nativ's studio in Tel Aviv, Banai started performing in stand-up comedy and entertainment shows.

Banai became known for her portraying "Limor" in the humorous Israeli television shows Action and Rak BeIsrael (with Erez Tal). Since 2003, Banai has appeared in the popular satirical television show Eretz Nehederet. In addition, Banai acted in television dramas like Merchav-Yarkon and Max VeMoris. Banai also appeared in theatrical plays like Singles and The Last Striptease.

She served as a member of the Tel Aviv-Yafo City Council on behalf of the Green Party from 2003 to 2008.{{cite news|newspaper=Maariv|url=https://www.makorrishon.co.il/nrg/online/1/ART1/708/548.html?hp=1&cat=459|title=אורנה בנאי פורשת מהפוליטיקה|trans-title=Orna Banai quits politics|quote=.חברת מפלגת הירוקים החליטה לפרוש מהמפלגה ומהפוליטיקה ולא להשתתף בבחירות המקומיות שיתקיימו בנובמבר השנה [The member of the Green Party has decided to quit the party and politics and will not participate in the local elections that will take place in November this year.]|date=2008-12-03|access-date=2018-02-17|first=Michal|last=Shapira|via=Makor Rishon}}

In 2005, Banai played "Efrat" in the television show {{ill|Ima'lle|he|אמא'לה}}, to which she contributed writing. The show was based on the story of Banai's own pregnancy and the birth of her son, {{ill|Amir Banai|he|אמיר_בנאי}}, now an actor.

She describes her views on the Arab–Israeli conflict as left-wing.{{cite news|url=http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.606482|title=Israeli artists opposing the war come under attack on social networks|last=Arad|first=Dafna|date=2014-07-22|work=Haaretz|access-date=2014-07-22}}

In 2019, Banai joined the 3rd season of Metumtemet.{{Cite web |last=Sagarski |first=Ofir |date=2019-09-23 |title=אורנה בנאי היא גולת הכותרת בעונה השלישית של "מטומטמת" - וואלה תרבות |url=http://e.walla.co.il/item/3314182 |access-date=2024-06-02 |website=וואלה |language=he}}

Personal life

Banai is the sister of singers Meir Banai, Eviatar Banai and Efrat Banai.

In 2003 she had a son named Amir. In 2008 she revealed in an interview with the newspaper Yedioth Tel Aviv that the father of the child is the journalist Aharon Barnea, who did not respond to the news.{{Cite news |last=בוקר |first=רן |date=2023-08-04 |title=הרומן הסודי, "ארץ נהדרת" ובלי פוליטיקה: אורנה בנאי פותחת את הלב |language=he |work=Ynet |url=https://www.ynet.co.il/entertainment/article/r1mo51kin |access-date=2023-11-28}}

In 2008, while in a relationship with a partner named Karin, Banai adopted her second daughter, Mika.{{Cite news |title=להפוך מלימור לאורנה |language=he |work=הארץ |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/2009-06-05/ty-article/0000017f-f857-ddde-abff-fc77d2b90000 |access-date=2023-11-28}}

On December 27, 2011 Banai came out of the closet as a lesbian.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-26 |title=אורנה בנאי: "פחדתי להיות לסבית, מבחינת ההורים זה חטא" - וואלה! סלבס |url=https://celebs.walla.co.il/item/3561583 |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=וואלה! |language=he}} In July 2017 she started a relationship with the actress and screenwriter {{ill|Bat Chen Sabag|he|בת חן סבג}}, and in May 2019 it was published that they had broken up.{{Cite web |date=2017-07-06 |title=עכשיו זה רשמי: אורנה בנאי ובת חן סבג ביחד |url=https://pplus.ynet.co.il/rechilut/article/4985630 |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=pplus |language=he}} Afterwards, she was in a relationship for about six months with the chef {{ill|Shiral Berger|he|שיראל ברגר}}.{{Cite news |date=2020-05-17 |title=שוב רווקה: אורנה בנאי ובת הזוג נפרדו |url=https://pplus.ynet.co.il/rechilut/article/5732232 |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=pplus |language=he}} Since 2021 Banai has been in a relationship with Adi Cohen.{{Cite web |date=2023-02-09 |title=אורנה בנאי נגד בת זוגה: "אני לא שם, לא רוצה" |url=https://www.ice.co.il/career/news/article/933496 |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=Ice |language=he}}

Banai resides in Tel Aviv.