Yehuda Levi
{{short description|Israeli actor and male model (born 1979)}}
{{about||the Rishon, author of the Kuzari|Yehuda Halevi|the author of contemporary works on Judaism, Science, and society|Yehuda (Leo) Levi|the President and Publisher of The Jerusalem Post|Yehuda Levy}}
{{BLP sources|date=April 2011}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Yehuda Levi
|image = Yehuda Levi 2.jpg
|caption = Levi in 2022
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|06|29}}
|birth_place = Petah Tikva, Israel
|occupation = Actor, model, singer, TV host
|spouse ={{marriage|Shlomit Malka|2017|2021|reason=divorce}}
}}
Yehuda Levi ({{langx|he|יהודה לוי}}; born June 29, 1979) is an Israeli actor, model and TV presenter. Regarded as one of the best performers of his generation in Israel, he is recognized for his versatile work across independent films, television and the stage. He has received numerous accolades, including three Best Actor awards from the Israeli Academy of Television for his performances in Yossi & Jagger (2002) and Very Important Person (2014 - 2019).
He starred as Nadav Feldman in the Israeli crime series, The Arbitrator (2007 - 2014). He also starred in the Israeli television action drama series, Mossad 101 (2015 - 2017), the Haredi drama series, Fire Dance (2022) and A Body That Works (2023-present).
Early life
Levi was born in Petah Tikva, Israel.{{cite web |url=http://www.ibiography.info/facts/yehuda-levi.html |title=Yehuda Levi |publisher=ibiography |access-date=July 21, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140811005835/http://www.ibiography.info/facts/yehuda-levi.html |archive-date=August 11, 2014 }} His father Yerachmiel Levi was born in Bulgaria and his mother Chaya (née Lichtenstein) was born in Poland. At age four, their family moved to South Africa where his father worked at the time; a decade later, at age fourteen, they moved back to Israel. He graduated from the Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts in Givatayim, Israel.{{cite web|url=http://www.last.fm/music/Yehuda+Levi |title=Yehuda Levi |publisher=Last.fm |access-date=July 20, 2014}}
During his Israel Defense Forces service, he was a commander of the military band of the Education Corps.
Career
He is an established actor, and came to the attention of the Israeli public through his soap opera roles. In 2002, he starred as a gay soldier in the Eytan Fox film, Yossi & Jagger.Musetto, Vincent (2003) "PASSIONS FLARE IN LOVE AND WAR", New York Post, 24 September 2003, p. 54[https://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/24/movies/film-review-israeli-officers-in-love-trying-to-elude-death-and-detection.html FILM REVIEW; Israeli Officers In Love, Trying To Elude Death And Detection] The New York Times. 24 September 2003 The film initially premiered on Israeli television and Levin won the Best Actor award from the Israeli Academy of Television.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0334754/awards/?ref_=tt_awd Awards] IMDB. Retrieved on 4 April 2024
In May 2006, HaAlufa (The Champion), a soap opera centered on a soccer team, premiered starring Levi as the main character and captain of the team "Hakoakh Yerushalayim" (Jerusalem Power).
In 2014 he began playing a famous celebrity called Yehuda Levi in the Hot TV series, A Very Important Man.[https://www.haaretz.com/life/television/.premium-yehuda-levi-stars-in-selfie-tv-show-1.5263749 Ego Trip or Bungee Jump? Yehuda Levi Stars in 'Selfie' TV Show] Haaretz. 9 September 2014 He won two Best Actor awards from the Israeli Academy of Television for his performance in the role.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4039862/?ref_=nm_knf_t_2 Awards] Retrieved on 4 April 2024
He also played the lead role as a Mossad trainer in the Channel 2 series, Mossad 101 that began airing in 2015. In 2022, he starred as a Haredi rabbi in Rama Burshtein's television drama series, Fire Dance.[https://deadline.com/2022/02/series-mania-fire-dance-rama-burshtein-yes-studios-1234939368/ ‘Fire Dance’: First Trailer For Rama Burshtein’s Series Mania Drama About Forbidden Love In The Orthodox Community] Deadline. 17 February 2022 For the role, he was awarded the Best Actor award for an international series at Series Mania in France in 2022.[https://www.haaretz.com/life/television/2022-03-27/ty-article-magazine/.premium/israeli-tv-won-big-at-series-mania-festival-its-not-hard-to-see-why/00000180-5b9e-dc4e-a5a9-7ffe95af0000 Israeli TV Won Big at the Series Mania Festival. It's Easy to See Why] Haaretz. 27 March 2022
A year later, he starred alongside Rotem Sela in the Israeli surrogacy drama series, A Body that Works.[https://variety.com/2023/tv/global/keshet-yehuda-levi-kuma-studios-1235559247/ Surrogacy Drama Series ‘A Body That Works’ Debuts Trailer: ‘In Israel, Pregnancy is Public Property’ (EXCLUSIVE)] Variety. 21 March 2023 The series was Israel's highest rated drama of 2023.[https://variety.com/2024/tv/global/surrogacy-drama-a-body-that-works-season-2-2-1235918081/ Surrogacy Drama ‘A Body That Works’ Renewed for Second Season (EXCLUSIVE)] Variety. 26 February 2024
=Additional work=
He was the spokesmodel of Israeli fashion brands Fox and Renuar.
On 12 March 2023, Levi was announced as the new host of HaMerotz LaMillion, Israel's version of The Amazing Race, replacing longtime host Ron Shahar.{{cite web|url=https://www.ynet.co.il/entertainment/article/rj1dzho13|script-title=he:יהודה לוי ינחה את "המירוץ למיליון"|trans-title=Yehuda Levi will host "Race to a Million"|language=he|website=Ynet|date=12 March 2023|access-date=19 March 2023}}
Personal life
Levi was previously in a relationship with the Israeli model Yael Bar Zohar and acted alongside her in the soap opera, Ramat Aviv Gimel.[https://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/142332/the-break-up-that-rocked-israel THE BREAK-UP THAT ROCKED ISRAEL] Tablet. 23 August 2013 In 2006, Levi got into a high-profile relationship with Israeli singer and actress Ninet Tayeb, the first winner of the show Kokhav Nolad. Haaretz described them as "Israel's favourite celebrity couple", with The Jerusalem Post declaring them "Israel's Brangelina".[https://www.jpost.com/Arts-and-Culture/Arts/Israels-Brangelina-Ninet-Tayeb-and-Yehuda-Levi-split-after-eight-years-323681 ISRAEL'S 'BRANGELINA', NINET TAYEB AND YEHUDA LEVI, SPLIT] The Jerusalem Post. 20 August 2013 In 2013, after 8 years together, the couple broke up, stating that the breakup was mutual.[https://www.haaretz.com/.premium-fans-shocked-as-fave-celeb-couple-splits-1.5323470 Fans in Shock as Israel’s Favorite Celebrity Couple Announces Split] Haaretz. 21 August 2013 He has been described as one of the two most talked-about male stars in Israel (along with Ran Danker), Tayeb's former partner.[http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3269965,00.html Ran and Yehuda: An unavoidable war, Raviv Golan], Ynetnews, July 2, 2006
In 2017, he married Israeli model Shlomit Malka. They resided in Tel Aviv. On June 6, 2021, the couple announced that they separated.[https://www.jpost.com/opinion/grapevine-june-13-2021-a-pardon-in-suspense-670812 Grapevine June 13, 2021: A pardon in suspense] The Jerusalem Post. 13 June 2021
Theater
- 1993: David
- 1995: Carmen
- 2004: Tarzan and Jane - Tarzan
- 2008: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - Joseph
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 1996
| Zolgot Hadma'ot Me'atzman (Tears Fall by Themselves) | Car-hit boy | |
| 2002
| Lior Amichai (Jagger) | |
| 2004
| Campfire | Yoel | |
| 2005
| Munich | IDF soldier | Minor role |
| 2006
| Avishai | Co-star |
| 2011
| Isaac | |
| 2013
| Rabbi Shmaya Knafo | |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 1996
| Ramat Aviv Gimmel (Season 2) | Gil | Episode 21 |
| 2001
| Lechayey Ha'ahava | Gidi Meiri | |
| 2003–2005
| Ahava Me'ever Lapina | Lior Dvir | |
| 2006–2009
| Saar Fedida | Lead role |
| 2007–2013
| Nadav Feldman | |
| 2010
| Freddie Zorkin | |
| 2011
| Eretz Nehederet (Season 8) | Episode 14 |
| 2012
| Mom and Dads | Sami Israel | Lead role |
| 2014
| Very Important Person | Yehuda Levi | Lead role |
| rowspan=2 | 2015
| Dig | Ali Lavey / Ari | Undercover; Shin Bet agent |
| Mossad 101
| Yonna "Kinder" Harari | Lead role |
| 2017
| Yehuda Levi | S1, episode 8 |
| 2022
| Yonna "Kinder" Harari | Lead role |
| 2023
|Trust No One |Head of the Israeli Shin Bet | |
| rowspan=2 | 2023
| Ido Avrahami | Series regular |
| East Side
|Momi |Series regular |
=TV Presenter=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! Notes |
|---|
| 2023–present
| Host | |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable" width=100% | |||||
| width=5%| Year
! width=25%| Award ! width=30%| Category ! width=25%| Nominated work ! width=10%| Result ! width=5%| {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan=2 | 2003 | Dallas OUT TAKES | Best Actor | rowspan=2 | Yossi & Jagger | {{won}} | style="text-align:center;"| {{cite web|title=Yossi and Jagge|url=http://awiderbridge.org/yossi-and-jagger/|website=awiderbridge.org|access-date=6 March 2017|language=en}} |
| rowspan=2 | Israeli Film Academy | Best Acting in a Drama, Miniseries or Television Movie | {{won}} | style="text-align:center;"| | ||
| 2004 | Best Supporting Actor | Schwartz Dynasty | {{nom}} | style="text-align:center;"| | |
| 2013 | rowspan=2 | Israeli Television Academy | rowspan=2 | Best Actor in a Drama Series | Mom and Dads | {{nom}} | style="text-align:center;"| |
| 2014 | Very Important Person | {{won}} | style="text-align:center;"| |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Yehuda Levi}}
- {{IMDb name|1106990}}
- {{instagram|yuda29}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Levi, Yehuda}}
Category:Israeli people of Bulgarian-Jewish descent
Category:Israeli people of Polish-Jewish descent
Category:Israeli male film actors
Category:Israeli male television actors
Category:Israeli male stage actors
Category:Israeli male musical theatre actors