Lior Raz

Lior Raz ( he, ליאור רז; born 24 November 1971) is an Israeli actor and screenwriter. He is best known for portraying Doron Kabilio in the political thriller television series ''Fauda'' and Segev Azulai in '' Hit & Run''.

Early life

Raz was born in Ma'ale Adumim, a town of 40,000 inhabitants seven kilometers from Jerusalem, where he grew up as well. His parents immigrated to Israel from Iraq and Algeria."How Do You Make a TV Show Set in the West Bank?",
''The New Yorker''.">"Lior Raz Archives",
''Jewish Journal''. His father served in Israel in Shayetet 13 and in Shin Bet before later running a plant nursery. His mother is a teacher. His native language is Hebrew, although Raz grew up also speaking Arabic with his father and grandmother at home, and with some Arab workers, who were his playmates, at his father's plant nursery.

After Raz graduated from high school at the age of 18, he enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces and became a commando in the elite undercover counter-terrorism unit known as Sayeret Duvdevan. He also served in the Duvdevan Unit in the reserves for 20 years.

For three years, until Raz was 19, he had a girlfriend named Iris Azulai. In October 1990, a Palestinian Arab stabbed her to death with a 15-inch knife in Jerusalem. The man who stabbed her was later released from prison in the 2011 Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange in which 1,027 prisoners were released in order to obtain the release from captivity of the kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, who had been held prisoner by Hamas for five years.

In 1993, after his military service, Raz moved to the United States, and was hired by a security contracting firm as Arnold Schwarzenegger's bodyguard. In an interview with ''Israel Hayom'' he said: “the company turned to me since they knew my military background, for me it was the most glamorous thing, to be the watchdog of Schwarzenegger and his wife".מבוקש (Wanted)
Yehuda Schlesinger, ''Israel Hayom'', March 23, 2017

Career

When Raz returned to Israel at age 24, he studied at Nissan Nativ Drama School in Tel Aviv.

In his early acting years, Raz acted in various plays, such as ''Don Juan'' at Gesher Theater, ''Macbeth'' and ''The Teenagers''. He also played small roles on Israeli TV series. In 2004, he played a police investigator in ''Michaela'', and 'referee Ben Shabat' in ''Adumot''. In 2005 he appeared as Shimi in his first feature film ''Gotta Be Happy''. In 2008 he appeared in television drama ''Srugim'' as Yisrael, and a year later in comedy-drama ''Mesudarim'' as a Shin Bet agent, and as Maor in ''Noah's Ark''. In 2011 he played a police unit commander in Nadav Lapid's drama film ''Policeman'', and as Asa'el in the political drama ''Prime Minister's Children'' alongside Rami Heuberger.

In 2012, Raz portrayed Nissan Title in yes psychological thriller spying-drama ''The Gordin Cell'', and appeared in the film ''The World is Funny'' as Barak. In 2013, he played the role of the police commander in the fourth season of the crime drama series '' The Arbitrator'', and in 2014 appeared in the film '' The Kindergarten Teacher''.

In 2014, he created with ''Haaretz'' journalist Avi Issacharoff the critically acclaimed political thriller television series ''Fauda'', in which Raz stars as Doron Kabilio, the commander of an undercover counter-terrorism Mista'arvim unit. In 2016, the show won six awards, including Best Drama Series, at the Israeli Academy Awards. In December 2017, ''The New York Times'' voted ''Fauda'' the best international show of 2017. In 2018, the show won 11 Israeli TV Academy Awards, including best TV drama, best actor for Raz, and best screenplay, casting, cinematography, recording, and special effects.

In 2018, Raz played a Magdala community leader in the film ''Mary Magdalene'', written by Helen Edmundson. The same year, he appeared in ''Operation Finale'', playing Isser Harel, the Director of Israel’s intelligence agency, the Mossad.

In August 2021, Netflix released a new series named ''Hit & Run'' which stars Raz. The show was co-created by Raz, Avi Issacharof, Dawn Prestwich and Nicole Yorkin.

Personal life

Raz is married to Israeli actress Meital Berdah, and they have four children. They reside in Ramat Aviv, Israel."Lior Raz On ‘Fauda’s’ Return,"
''Jewish Journal''.

Filmography

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Raz, Lior
1971 births
Living people
Israeli male film actors
Israeli Mizrahi Jews
Israeli people of Algerian-Jewish descent
Israeli people of Iraqi-Jewish descent
21st-century Israeli male actors
Israeli male television actors
People from Ramat HaSharon
People from Ma'ale Adumim
People from Jerusalem
Bodyguards