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Mili Avital (* 30 March 1972) is an Israeli-American actress. She built an international career, starting in her native Israel, starring on stage, film and television. She won the Israeli Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1991, moved to New York in 1993 to study theater in English, was discovered by an agent while working in a restaurant, and started acting in Hollywood almost immediately. She has maintained her career in both countries since.
Mili Avital
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Avital in Beyond the Sea, 1991
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Born | (1972-03-30) 30 March 1972 (age 52)[1]
Jerusalem, Israel
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Occupation | Actress |
Years active | 1991–present |
Spouse | Charles Randolph (m. 2004)[2] |
Avital was born in Jerusalem, the daughter of graphic designers Noni and Iko Avital. Avital's father was born in Morocco, whereas her mother is Israeli-born and of Turkish-Jewish descent.[3][4] She was raised in Tel Aviv, Israel, and in Ra'anana, Israel.[5] She attended the Thelma Yellin High School of Arts in Givatayim, Israel.[citation needed]
In 1993, she arrived in New York City to study acting at the Circle in the Square Theatre School. The following year, discovered by an agent while working as a waitress, she was cast as the female lead in the 1994 science fiction film Stargate,[6] for which she received a Sci-fi Universe award. She has appeared in films such as Jim Jarmusch's Dead Man opposite Johnny Depp, Doug Ellin's Kissing a Fool opposite David Schwimmer, Polish Wedding opposite Claire Danes, and Robert Benton's The Human Stain opposite Anthony Hopkins. In 1999, she portrayed a Bosnian rape victim in the pilot episode of the long-running NBC legal drama, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Avital appeared in three other episodes of the series: "Parasites", "Manhattan Vigil", and "Depravity Standard". She also appeared in the Law & Order: Criminal Intent episode "Palimpsest". Her television work includes Scheherazade in the Emmy-nominated ABC miniseries Arabian Nights to rave reviews, Jon Avnet's Uprising, and After the Storm . In 2009–2010, Avital appeared in the FX TV show Damages, in a recurring role as the mistress to the husband of Patty Hewes (Glenn Close). She appeared in the 2012 ABC television series 666 Park Avenue.[7]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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1991 | Me'ever Layam | Miri Goldfarb | |
1993 | Groupie | ||
1994 | Stargate | Sha'uri | |
1995 | Dead Man | Thel Russell | |
1996 | Invasion of Privacy | Theresa Barnes | |
1997 | The End of Violence | Featured Performer | |
1998 | Polish Wedding | Sofie | |
1998 | Animals | Fatima | |
1998 | Kissing a Fool | Samantha Andrews | |
1999 | The Young Girl and the Monsoon | Erin | |
1999 | Minotaur | Thea | |
2000 | Preston Tylk | Emily Tylk | |
2003 | The Human Stain | Young Iris | |
2004 | Ahava Colombianit | Tali Shalev | |
2005 | When Do We Eat? | Vanessa | |
2007 | Noodle | Miri Calderone |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1999 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Marta Stevens | Episode: "Payback" |
2000 | Arabian Nights | Scheherezade | TV miniseries |
2001 | After the Storm | Coquina | TV film |
2001 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Ava Parulis / Irina Parulis | Episode: "Parasites" |
2001 | Uprising | Deworah Baron | TV film |
2002 | Shabatot VeHagim | Noa | Episodes: "El Ha-Ma'ayan", "Air Guitar" |
2009-2010 | Damages | Anna Mercado | Episodes: "I Agree, It Wasn't Funny", "London. Of Course" & "The Dog Is Happier Without Her" |
2009–2012 | Prisoners of War | Nurit Halevi-Zach | Recurring role (11 episodes) |
2010 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Lenore Abrigaille | Episode: "Palimpsest" |
2012 | 666 Park Avenue | Danielle Tyler | Episode: "Murmurations" |
2012, 2015 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Laurie Colfax | Episode: "Manhattan Vigil" & "Depravity Standard" |
2017 | Landing on Their Feet | Dana Berger Fine | Leading role |