Michael Mark Aloni (or Alony; Hebrew: מיכאל אלוני; born 31 January 1984) is an Israeli actor, director, writer and television 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.
Michael Aloni | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 31 January 1984 |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, director, writer, television presenter |
| Years active | 2005–present |
A graduate of Nissan Nativ Action Studio, he had a breakout role on the hit teen TV drama, HaShminiya (2005-2007). He also appeared in the films, Policeman (2011) and Out in the Dark (2012). He became known to international audiences when Netflix picked up international streaming rights for the critically acclaimed TV series, Shtisel (2013-2021). Aloni portrayed the protagonist, Akiva Shtisel, a Haredi man in Mea Shearim in Jerusalem. He also appeared in other prominent TV productions such as When Heroes Fly (2018), Our Boys (2019) and Scenes from a Marriage (2021). Most recently he has had a leading role in The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem (2021-2023) and a supporting role in the Holocaust family drama series, We Were The Lucky Ones (2024) on Hulu.
Early life edit
Aloni was born in Tel Aviv to a secular Jewish family. He had a Bar Mitzvah at age 13.[1] His mother is an attorney and his father is an accountant. During his military service in the Israel Defense Forces, he served as a Gadna commander in the Marva training program of the Education Corps.
He studied acting at the Nissan Nativ Acting Studio between 2006–2009. He also appeared in a number of advertising campaigns as a male model.[2]
Career edit
Aloni had a breakout role playing Adam Halevi for three seasons on the hit teen drama, HaShminiya (2005-2007).[3] He became a household name in Israel during his time on the show.[3] He has since described this as his favorite role: "There's something primal about your first role that stays with you."[3]
In 2012 he starred in the critically-acclaimed LGBT film, Out in the Dark (2012). He portrayed Roy, an Israeli Jewish lawyer in Tel Aviv that begins a relationship with a Palestinian man from the West Bank.[4] The American film critic, Rex Reed praised the film in The New York Observer: "it’s one of the most powerful films about the Arab-Israeli conflict that has ever been attempted on the screen."[5] Reed commended Aloni's "outstanding" performance.[5]
In 2013 he was cast as Akiva Shtisel, a young Haredi man in the yes family drama series, Shtisel (2013-2021).[6] Already a hit show in Israel, it also became popular with international audiences when Netflix began streaming the series in 2018.[7] He spent three months preparing for the role: “I spent Shabbos with a charedi family, and we needed to learn Yiddish and a different kind of Hebrew, loshen hakodesh, from the one we speak day-to-day. We learned prayers and the rules of Jewish law. We had to learn everything from scratch. I loved it,”.[1]
He also starred in the Keshet series, When Heroes Fly (2017) alongside Tomer Capone. In April 2018 it won the best series at Canneseries.[8]
In 2021, he appeared alongside Jessica Chastain and Oscar Isaac in the HBO miniseries, Scenes from a Marriage. It is an English-language remake of the 1973 Swedish miniseries of the same name by Ingmar Bergman.[9][10]
He was cast as Gabriel Ermosa in The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem (2021-2023).[11] The series is set during Ottoman rule and subsequently under the British Mandate for Palestine. Aloni plays the son of a prosperous merchant Sephardi family. He falls in love with an Ashkenazi woman, but is pressured by his family into marrying a Sephardi woman.[12]
In 2024 he appeared in the Hulu limited series, We Were the Lucky Ones, based on book of the same name by Georgia Hunter. It tells the true life story of the Kurc family in Poland who survived the Holocaust. Aloni plays Selim, a doctor and the husband of Mila (Hadas Yaron).[13] Aloni previously played Yaron's on-screen husband when the pair portrayed the roles of Akiva and Libbi Shtisel in Shtisel.[14]
Additional work edit
As a television presenter, he hosted five seasons of the singing competition, The Voice Israel on Channel 2 (2012-2017) and Channel 13 (2018-2019).[15]
Filmography edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005–2007 | HaShminiya | Adam Halevi | Series regular |
| 2006 | Out of Sight | Tomer the Lifeguard | Original title: Lemarit Ain |
| Ha-Alufa | Eddy Franco | 2 episodes | |
| 2009 | Ruin | Ben | |
| 2010 | Infiltration | Benny | Original title: Hitganvut Yehidim |
| 2011 | Policeman | Nathanael | Original title: Ha-shoter |
| 2012 | Keshet Beanan | Short | |
| Out in the Dark | Roy Schaffer | ||
| 2013 | A Place in Heaven | Frenchie | Original title: Makom beGan Eden |
| 2013-2016, 2020 | Shtisel | Akiva Shtisel | Series regular |
| 2014 | Keep it Cool | Uri | Short |
| Shovrei Galim | Noam | 2 episodes | |
| 2016 | Antenna | ||
| Lucid | Short | ||
| 2017 | Naor's Friends | Raz Hita | Episode #4.10 |
| Metim LeRega | Lev Alexander | Episode #2.1 | |
| And Then She Arrived | Dan | Original title: VeAz Hi Hegiaa | |
| 2018 | Virgins | Journalist | |
| When Heroes Fly | Dotan 'Himler' Friedman | Series regular | |
| 2019 | Happy Times | Michael | |
| 2019 | Our Boys | Itzik | |
| 2019-2020 | Greenhouse Academy | The Client/Jason Osmond (alter ego version) | seasons 3 & 4 |
| 2021 | Scenes from a Marriage | Poli | Episode: "In the Middle of the Night, in a Dark House, Somewhere in the World" |
| Plan A | Michael | ||
| 2021-2022 | The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem | Gabriel | |
| 2023 | The Stronghold | Dr. Nahum Werbin | |
| The Stronghold | Dr. Nahum Webin | 5-episode expanded TV series of original film | |
| 2024 | We Were The Lucky Ones | Selim | Disney+/Hulu series |
References edit
- ^ a b A Date With Kive New York Jewish Week. 7 June 2019
- ^ A date with Kive
- ^ a b c Shtisel star Michael Aloni says he's ready to become a father Ynetnews. 2 October 2023
- ^ 'Out in the Dark' director brings Palestinian-Israeli affair to light, Los Angeles Times. 26 September 2013
- ^ a b Forbidden Freedom: Out In the Dark Is a Wrenching Tale of Love in the Middle East The New York Observer. 2 October 2013
- ^ Netflix’s ‘Shtisel’ Is Binge-Worthy TV on a Strict Form of Judaism The New York Times. 21 February 2019
- ^ Why Shtisel has captured the global imagination BBC. 20 April 2019
- ^ Keshet’s Israeli Drama ‘When Heroes Fly’ Wins Best Series At Canneseries – Full Competition Winners Revealed Deadline. 11 April 2018
- ^ Michael Aloni Acts in English in HBO’s Super Jewish ‘Scenes From a Marriage’ Kveller. 11 October 2021
- ^ 18 Things to Know About Jewish Actor Michael Aloni Hey Alma. 29 March 2024
- ^ "The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem: will it be your next Israeli TV addiction?". Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
- ^ ‘The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem’ Is Coming to Netflix. Read the Book First. Hey Alma. 18 May 2022
- ^ A Guide to the Characters of Hulu’s ‘We Were the Lucky Ones’ Kveller. 28 March 2024
- ^ ‘Shtisel’ Actress, Hadas Yaron Opens Up About Her Character New York Jewish Week. 11 June 2019
- ^ 11 Things You Need to Know About ‘Shtisel’ Star Michael Aloni Kveller. 22 March 2019