Daniel Hendler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Daniel Hendler
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Hendler in 2014
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| Born | January 3, 1976 |
| Occupation | Actor, director, screenwriter |
| Years active | 1996–present |
| Spouse(s) | Ana Katz (2007-2018 separated) |
| Children | Helena (b. 2008) Raimundo (b. 2011) |
Daniel Hendler (born January 3, 1976) is a talented actor, director, and screenwriter from Uruguay. He has worked in many films, TV shows, and plays. Daniel is well-known for his main roles in movies like Bottom of the Sea, Family Law, The Paranoids, and Phase 7. He also starred in the award-winning film Lost Embrace.
Daniel Hendler has received international awards for his acting. In 2004, he won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin Film Festival for his role in Lost Embrace. He also started directing and writing films. His first movie as a director and writer was Norberto's Deadline in 2010. Daniel is part of a group of actors who helped bring new life to Uruguayan cinema. He is also a regular actor in what is called the New Argentine Cinema.
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Early life and beginnings
Growing up in Montevideo
Daniel Hendler was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, in 1976. He grew up in different neighborhoods of the city, including Buceo, Pocitos, and Cordón. His family has a Jewish background. His father was a merchant, and his mother loved going to the theater.
When he was young, Daniel enjoyed playing basketball and soccer. He went to a Jewish school called Colegio Integral. He mentioned that he wanted to understand his surroundings better as he grew up. Daniel had two bar mitzvah ceremonies because his parents were separated.
Discovering acting
At 14, Daniel started doing theater with his friends. He later became an assistant professor and head of drama at the Catholic University of Montevideo. In 1994, he began serious acting training.
He and his friends formed a theater group called "Acapara el 522." This was a fun inside joke about a bus stop in his hometown. They entered the "Youth Contest of Theater in Montevideo" and won against many other plays. Daniel said they created five plays, and he wrote and directed three of them.
During this time, Daniel also worked with musician and writer Leo Maslíah. He adapted one of Maslíah's stories and acted in his play Abulimia. Daniel also made short films with Pablo Stoll and Juan Pablo Rebella.
Choosing a path
Daniel spent almost five years studying at the University of Architecture in Montevideo. He also had many years of theater training. First, he thought about becoming an actor, then a musician, and then an architect. But in the end, he chose acting. One of his first acting experiences was in a play called Rompiendo códigos.
He looks up to several actors and directors who influenced him. These include Roberto Jones, Roberto Fontana, Walter Reyno, Jorge Bolani, Pablo Stoll, and Juan Pablo Rebella.
Career highlights
Breakthrough with 25 Watts
In 2001, Daniel Hendler won the Best Actor award for the Uruguayan movie 25 Watts. He received this award at the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema. Daniel said this award was very special, but the movie itself was even more important for his career.
In 25 Watts, Daniel plays a young man from Montevideo who is a bit lost. He has to study for an Italian test and likes his tutor. The film was made in 2000 with a very small budget. It helped restart the Uruguayan film industry. The movie also won awards in Europe, like Best Film at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Becoming known in Argentina
Even though he had acted in several films, Daniel became widely known in Argentina in 2002. This was thanks to his role as Walter in commercials for Telefónica, a phone company. Many people recognized him from these ads for years.
Later, Daniel won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin International Film Festival for Lost Embrace. He also won Best Actor at the Lleida Latin-American Film Festival for Bottom of the Sea. In Bottom of the Sea (2003), Daniel plays a student who suspects his girlfriend is cheating. He follows her psychoanalyst to find out.
Working with Daniel Burman
Daniel Hendler often works with director Daniel Burman. He had a small role in Every Stewardess Goes to Heaven. He also worked in Waiting for the Messiah (2000), Lost Embrace (2004), and Family Law (2005). In these three films, his characters are all named "Ariel." This name is often seen as Burman's alter ego, especially in Lost Embrace. In that movie, Daniel plays a young Jewish man who looks into his Polish ancestry to get a passport and move to Europe. This was similar to the director's own life.
Burman and Hendler first met in 1998. Burman was looking for an actor for his film Garage Olimpo. They saw Daniel in a play called The amateur. After Daniel's performance, they did an audition. Daniel didn't get the role for Garage Olimpo, but Burman called him months later for Waiting for the Messiah.
More film and TV roles
In 2007, the movie The Paranoids was released. Daniel Hendler played Luciano, a shy children's party entertainer. Critics praised his performance. Stephen Holden from The New York Times said Daniel made Luciano a "lovable loser" that you wanted to succeed.
After The Paranoids, Daniel started working in television. He appeared in an episode of the series Mujeres Asesinas ("Killer Women"). In 2008, he was in the comedy series Aquí no hay quien viva, playing a lazy janitor named Roman. Daniel said he wanted to try television and felt it was time to do so.
Directing and writing
Daniel's first work as a writer and director was Norberto's Deadline (2010). The movie is about a shy, unemployed salesman named Norberto who takes acting classes to become more confident. Before this, Daniel had helped write the script for Daniel Burman's film El nido vacío (2008).
Norberto's Deadline was filmed in Uruguay and produced by both Uruguay and Argentina. Daniel said he chose his "dream team" to work on the film. He had never studied filmmaking before. He believes that while technical rules are easy to learn, experience helps a director bring their ideas to the screen.
In 2012, Daniel Hendler played Andrés Goddzer in the TV show Graduados. This show was very popular. He won a Tato Award and a Martín Fierro award for his role.
Besides film and TV, Daniel is also a stage actor. He feels most comfortable on stage. He said, "That's where I think I feel more comfortable, where I feel that you're a real actor. On television and in film, you play to be an actor, but in theatre you're there, with all your implements."
Personal life
Daniel Hendler married Argentine film director Ana Katz in 2007. They later separated in 2018. They have a daughter named Helena, born in 2008, and a son named Raimundo, born in 2011. Daniel moved from Montevideo to Buenos Aires. He now divides his time between Parque Centenario in Buenos Aires and Montevideo. He has not taken Argentine citizenship.
Filmography
Films
- Waiting for the Messiah (2000)
- 25 Watts (2001)
- Every Stewardess Goes to Heaven (2001)
- Sábado (2001)
- El ojo en la nuca (2001)
- No sabe no nontesta (2002)
- Bottom of the Sea (2003)
- Lost Embrace (2004)
- Whisky (2004)
- Los suicidas (2005)
- Queens (2005)
- La perrera (2006)
- La novia errante (2006)
- Cara de queso (2006)
- Family Law (2006)
- La ronda (2008)
- The Paranoids (2008)
- Cabeça a prêmio (2009)
- Phase 7 (2011)
- Los Marziano (2011)
- Mi primera boda (2011)
- Between Valleys (2012)
- Vino para robar (2013)
- Edifício Tatuapé Mahal (2014)
- My Friend from the Park (2015)
- Hijos nuestros (2015)
- Al borde (2016)
- El otro hermano (2017)
- Severina (2017)
- The Moneychanger (2019)
- The Sleepwalkers (2019)
- The Intruder (2020)
- Virus-32 (2022)
- El sistema K.E.OP/S (2022)
- Pequeña flor (2022)
- Lunáticos (2022)
- Astronauta (2025) as Nicolás
Television
- Mujeres en Rojo: Despedida (2003)
- Sin código (2004) (uncredited)
- Epitafios (2004) (miniseries)
- Aquí no hay quien viva (2008)
- Mujeres Asesinas (2008)
- Para vestir santos (2010)
- Cuando me sonreís (2011)
- Los únicos (2011)
- Televisión x la inclusión (2011)
- Graduados (2012)
- 100 días para enamorarse (2018)
- Pequeña Victoria (2019-2020)
- División Palermo (2023-2024)
Director
- Norberto's Deadline (2010) (written by)
See also
In Spanish: Daniel Hendler para niños
