Ishai Golan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ishai Golan
ישי גולן
Ishai Golan at the 47th International Film Festival Rotterdam, 2018
Born	(1973-11-22) November 22, 1973 (age 51) Ramat Gan, Israel
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1990–present
Spouse(s)	Ruti
Children	3

Ishai Golan (Hebrew: ישי גולן; born 22 November 1973) is an Israeli actor who works in films and on television. He is well-known for his role as Uri Zach in the TV series Prisoners of War (also known as Hatufim). In 2010, he won the Israeli Television Academy award for Best Actor for this role.

Early Life and Passions

Ishai Golan was born in Ramat Gan, Israel, into a Jewish family. As a child, he spent his time living between Israel and Canada because of his parents' jewelry business. From a very young age, he knew he wanted to be an actor. He once said that acting was the only thing he truly understood about his life. Growing up in Canada also made him very comfortable speaking English, which he felt helped him show his funny side.

Becoming an Actor

Ishai Golan went to the Telma Yalin Arts High School in Givatayim, where he studied performing arts.

First Steps in Acting

In 1990, at just 17 years old, Ishai got his first movie role in 'דרך הנשר‎' (The Eagle's Path). This film was directed by Uri Barbash. Ishai shared that this movie helped him realize that acting was truly his calling.

After high school, Ishai served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the military theater. This is a special unit where soldiers perform plays and shows. After his military service, he went to study acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art in England. Even though he spoke English well, he found learning William Shakespeare's plays a bit tricky at first. But after a few months, he got used to it and even started dreaming in Shakespeare's language!

Moving to TV and Film

In 1996, Ishai starred in a TV movie called Mindbender, where he played Uri Geller, a famous illusionist. He also appeared in other films like Operation YY (2000), Six Million Fragments (2000), Rashevsky's Tango (2003), and Love Life (2007). He even had small roles in some American movies filmed in Israel.

His first TV series role was in Fool's Gold (1994). Later, he was in Siton (1995). In 1999, he played Tomer in 'טירונות‎' (Recruit Training), a show about new Israeli soldiers. This role was important because it convinced him to move back to Israel from London.

Award-Winning Roles

During the 2000s, Ishai appeared in TV shows like Love Around The Corner (2003) and The Island (2007). In 2010, he starred in the very popular series Prisoners of War. He played Uri, a soldier who returns home after being a prisoner of war for 17 years. His amazing performance earned him the Israeli Academy of Film and Television award for best actor in a drama series.

In 2012, he appeared in the comedy series 'תנוחי‎' (Get Some Rest).

Beyond Acting: Hosting and New Projects

In 2012, Ishai Golan started hosting the Fox Life show Street Food Around The World. In each episode, he travels to a different city to explore and taste its local street food.

In 2014, he co-starred in False Flag, playing Ben Rephael, a chemist who gets caught up in a big kidnapping story. In 2017, he played Carter Woods in the teen drama series Greenhouse Academy.

More recently, in 2018, he starred in the Israeli supernatural horror film The Golem. In 2020, he helped create and starred in The Crown Experiments, a psychological drama. In 2023, he appeared alongside the famous actress Helen Mirren in the film White Bird.

Filmography

Personal Life

Ishai Golan lives in Tel Aviv, Israel, with his wife Ruti, who is a child psychologist. They have three children together. He is also interested in supporting artists in his city.