Ishai Golan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ishai Golan
ישי גולן‎
Ishai Golan at the 47th International Film Festival Rotterdam in 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 (born November 22, 1973) is a well-known actor from Israel. He has appeared in many movies and television shows. He is famous for his role as Uri Zach in the TV series Prisoners of War (called Hatufim in Hebrew). For this role, he won the Israeli Television Academy award for Best Actor in 2010.

Early Life and First Roles

Ishai Golan was born in Ramat Gan, a city in Israel. He went to the Telma Yalin Arts High School in Givatayim to study acting.

He started his movie career when he was only 17 years old. His first film was The Eagle's Path in 1990. Golan said this movie helped him realize that acting was what he wanted to do with his life. After that, he appeared in other movies like Amazing Grace (1992).

After high school, Golan served in the Israeli army's military theater. He then moved to England to study at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He said it was challenging at first to learn plays by William Shakespeare, but he soon got used to it.

Building an Acting Career

First Steps in TV and Film

In 1996, Golan played the famous performer Uri Geller in a TV movie called Mindbender. He also acted in several Israeli films, including Rashevsky's Tango (2003) and Love Life (2007).

His first big TV role was in a 1999 show called Tironoot (Recruit Training). He played a new soldier named Tomer. The show's director, Uri Barbash, called Golan in London and asked him to come back to Israel for the part. Golan was very happy to get this offer, as it helped him during a tough time in his early career.

Becoming a TV Star

During the 2000s, Golan acted in several popular TV shows in Israel. These included Love Around The Corner (2003) and The Island (2007).

His biggest success came in 2010 with the series Prisoners of War. He played a soldier who returns home after being held captive for 17 years. His performance was so good that he won the award for best actor from the Israeli Academy of Film and Television.

In 2012, he appeared in a comedy series and also began hosting a TV show called Street Food Around The World. In the show, he traveled to different cities to try their local street food.

International Fame and Recent Work

Working on Global Projects

In 2014, Golan starred in the thriller series False Flag. He played a man who is accused of being involved in a major international crime. This show was popular around the world.

From 2017 to 2020, he played Carter Woods in the Netflix teen series Greenhouse Academy. In 2018, he starred in the horror movie The Golem.

More recently, he appeared with the famous actress Helen Mirren in the 2024 movie White Bird. He also played Aaron, the brother of Moses, in the Netflix series Testament: The Story of Moses.

Work in the Theater

Besides movies and TV, Golan has also performed in many stage plays. He has acted in famous plays like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and All My Sons at major theaters in Israel.

Personal Life

Ishai Golan lives in Tel Aviv with his wife, Ruti, and their three children.

In 2013, he showed his support for a political group called the Da'am Workers Party. He also ran for a position in the local government of Tel Aviv. He wanted the city to provide more support for artists.

Filmography

Here is a list of some of Ishai Golan's movies and TV shows.