Raviv Ullman facts for kids

Raviv Chanan "Ricky" Ullman (born January 24, 1986) is an Israeli-American actor, director, and musician. He is most famous for his role as Phil Diffy in the Disney Channel show Phil of the Future.

Early Life and Background

Where Was Raviv Ullman Born?

Raviv Ullman was born in Eilat, Israel. His parents, Laura and Brian Ullman, were American Jewish. He has a younger sister, Tali, and a younger brother, Nadav. After his first birthday, his family moved to the United States. They lived in Norwalk, Connecticut, and then in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Raviv Ullman's Education and Interests

Raviv grew up in an Orthodox Jewish family. His grandfather, Joseph Ehrenkranz, was a rabbi in Connecticut. Raviv is also related to former Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman.

He taught himself to play the trombone. In 2002, he was chosen for the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership program. He was named "outstanding ambassador" and attended the HOBY World Leadership Congress. Raviv went to Hillel Academy and graduated from Fairfield Warde High School. He was also active in the National Conference of Synagogue Youth.

Raviv Ullman's Acting Career

How Raviv Ullman Started Acting

Raviv Ullman began his acting career in 1997. His first professional role was as Louis in the play The King and I. He also appeared in other plays like Peter Pan and The Music Man. He was nominated for a Best Actor award for his role in A Rosen by Any Other Name. Raviv also had small roles in TV and movies. He played Christopher Knight in the 2000 movie Growing Up Brady.

Becoming Famous on Disney Channel

Raviv Ullman is best known for playing Phil Diffy in the Disney Channel series Phil of the Future. This show started in June 2004. He also starred as Roscoe in the Disney TV movie Pixel Perfect. During this time, Raviv appeared in other Disney Channel shows. He was a guest star on That's So Raven. He was also part of the Disney Channel Circle of Stars. He sang and played drums in their music video for "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes."

Other TV Shows and Movies

In 2004, Raviv starred in the TV movie Searching for David's Heart. He also appeared in independent films like The Big Bad Swim and Driftwood. He guest-starred in TV shows such as Big Love and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Raviv was cast as Kip in the sitcom Rita Rocks, which started in 2009. He played the drummer in the main character's band. The show ran for two seasons. Raviv started using his real name, Raviv, in 2006. Before that, he was known as Ricky.

Raviv Ullman's Music and Directing Work

Raviv Ullman's Music Projects

In 2006, Raviv and his friends created funny hip-hop music videos as the Webee Boys. Later that year, he formed a band called Goodbye Ian with actor Douglas Smith. The band grew to seven members and changed its name to His Orchestra. Raviv plays drums and glockenspiel in the band. They released their first album, Field Guide to the Wilds, in 2009.

Raviv also played music with Soko on her 2012 tour. He was a member of the band Reputante. They released their first album in 2013. He left the band in 2015. With other Reputante members, Raviv helped form the band Lolawolf with actress Zoë Kravitz. He left Lolawolf before their first album came out in 2014.

Raviv Ullman's Work in Theater

From January to March 2012, Raviv starred as Alex in the play Russian Transport in New York. He also joined the cast of The Bad Guys in May 2012. In 2014, Raviv acted alongside Holly Hunter in the play Sticks and Bones. He also performed in the benefit play Right Before I Go in 2017. In 2018, he was in the play Usual Girls.

Raviv Ullman as a Filmmaker and Podcaster

In October 2016, Raviv Ullman announced his project Standing Ground. This is a documentary film about the Standing Rock Sioux Nation and the North Dakota Access Pipeline. He worked on this film throughout 2017.

Raviv also hosts a podcast called The Study with Rabbi Adam Greenwald. The podcast explores and discusses the Torah. The first episode was released in October 2020.

Raviv Ullman's Personal Life

Raviv Ullman speaks fluent Hebrew. He also keeps a kosher kitchen. He cares a lot about the environment and calls himself a "fourth generation activist." He works with TAP (Teens AIDS Prevention).

Raviv lived in Brooklyn, New York, until 2020. Then he moved to Los Angeles, California. On May 13, 2023, Raviv married British animator Julia Pott.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Stage Roles

See also

In Spanish: Ricky Ullman para niños