Yitzhak "Aki" Avni (; born ), is an Israeli actor, entertainer and television host. He appeared in the movie '' Free Zone'' (2005). He also played the character Mohsen in the second season of the television series '' 24''.

Early life and marriage

Avni was born and raised in

Rehovot Rehovot (, / ) is a city in the Central District (Israel), Central District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. In it had a population of . Etymology Israel Belkind, founder of the Bilu (movement), Bilu movement, proposed the name "Rehovot ...

, Israel, to Turkish-born

Sephardic Jewish Sephardic Jews, also known as Sephardi Jews or Sephardim, and rarely as Iberian Peninsular Jews, are a Jewish diaspora population associated with the historic Jewish communities of the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) and their descendant ...

parents. While in school he began performing in shows in his hometown and had a modeling career. He performed his military service in 1985-1988 in the

Israeli Air Force The Israeli Air Force (IAF; , commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial and space warfare branch of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). It was founded on May 28, 1948, shortly after the Israeli Declaration of Indep ...

and was discharged with the rank of sergeant. He was married to Israeli model and actress Sendi Bar. They resided for several years in Los Angeles with their child and separated after returning to Israel in 2008. Avni married to Nicole Miller in 2014. They have 2 children and reside in

Herzliya Herzliya ( ; , / ) is an affluent List of Israeli cities, city in the Israeli coastal plain, central coast of Israel, at the northern part of the Tel Aviv District, known for its robust start-up and entrepreneurial culture. In it had a populatio ...

, Israel.

Entertainment and acting career

Following his military service, Avni joined an entertainment troupe at a hotel in

Eilat Eilat ( , ; ; ) is Israel's southernmost city, with a population of , a busy port of Eilat, port and popular resort at the northern tip of the Red Sea, on what is known in Israel as the Gulf of Eilat and in Jordan as the Gulf of Aqaba. The c ...

, appeared in children's shows and commercials, and trained at Yoram Levinstein's acting studio. He gained wider exposure when he became a co-host on Arutz 1's ''Tossess'' youth

television program A television show, TV program (), or simply a TV show, is the general reference to any content produced for viewing on a television set that is broadcast via Terrestrial television, over-the-air, Satellite television, satellite, and cable te ...

. In 1992 he starred in the musical ''Lelackek T'toot'' ('Licking the Strawberry'), in ''Naarei Hachof'' (The Beach Boys) and played a young homosexual man in

Amos Guttman Amos Guttman (; 10 May 1954 – 16 February 1993) was an Israeli film director, born in Romania. He directed the first-ever Israeli LGBT-themed film and most of his films were based on events that happened in his own personal life. Biography G ...

's last film, ('' Chesed Mufla'', Amazing Grace). In 1993 he appeared in the film ''Zarrim Balaila'' (Strangers in the Night). In 1994, on the new Channel 2, Avni began hosting the dating show ''Stutz'' (Fling) and appeared in the musical ''Pachot o Yoter'' (More or Less, and Israeli version of ''

The Price Is Right ''The Price Is Right'' is an American television game show where contestants compete by guessing the prices of merchandise to win cash and prizes. A 1972 revival by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman of their The Price Is Right (1956 American game ...

''). In 1995 he hosted the Pre-

Eurovision The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster submits an origina ...

contest with Michaela Bercu, appeared in the film ''Sachkanim'' (Actors), in the musical '' Grease'', and starred in the musical ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a Musical theatre, musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a Book (musical theatre), book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play ''Romeo an ...

''. He has hosted the Miss Israel Pageant and other beauty pageants. In 2012, Avni led Israel's Public Diplomacy Ministry's ''Faces of Israel'' mission to English-speaking countries. This comprised 100 Israelis including "settlers, Arabs, artists, experts in national security, gay people, and immigrants from Ethiopia orepresent and defend the state". In 2019 he appeared alongside Nicole Raidman as her love interest in two music videos.ניקול ראידמן - צ'או בייבי // Nicol Raidman
YouTube. 19 September 2019

Filmography

*'' JAG'' *'' 24'' *'' Huff'' *'' My Mom's New Boyfriend'' *''

Damascus Cover ''Damascus Cover'' is a 2017 political thriller film, directed by Daniel Zelik Berk, from a screenplay by Berk and Samantha Newton. It is based upon the 1977 novel of the same name by Howard Kaplan. It stars Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Olivia Thirlby, J ...

'' *''

Time of Favor ''Time of Favor'' (in Hebrew language, Hebrew, Ha-hesder) is Israelis, Israeli writer-director Joseph Cedar, Joseph Cedar's 2000 debut film, starring Aki Avni. The film plays out a psychologically complex love triangle in the middle of terrorist c ...

'' *''

Amazing Grace "Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn written in 1772 and published in 1779 by English Anglican clergyman and poet John Newton (1725–1807). It is possibly the most sung and most recorded hymn in the world, and especially popular in the Unit ...

Musical Theatre

*'' Grease'' *''

'' *''

Assassins An assassin is a person who commits targeted murder. The origin of the term is the medieval Order of Assassins, a sect of Shia Islam 1090–1275 CE. Assassin, or variants, may also refer to: Fictional characters * Assassin, in the Japanese adult ...

'' *''

Hasamba ''Hasamba'' (or Chasamba, , an acronym for חבורת סוד מוחלט בהחלט; Havurat Sod Muchlat Behechlet; lit. "The Absolutely Absolute Secret Group") is a series of children's adventure novels written by Yigal Mossinson.

'' *'' Mary Lou''

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Avni, Aki 1967 births Living people Beauty pageant hosts Israeli Sephardi Jews Yoram Loewenstein Performing Arts Studio alumni Israeli male film actors Israeli male television actors Israeli male models Israeli male voice actors Israeli male stage actors Israeli male musical theatre actors Israeli television presenters Ophir Award winners People from Rehovot Israeli people of Turkish-Jewish descent Israeli Mizrahi Jews