Mili Avital
Mili Avital is an Israeli actress, writer and director. Avital built an international career, starting in her native Israel, starring on stage, film and television. She won the Israeli Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1991, moved to New York in 1993 to study theater in English, was discovered by an agent while working in a restaurant, and started acting in Hollywood almost immediately. She has maintained her career in both countries since. Early life. Avital was born in Jerusalem, Israel, the daughter of graphic designers Noni and Iko Avital. Both her parents are Sephardic Jews; Avital 's father was born in Morocco, whereas her mother is Israeli-born and of Turkish-Jewish descent. She was raised in Tel Aviv, Israel, and in Ra'anana, Israel. She attended the Thelma Yellin High School of Arts in Givatayim, Israel. American career. In 1993 she arrived in New York City to study acting at the Circle in the Square Theatre School. The following year, discovered by an agent while working as a waitress, she was cast as the female lead in the 1994 science fiction film "Stargate", for which she received a Sci-fi Universe award. She has appeared in  films such as Jim Jarmusch's "Dead Man" opposite Johnny Depp, Doug Ellin's "Kissing a Fool" opposite David Schwimmer, "Polish Wedding" opposite Claire Danes, and Robert Benton's "The Human Stain" opposite Anthony Hopkins. In 1999, she portrayed a Bosnian rape victim in the of the long-running NBC legal drama, "". Avital appeared in three other episodes of the series: "Parasites", "Manhattan Vigil", and "Depravity Standard". She also appeared in the "" episode "Palimpsest". Her television work includes Scheherazade in the Emmy-nominated ABC miniseries "Arabian Nights" to rave reviews, Jon Avnet's "Uprising", and "After the Storm ". In 2009–2010  Avital appeared in the FX TV show "Damages", in a recurring role as the mistress to the husband of Patty Hewes (Glenn Close). She recently appeared in the 2012 ABC television series "666 Park Avenue".