July 11, 2024 • 39 mins
Actor Amit Rahav has been making waves in Hollywood with high-profile projects, including a World War II drama close to his heart.
The actor joins Sophia to chat about his journey to becoming an actor, the pressure he felt playing the first LGBTQ+ character to come out on a TV show in Israel, finding success in Netflix's critically praised miniseries, "Unorthodox," starring in Hulu's limited series, "We Were the Lucky Ones," and why the WWII drama is very personal to him and very relevant today.
Plus, Amit reveals the type of project he would like to do next!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi everyone, it's Sophia. Welcome to Work in Progress. Hello
whip smarties. Today we are joined by Amit Rahav. He
(00:20):
is an incredible actor and what a wild thing to
say for someone who is a peer but a history
maker as well. In twenty sixteen, he actually made television
history when he played the first character to come out
in a teen television show on the Israeli show Flashback.
(00:42):
He got such incredible responses from LGBTQ plus youth about
how his portrayal made them feel seen and validated. He
joins us today to talk about how.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
He wishes he'd had a character like his.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Own when he was growing up, and what it was
like to go from teen to time television onto enormous,
globally successful series like Netflix's Unorthodox and his most recent
series on Hulu, We Were the Lucky Ones. It is
a historical drama adapted from the twenty seventeen book of
(01:16):
the same name by Georgia Hunter, inspired by the story
of her family surviving the Holocaust. It is an incredibly
beautiful show, and I think in a time where we
are all perhaps horrified by humanity's perpetsity to be cruel,
an incredibly timely reminder that if we don't know our history,
(01:39):
we might be doomed to repeat it. I'm very grateful
that joins us today. Let's get into it.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Why how are you.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
I'm good. It's so nice meeting you.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
It's so nice to meet you as well. Congratulations on
the show.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
How exciting, Thank you, Thank you so much. Yes, it's
very exciting. Yeah. Yeah. Being here is like is a
whole new experience to me right now because I did
another show called Unorthodox that came out in the pandemic.
So being here right now and seeing the billboards and
(02:27):
meeting people and like being on the street actually is
such a refreshing experience.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, totally different from being like locked up and having
well I mean we're doing this on zoom, but having
to do everything over the internet.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Yeah, but I feel the proximity energy between six different
we're in the same country, we're not in different camping
and so it's like, it's, uh, that also affects my experience. Yeah,
they're just like being here meeting people, like going to
an actual screening with like an audience. That's yeah, that's
(03:07):
a refreshment.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Yeah, sure, And what has that been like to watch
people see the project.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Oh wow, that's such a good question. It's been actually amazing,
to be honest, I've seen it. I've seen the first episode,
in the last episode on the big screen. We had
two screenings. Yeah, and both screenings, Like the energies that
(03:34):
you feel in the audience are so different than just
watching it by yourself at home. And also like the
effect that a big screen has on like your experience
is so crazy. I don't I don't think I've ever
appreciated the fact that when you want something on the
(03:58):
big screen and not on your own TV, like the differences.
I don't think I've ever had this experience of watching
something on your own TV, but then like right away
on a huge screen.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
With a pack a pack theater. It's it's just like
it's it's.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
So powerful to hear the actual reactions and people holding
their breaths, Like you can actually hear it, you know
what I mean.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Yeah, when when a whole room goes yeah and you
feel that and you know that something is translating emotionally.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Right, yes.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
Yeah. And also like I love theaters, so I've been
like like, like you have this experience when you go
to play or a musical like you have this feeling,
but then like seeing it with your own, like own
piece of art is like a whole different experience when
you're like in the audience but you're watching it.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
It's it's.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
I really I think I was kind of like I
didn't know what to what it would be like going
in and then leaving. I was like, Wow, this was
such a a special moment to watch it with so
many people in a room.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Yeah, that's incredible when you know what a moment you
find yourself in. Now, when when did you know you
wanted to be an actor? Was that something that you
always wanted to do since you were a little kid,
or or did you kind of wind up here by
a strange happenstance.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
No, I definitely knew I wanted to be an actor,
Like definitely. I remember, well, I always like wanted to
perform like it was I was. I always wanted to
be like on stage. Like do you remember the moment
where I think I was in first or second grade
(05:56):
and I saw this like school sort of like singing
group performing and I did not know about it, And
I remember sitting in the audience and just like feeling
a physical sickness jealousy like it was so it was
so like strong. I felt it in all of my
(06:18):
veins and body that I needed to be there. I
was I was fuming not being on stage. I saw
it and I and I don't know like why I
knew to feel that way, but it was just like
a natural reaction.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
So I really like remember this as as a vivid
moment of like I just need to be there. And
that was like my first sort of like I got
a solo, like I was singing by myself just like
a few months after I joined. So I like I
really felt like gratified by joining this group. Oh yeah,
(06:57):
I'm like I really remember this. This We have a
CD up until today. I need to listen to it
from like me and second grade. And then yeah, I
just I just like I started joining all drama classes
and major in theater in high school, then going to
drama school and and I actually started with doing like
(07:18):
teenage dramas and this was like an amazing acting school
for me. And then yeah, and then like things just
like started to become more and more like real and
and went like deep in a way.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Yeah, and and you know, going deep as you say,
you know, into these worlds wanting to tell people's stories
and represent their lives. It it's so personal and it's
so emotional, and it requires so much presence.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
And then.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
I think, not only as a performer, do you have
to be courageous enough to be raw bear, but sometimes
you have to be courageous enough to be the first.
And I know, I know that in twenty sixteen, You
know when you talk about like coming of age on
these teen.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Shows, much like I did.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
You know you were on Flashback and you made history
in Israel as the first character who came out on
one of these shows. What was that experience like for you?
Were you were you apprehensive as an eighteen year old
to do that? Or were you.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Were you shocked that it hadn't happened yet? Like maybe both?
What was that time for you?
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Yeah? I think it was everything I was. First of all,
it felt slightly too late, like twenty sixteen. It feels like, oh,
it could have happened like earlier. But then I felt
a huge responsibility to be that person. And yeah, it
took a lot of courage. I don't know how I
(09:12):
did that, but like it was again this urge of
me wanting and knowing it was like a calling from above.
I don't know, like I just knew that I had
to do it. I knew how significant it would have
been for me to have this kind of character growing up,
and I knew what it can be for people, for
kids teenagers watching this show. And I think I was,
(09:35):
I was, I was terrified going into this. I'm so
glad that I that I did that, Like because up
until today, I get people coming up to me and
saying how much they loved the show. And it was
so clever to see someone. I think we're so used
to consume like hard coming out stories and.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
This devastated like.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
People, like devastating stories of people coming out and not
being accepted by their surroundings or just like, yeah, having
the most horrific time coming out. And what was so
beautiful about this story is that none of this has happened.
He just told his friends. They hugged him, they loved him.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
What was it like for you, because you said it
would have meant so much to you to have had
a character like this to watch growing up.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Yeah, So.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Was it hard for you growing up realizing, you know,
coming to terms with your identity or did you also
have kind of a great experience and just wish there'd
been more representation.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
I think that. Yeah, in comparison to other stories, I
think I had a genuinely like pretty solid story. Like
it was like my family is so supportive, they're so
open minded, or like the most liberal family I had.
(11:05):
It was it was more like the demons in my
own head there were so harsh that were preventing me
from coming out earlier. Yeah, I think that. Uh. I
now remember when you asked that that I did like
this interview like four years ago, and I talked about
(11:26):
some moments in school and in elementary school of being bullied,
and my mom was watching this interview and she was like,
I did not know that this has happened to you.
I wish I knew that you went through that. And
I was like, yeah, I couldn't tell you. Like I
did not want to speak about my weaknesses and me
(11:47):
being an outsider and me just like it's there's like
such a deep need to be blended and not to
be labeled and to just like not create any any
like sort of mess around. You just want to like
(12:08):
be normal. So speaking about being bullied or like being
mocked at at school was like to me the most,
like the most the closest thing to coming out. So
I don't think I could have could have been like
too open about it. But I did know that if
(12:30):
I would have had this character growing up, I would
probably have such a way more of an easier like
easy life. And and uh and yeah, I think that
it came in the exact right time for kids to
to consume this show because I was getting so many
(12:51):
messages on my Instagram from.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
Kids who are like religious.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
And have to come out to their parents as like
queer or lesbians or buy or gay and and this
was the most like one of the most meaningful experiences
I've ever had to get actual people dming you and
thanking you for like for speaking up and for representing them.
(13:22):
And I think this I would I wouldn't trade it
for anything.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Yeah, if it helped.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
One person and it saved one person's life, so I
feel like I've done like what I needed to do.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Yeah, that's so special And what.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
A I mean, what an immense privilege like a thing
for you to say like I got to do that.
You know, that'll always be something for you to hold
in those messages and that feeling and I don't know,
I think it's it's so profound.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Yeah, And now for our sponsors.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Was it kind of wild to go from doing something
that monumental to then go be on you know, we
touched on Unorthodox and that was such a big breakout
show also, which was it kind of crazy to do
this huge monumental thing and then to be on you know,
your next gig and have it also be kind of
(14:26):
like a runaway train.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Oh my god, Yes, it was a runaway train. That's
such an accurate term to use. Yeah, it was crazy,
I think. Yeah, I was again terrified going on Unorthodox.
I felt like the imposters syndrome.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
So hard?
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Did you have to study a lot and like meet
with a lot of folks to learn about the community.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
The community, and also like it was all in Yiddish,
which I've never spoken before. Yiddish is so far from
it's so like it's like learning I don't know Chinese,
so it was like learning a whole language. And I
felt so terrified going at that project. It was so
(15:14):
huge and there was so much responsibility, and I also
felt at the beginning that I didn't know if I
could deliver this role, if I could, if I could
serve the part right, if I'm I was constantly scared
that they'd like did find out that I'm not the
right person for the role.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
This was such like a a realistic feeling. I believed
it so much.
Speaker 4 (15:43):
Looking back, it was only my mind tricking me, and
my insecurities and fears and my uh.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
That that I that I that I learned to live with.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
Since then, when you got that role, I know you
were still in acting school and yes, and obviously it's
such an enormous opportunity, but it comes with a lot
of pressure. How do you feel like you handled your
life changing so much so fast?
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Wow, that's such a good question. Yeah, they did change.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
I don't think that I was aware of how much
they are changing. While it was happening. I was so
like enjoying the ride, and I did.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Not really like I did not really.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
Understand the meaning of it all. It all just happened
and it all became like.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
Bigger than life.
Speaker 4 (16:35):
Also, like filming Unorthodox, we didn't come into this show
feeling that we're going to create something that's gonna get
to every household. We shot like that, like it was
honestly the tiniest crew. They were like thirty people on set. Yeah,
it was so tiny. It was just made with pure love.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
It's not lost on me that so many of these
roles that you've played have have required so much, you know,
introspection and and whether it's making history in your you know,
home country on television or having to study, as you said,
this sort of very different than your own life, conservative world.
(17:24):
Now you're you're going back in time starring on The
Lucky Ones. It's it's such a profoundly emotional and important project.
And the fact that you know, in present day at work,
you get to you know, honor the story of your grandmother,
(17:45):
who who is a Holocaust survivor what does it feel
like to assume a role like that, you know, to
be telling a story about one of our you know,
most of earth shattering and traumatic points in history. That's
so personal to you, Like it's it's it's it's so
(18:08):
important to the world, but it's also so personal to
you and your family.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's I don't know, it was it was.
It was such an incredible experience.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
It still is.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
I mean, seeing like people reacting to that story and
knowing how personal it was for me, but also like
for Georgia Hunter, who's the writer of the book and
this whole show is based on her.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Own family and.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
And booked and uh, but it's also personal to all
of the cast and creaers, and we all felt an
immense passion to tell the story, and we were also
aligned with the importance of that of that storytelling and
and the time and and and the ignorance and racism
(19:03):
and hatred, and we all really wanted to respectfully tell
this piece in a way that would move people.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Did you get to meet Georgia I did.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
She was with us on set and us. Yes, she
is the greatest human being. I love her so much.
She allowed us to just join her family spiritually obviously,
but she opened up about anything and everything to us.
She came in with a massive photo album and with
(19:40):
so many documents and letters that we could read, and
she was open at any time and at any point
to ask any questions. And it was such a privilege
to have her with us on set. And she came
to set, and she also brought her mom, who's the
daughter of Addie who who's played by Logan but like
(20:00):
in Realize Addie, so her Mom was there and it
was such a special experience to have like the real
family with us on set.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
And now a word from our sponsors that I really
enjoy and I think you will too. Just earlier this
season on the podcast, I got to interview Ava du Verne,
the filmmaker, and she released Origin this year, and it
(20:34):
was so that movie was such an emotional experience for me,
and to see her take all of the research of
Isabelle Wilkerson and turn it into this narrative. And it's
so arresting to realize that hate is so infectious.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
It's so easy to hate.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
It's so easy, and why because we should know better
by now, And I think.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
It's such an.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
It's immensely painful to really look at these wounds and
to really look at how far back this hate goes,
and and to realize that it's been systematized for all
of these generations. And I think sometimes people will say, well,
(21:26):
you know, why do we have to keep talking about it?
But I think if we don't talk about it, and
we don't make sure people know our history, then we
become doomed to repeat it.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
Exactly, Yes, And I think that.
Speaker 4 (21:41):
Like as we said that hatred is so contagious and
it's so easy. And I think that the like being
in communication and talking about the complexities is the challenge.
And it's that's like I think that when people try
and face that like period of time are also like
(22:05):
also like nowadays, we're such an immense, horrible, devastating conflict
as we speak, and I think that it's so hard
for people to to try and and and and like
and and attack it from a whole different place. It's
so hard to see the layers and the textures and
and to see that there's no good or bad, that
(22:28):
there's like a lot of pain and suffer and there's
like an endless grief. But these things are rooted in
our own like DNA, but they can be sort of
like they can be talked about and changed, is it?
Speaker 1 (22:48):
And you know, I want to be very sensitive and
also be very clear that you know, I know people
are not their governments, and I know I certainly wouldn't
be able to answer for every thing America, guys.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
You know, done in its history.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
But I also do want to not pretend we're not
in the moment we are of you know, offer you
my empathy, it does it feel strange to be telling
this story about this immensely devastating time, you know, not
just in human history, but in the history of the
Jewish people, when you are also in the midst of
(23:28):
this horrific conflict. I imagine that it puts you in
a very emotional and tough position. Like I don't know,
I don't really know what the question is necessarily, but
I yeah, I just I feel for you trying to
(23:51):
make art and honor the past in a moment where
the present is so horrific.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
Yeah, thank you this. I do feel the empathy.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
I am so inspired by people like you are talking about,
who say we are better than this. We see each other,
we want I want better for your family, and I
know you want better for mine, And it is exactly
what you mentioned earlier. We should know better by now,
but it seems like for some reason.
Speaker 4 (24:21):
We do not. I don't understand why, Like, why isn't
it so simple and basic? Yeah, that we're all like
in an immense pain.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
And I think it must be particularly present and real
for you because you are discussing this beautiful piece of
historical work that is being mirrored yet again now. And
(24:54):
I imagine it's very hard as an artist because you're like, no, no,
I'm trying to make us see each o other.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
I'm not trying to make anyone pick a side.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
I'm actually trying to.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Say, we've been through this, we should know better, we
should do better, and it's it's it's a hard place
to be.
Speaker 4 (25:12):
That's so accurate, and I think that that is the
only way for us to overcome this conflict, only with
like actually meeting the people and talking to them and
just hearing each other's trauma and pain and fears.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Well, I think I have a friend who you know,
has worked at the UN for a long time, who
talked who's talked to me a lot about how they
rebuilt in Rwanda after the genocide, and the the intense
undertaking of making sure that every family was paired with
(25:54):
a family from the other side, and people sat in
these healing circles and people people would talk to someone
who you know, murdered families and someone whose family members
were murdered, and the whole country went through this process.
And what you're saying, it's painful to listen to trauma,
it's painful to reckon, but the whole country did this.
(26:18):
This peace process together and everything changed. And I think
it's that sort of idea right that we're supposed to
know better by now.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
And I'm very.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Heartened by people who've said this population, it's not us
or them, it's us, all of us.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
We're here together.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
And I don't know, I know a lot of you know,
important people, powerful people, governments make a lot.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
Of money on war.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
But I'm very inspired by the people who keep standing
up every day and saying not in our name, we
don't want this. And I really, you know, I've I've
been very heartened to see so many people protesting, saying
like enough, this isn't this isn't making anybody safe.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
What are we doing?
Speaker 1 (27:12):
And I, I don't know, I hope, I hope more of
us wind up getting to set the course in the future,
because clearly a lot of the people who've set it
so far have not have not done so with the
kinds of goals for unity that I think.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
We all pray for.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
And you know, I yeah, I just I appreciate, you know,
I appreciate it, and I can't quite imagine how it
must feel to, you know, try to straddle all of
these worlds at the same time.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
For you.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
Yeah, it's chaotic.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
Yeah, I just imagine it's very, very difficult. And you know,
you're one human being who happens to be, you know,
telling his grandmother's story right now, and I know it
becomes about a lot of other things. And I I
also know as artists our job is to sort of
try to hold all of the world, past and present
(28:12):
and figure out how to tell stories. So yeah, I
just I just wanted to make a little bit of
you know, space for you there.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
I oh, thank you.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
I think no matter what you know, the subject matter
of the show of Lucky Ones, I would be asking
about how you cope with the heaviness and the pressure,
and and it's it's I would imagine, bigger now than
you even thought it would be a year ago.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 4 (28:39):
It's it's interwined with the past and the present are
so dominant. They're like they keep fighting who takes the spotlight?
Speaker 3 (28:50):
Was it was.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
It an interesting thing for you because I would imagine,
you know, with your grandmother's history, you've always grown up knowing,
you know, what she survived, what she escaped. Was it
sort of surreal to know that you were going to
step into that world when did you guys film this
like two years ago?
Speaker 4 (29:13):
Maybe like like a year and.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
A half ago, Okay, so in twenty twenty two, yes, yea.
Speaker 4 (29:22):
Was Yeah?
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Was it was it bizarre to have to walk into
that world and into that time period as an artist,
but as an artist who's got such a personal connection.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
Yes, that's such a good question.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
I it was really a special moment because I really
remember when I got the part that I realized that
I have to dive deep in now into this subject,
which is the most like the heaviest subject of them all.
And growing up, I've heard the Holocaust story from any
(30:05):
like from every angle, Like we are taught about the
Holocaust since first grade. We have like the Memorial Holocaust
Day in Israel, and there's always like a ceremony, and
there's Holocaust films. So I've heard so much about it
growing up. But then after that there's sort of like
(30:26):
a like after you finished with all your mandatory studies,
you stop hearing about it all of a sudden.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
So so then going into.
Speaker 4 (30:40):
This project, it was sort of like, oh wow, I'm
an adult now and I can examine it and experience
it through a whole different lens. I had the like
the actual ability to think about it as an adult,
which was so.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
It was like it was sort of like I sort.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
Of like re learned about it and I realized how
how crazy these eight years were. The Second World War
was something unbelievable. It was very It was so oiled up.
It was like a whole machine.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
That is just.
Speaker 4 (31:28):
It's like, I don't think I still can grasp what
was it like. But watching all the documentaries and rereading
all stuff that I read growing up, but then like again,
like going back into the books, it was unbelievable to me.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
It was.
Speaker 4 (31:47):
Also walking on set it felt like that I don't
understand how these people lived through that time and also
survived like them specifically they survived. I don't know if
I could. I don't know if I would be able
to survive the power of their thoughts and their perseverance
(32:10):
and strength and courage.
Speaker 1 (32:11):
Yeah, and now a word from our wonderful sponsors. It
becomes very difficult, I think, to wrap your head around.
You know, the things we study and we see pictures
of in books, and we read the stats. It's different
(32:33):
when your body begins to feel what happens to people.
You know, I had a very similar experience when I
really started to become an advocate for you know, closing
all of these gender gaps and particularly about gender based violence.
Like when I really began to actually understand in my bones,
(32:57):
not just in my brain, the statistics of what happens.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
To women, I was like, what the fuck you know?
Speaker 1 (33:04):
And what there's there just is something different when it
goes from your brain to your body.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
It's different.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
And I imagine that's part of why it feels so
important to tell stories like this, you know, I know,
it's why it feels important for me to you know,
use my platform, you know, for women and and for
the non binary community. And I, yeah, I wondered, do
(33:33):
you do you think that experience you had of it
traveling from the intellectual to the emotional physical like you know,
brain to body was did that make you sort of
even more sure that this that this is a story
that's important to.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Tell now.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Interesting? Yes, of course.
Speaker 4 (33:56):
I I remember walking on set and seeing like extra
dressed up as Nazis and its just like yeah, and
seeing like all these weapons and seeing and hearing like
them screaming things in German and it's just like it.
I was just I choked in that moment, being dressed
(34:20):
in my own outfit, my character's outfit, and then seeing
it was sort of like traveling back in time in
a way. And I mean, we're actors, so we're like,
I'm not like, I don't like I know who I am.
I know that I'm here to work and that I
(34:43):
need to like learn my lines and do the scene.
But then when you suddenly step out of work mode
and you just observe the situation that you're in, it's
it does become a physical like you do. You do
develop like a physical reaction. Of course, I felt nausea
(35:06):
on set seeing those images come to life and we
all cried there. Yeah, several amount of times just watching playbacks. Also,
when you suddenly watch playback and you see yourself in
that situation, it's it's chilling, and that definitely strengthens the
(35:31):
the need to tell more and more stories like that.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
When you think about what you want to do next,
you know there's there is so much importance, but heaviness
obviously in a project like this. Does it make you
just want to go to a comedy like do you
want to go on Dancing.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
With the Stars?
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Like, like what do.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
You do to get something like this out of your body?
What do you what do you want to do next?
Speaker 4 (35:59):
I sure I'll do Dancing with the Stars, but yeah,
I want to do something that yeah light, definitely light,
definitely comedy. Like I don't know, Like I just want
to do stuff with good creators and good people, because
(36:21):
that cannot be changed when you work with like I've
been very fortunate to have like very good set experiences
and have like good directors and good writers, and like
after working with Tommy Kale, who was the director of
We Were the Lucky Ones, It's very hard to go
(36:44):
on to something that would be less meaningful. So I
think it should be a combination of like something that's very.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
Light. It has to be light, but also I need
some like.
Speaker 4 (37:05):
Meaning to it, of course, but also like I just
I don't know what I'm talking about.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
I want to do anything and everything.
Speaker 4 (37:12):
I have so many dreams. I have so many like
so many like things that I want to do and
and be in, and and I don't know, there's I've
got so many goals and dreams and and I just
I don't know what will be next, but I but I'm.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
Excited to find out yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
Yeah, Well that feels exciting when you think about the
year ahead. What feels like you're work in progress?
Speaker 3 (37:43):
Oh wow.
Speaker 4 (37:45):
So I'm now here in La which I'm planning to
stay for a while here, and it's a whole different
a whole different life, yeah than then back in Tel Aviv.
So I think that my work in progress is to
figure out how do people like, how do people like
(38:11):
just live here? I feel like I'm still settling in.
I've been here for three months and I still feel
like it's my first week. I don't know when will
I feel that I belong or that I know that
I've got it all figured out. But I think that
my work in progress is to find my own, like
(38:33):
favorite spots and to find good people to just like.
Speaker 3 (38:38):
Create an island.
Speaker 4 (38:43):
For me to exist in that feels right and that
feels nice and comforting.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
In times of need.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Yeah, it makes you feel at home.
Speaker 4 (38:55):
Yeah, yeah, I think that That's what I'm mostly working
on now.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
Wonderful. Well, we love it. I'll send you a whole
list of places I love.
Speaker 3 (39:09):
Oh please do I'm in desperate please?
Speaker 2 (39:13):
All right?
Speaker 1 (39:14):
Well, thank you and thank you for your thank you,
you know, for your openness today and yeah, I really
appreciate it
Hi everyone, it's Sophia. Welcome to Work in Progress. Hello
whip smarties. Today we are joined by Amit Rahav. He
(00:20):
is an incredible actor and what a wild thing to
say for someone who is a peer but a history
maker as well. In twenty sixteen, he actually made television
history when he played the first character to come out
in a teen television show on the Israeli show Flashback.
(00:42):
He got such incredible responses from LGBTQ plus youth about
how his portrayal made them feel seen and validated. He
joins us today to talk about how.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
He wishes he'd had a character like his.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Own when he was growing up, and what it was
like to go from teen to time television onto enormous,
globally successful series like Netflix's Unorthodox and his most recent
series on Hulu, We Were the Lucky Ones. It is
a historical drama adapted from the twenty seventeen book of
(01:16):
the same name by Georgia Hunter, inspired by the story
of her family surviving the Holocaust. It is an incredibly
beautiful show, and I think in a time where we
are all perhaps horrified by humanity's perpetsity to be cruel,
an incredibly timely reminder that if we don't know our history,
(01:39):
we might be doomed to repeat it. I'm very grateful
that joins us today. Let's get into it.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Why how are you.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
I'm good. It's so nice meeting you.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
It's so nice to meet you as well. Congratulations on
the show.
Speaker 4 (02:07):
How exciting, Thank you, Thank you so much. Yes, it's
very exciting. Yeah. Yeah. Being here is like is a
whole new experience to me right now because I did
another show called Unorthodox that came out in the pandemic.
So being here right now and seeing the billboards and
(02:27):
meeting people and like being on the street actually is
such a refreshing experience.
Speaker 1 (02:36):
Yeah, totally different from being like locked up and having
well I mean we're doing this on zoom, but having
to do everything over the internet.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Yeah, but I feel the proximity energy between six different
we're in the same country, we're not in different camping
and so it's like, it's, uh, that also affects my experience. Yeah,
they're just like being here meeting people, like going to
an actual screening with like an audience. That's yeah, that's
(03:07):
a refreshment.
Speaker 1 (03:07):
Yeah, sure, And what has that been like to watch
people see the project.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Oh wow, that's such a good question. It's been actually amazing,
to be honest, I've seen it. I've seen the first episode,
in the last episode on the big screen. We had
two screenings. Yeah, and both screenings, Like the energies that
(03:34):
you feel in the audience are so different than just
watching it by yourself at home. And also like the
effect that a big screen has on like your experience
is so crazy. I don't I don't think I've ever
appreciated the fact that when you want something on the
(03:58):
big screen and not on your own TV, like the differences.
I don't think I've ever had this experience of watching
something on your own TV, but then like right away
on a huge screen.
Speaker 3 (04:12):
With a pack a pack theater. It's it's just like
it's it's.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
So powerful to hear the actual reactions and people holding
their breaths, Like you can actually hear it, you know
what I mean.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
Yeah, when when a whole room goes yeah and you
feel that and you know that something is translating emotionally.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
Right, yes.
Speaker 4 (04:39):
Yeah. And also like I love theaters, so I've been
like like, like you have this experience when you go
to play or a musical like you have this feeling,
but then like seeing it with your own, like own
piece of art is like a whole different experience when
you're like in the audience but you're watching it.
Speaker 3 (04:59):
It's it's.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
I really I think I was kind of like I
didn't know what to what it would be like going
in and then leaving. I was like, Wow, this was
such a a special moment to watch it with so
many people in a room.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Yeah, that's incredible when you know what a moment you
find yourself in. Now, when when did you know you
wanted to be an actor? Was that something that you
always wanted to do since you were a little kid,
or or did you kind of wind up here by
a strange happenstance.
Speaker 4 (05:35):
No, I definitely knew I wanted to be an actor,
Like definitely. I remember, well, I always like wanted to
perform like it was I was. I always wanted to
be like on stage. Like do you remember the moment
where I think I was in first or second grade
(05:56):
and I saw this like school sort of like singing
group performing and I did not know about it, And
I remember sitting in the audience and just like feeling
a physical sickness jealousy like it was so it was
so like strong. I felt it in all of my
(06:18):
veins and body that I needed to be there. I
was I was fuming not being on stage. I saw
it and I and I don't know like why I
knew to feel that way, but it was just like
a natural reaction.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
So I really like remember this as as a vivid
moment of like I just need to be there. And
that was like my first sort of like I got
a solo, like I was singing by myself just like
a few months after I joined. So I like I
really felt like gratified by joining this group. Oh yeah,
(06:57):
I'm like I really remember this. This We have a
CD up until today. I need to listen to it
from like me and second grade. And then yeah, I
just I just like I started joining all drama classes
and major in theater in high school, then going to
drama school and and I actually started with doing like
(07:18):
teenage dramas and this was like an amazing acting school
for me. And then yeah, and then like things just
like started to become more and more like real and
and went like deep in a way.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
Yeah, and and you know, going deep as you say,
you know, into these worlds wanting to tell people's stories
and represent their lives. It it's so personal and it's
so emotional, and it requires so much presence.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
And then.
Speaker 1 (08:00):
I think, not only as a performer, do you have
to be courageous enough to be raw bear, but sometimes
you have to be courageous enough to be the first.
And I know, I know that in twenty sixteen, You
know when you talk about like coming of age on
these teen.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Shows, much like I did.
Speaker 1 (08:21):
You know you were on Flashback and you made history
in Israel as the first character who came out on
one of these shows. What was that experience like for you?
Were you were you apprehensive as an eighteen year old
to do that? Or were you.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Were you shocked that it hadn't happened yet? Like maybe both?
What was that time for you?
Speaker 4 (08:51):
Yeah? I think it was everything I was. First of all,
it felt slightly too late, like twenty sixteen. It feels like, oh,
it could have happened like earlier. But then I felt
a huge responsibility to be that person. And yeah, it
took a lot of courage. I don't know how I
(09:12):
did that, but like it was again this urge of
me wanting and knowing it was like a calling from above.
I don't know, like I just knew that I had
to do it. I knew how significant it would have
been for me to have this kind of character growing up,
and I knew what it can be for people, for
kids teenagers watching this show. And I think I was,
(09:35):
I was, I was terrified going into this. I'm so
glad that I that I did that, Like because up
until today, I get people coming up to me and
saying how much they loved the show. And it was
so clever to see someone. I think we're so used
to consume like hard coming out stories and.
Speaker 3 (09:58):
This devastated like.
Speaker 4 (10:04):
People, like devastating stories of people coming out and not
being accepted by their surroundings or just like, yeah, having
the most horrific time coming out. And what was so
beautiful about this story is that none of this has happened.
He just told his friends. They hugged him, they loved him.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
What was it like for you, because you said it
would have meant so much to you to have had
a character like this to watch growing up.
Speaker 3 (10:28):
Yeah, So.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Was it hard for you growing up realizing, you know,
coming to terms with your identity or did you also
have kind of a great experience and just wish there'd
been more representation.
Speaker 4 (10:44):
I think that. Yeah, in comparison to other stories, I
think I had a genuinely like pretty solid story. Like
it was like my family is so supportive, they're so
open minded, or like the most liberal family I had.
(11:05):
It was it was more like the demons in my
own head there were so harsh that were preventing me
from coming out earlier. Yeah, I think that. Uh. I
now remember when you asked that that I did like
this interview like four years ago, and I talked about
(11:26):
some moments in school and in elementary school of being bullied,
and my mom was watching this interview and she was like,
I did not know that this has happened to you.
I wish I knew that you went through that. And
I was like, yeah, I couldn't tell you. Like I
did not want to speak about my weaknesses and me
(11:47):
being an outsider and me just like it's there's like
such a deep need to be blended and not to
be labeled and to just like not create any any
like sort of mess around. You just want to like
(12:08):
be normal. So speaking about being bullied or like being
mocked at at school was like to me the most,
like the most the closest thing to coming out. So
I don't think I could have could have been like
too open about it. But I did know that if
(12:30):
I would have had this character growing up, I would
probably have such a way more of an easier like
easy life. And and uh and yeah, I think that
it came in the exact right time for kids to
to consume this show because I was getting so many
(12:51):
messages on my Instagram from.
Speaker 3 (12:53):
Kids who are like religious.
Speaker 4 (12:57):
And have to come out to their parents as like
queer or lesbians or buy or gay and and this
was the most like one of the most meaningful experiences
I've ever had to get actual people dming you and
thanking you for like for speaking up and for representing them.
(13:22):
And I think this I would I wouldn't trade it
for anything.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
Yeah, if it helped.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
One person and it saved one person's life, so I
feel like I've done like what I needed to do.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
Yeah, that's so special And what.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
A I mean, what an immense privilege like a thing
for you to say like I got to do that.
You know, that'll always be something for you to hold
in those messages and that feeling and I don't know,
I think it's it's so profound.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Yeah, And now for our sponsors.
Speaker 1 (14:03):
Was it kind of wild to go from doing something
that monumental to then go be on you know, we
touched on Unorthodox and that was such a big breakout
show also, which was it kind of crazy to do
this huge monumental thing and then to be on you know,
your next gig and have it also be kind of
(14:26):
like a runaway train.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
Oh my god, Yes, it was a runaway train. That's
such an accurate term to use. Yeah, it was crazy,
I think. Yeah, I was again terrified going on Unorthodox.
I felt like the imposters syndrome.
Speaker 3 (14:45):
So hard?
Speaker 1 (14:47):
Did you have to study a lot and like meet
with a lot of folks to learn about the community.
Speaker 4 (14:54):
The community, and also like it was all in Yiddish,
which I've never spoken before. Yiddish is so far from
it's so like it's like learning I don't know Chinese,
so it was like learning a whole language. And I
felt so terrified going at that project. It was so
(15:14):
huge and there was so much responsibility, and I also
felt at the beginning that I didn't know if I
could deliver this role, if I could, if I could
serve the part right, if I'm I was constantly scared
that they'd like did find out that I'm not the
right person for the role.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
This was such like a a realistic feeling. I believed
it so much.
Speaker 4 (15:43):
Looking back, it was only my mind tricking me, and
my insecurities and fears and my uh.
Speaker 3 (15:49):
That that I that I that I learned to live with.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
Since then, when you got that role, I know you
were still in acting school and yes, and obviously it's
such an enormous opportunity, but it comes with a lot
of pressure. How do you feel like you handled your
life changing so much so fast?
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Wow, that's such a good question. Yeah, they did change.
Speaker 4 (16:12):
I don't think that I was aware of how much
they are changing. While it was happening. I was so
like enjoying the ride, and I did.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Not really like I did not really.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
Understand the meaning of it all. It all just happened
and it all became like.
Speaker 3 (16:33):
Bigger than life.
Speaker 4 (16:35):
Also, like filming Unorthodox, we didn't come into this show
feeling that we're going to create something that's gonna get
to every household. We shot like that, like it was
honestly the tiniest crew. They were like thirty people on set. Yeah,
it was so tiny. It was just made with pure love.
Speaker 1 (16:58):
It's not lost on me that so many of these
roles that you've played have have required so much, you know,
introspection and and whether it's making history in your you know,
home country on television or having to study, as you said,
this sort of very different than your own life, conservative world.
(17:24):
Now you're you're going back in time starring on The
Lucky Ones. It's it's such a profoundly emotional and important project.
And the fact that you know, in present day at work,
you get to you know, honor the story of your grandmother,
(17:45):
who who is a Holocaust survivor what does it feel
like to assume a role like that, you know, to
be telling a story about one of our you know,
most of earth shattering and traumatic points in history. That's
so personal to you, Like it's it's it's it's so
(18:08):
important to the world, but it's also so personal to
you and your family.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's I don't know, it was it was.
It was such an incredible experience.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
It still is.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
I mean, seeing like people reacting to that story and
knowing how personal it was for me, but also like
for Georgia Hunter, who's the writer of the book and
this whole show is based on her.
Speaker 3 (18:39):
Own family and.
Speaker 4 (18:41):
And booked and uh, but it's also personal to all
of the cast and creaers, and we all felt an
immense passion to tell the story, and we were also
aligned with the importance of that of that storytelling and
and the time and and and the ignorance and racism
(19:03):
and hatred, and we all really wanted to respectfully tell
this piece in a way that would move people.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
Did you get to meet Georgia I did.
Speaker 4 (19:16):
She was with us on set and us. Yes, she
is the greatest human being. I love her so much.
She allowed us to just join her family spiritually obviously,
but she opened up about anything and everything to us.
She came in with a massive photo album and with
(19:40):
so many documents and letters that we could read, and
she was open at any time and at any point
to ask any questions. And it was such a privilege
to have her with us on set. And she came
to set, and she also brought her mom, who's the
daughter of Addie who who's played by Logan but like
(20:00):
in Realize Addie, so her Mom was there and it
was such a special experience to have like the real
family with us on set.
Speaker 3 (20:11):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (20:12):
And now a word from our sponsors that I really
enjoy and I think you will too. Just earlier this
season on the podcast, I got to interview Ava du Verne,
the filmmaker, and she released Origin this year, and it
(20:34):
was so that movie was such an emotional experience for me,
and to see her take all of the research of
Isabelle Wilkerson and turn it into this narrative. And it's
so arresting to realize that hate is so infectious.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
It's so easy to hate.
Speaker 1 (20:54):
It's so easy, and why because we should know better
by now, And I think.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
It's such an.
Speaker 1 (21:04):
It's immensely painful to really look at these wounds and
to really look at how far back this hate goes,
and and to realize that it's been systematized for all
of these generations. And I think sometimes people will say, well,
(21:26):
you know, why do we have to keep talking about it?
But I think if we don't talk about it, and
we don't make sure people know our history, then we
become doomed to repeat it.
Speaker 3 (21:36):
Exactly, Yes, And I think that.
Speaker 4 (21:41):
Like as we said that hatred is so contagious and
it's so easy. And I think that the like being
in communication and talking about the complexities is the challenge.
And it's that's like I think that when people try
and face that like period of time are also like
(22:05):
also like nowadays, we're such an immense, horrible, devastating conflict
as we speak, and I think that it's so hard
for people to to try and and and and like
and and attack it from a whole different place. It's
so hard to see the layers and the textures and
and to see that there's no good or bad, that
(22:28):
there's like a lot of pain and suffer and there's
like an endless grief. But these things are rooted in
our own like DNA, but they can be sort of
like they can be talked about and changed, is it?
Speaker 1 (22:48):
And you know, I want to be very sensitive and
also be very clear that you know, I know people
are not their governments, and I know I certainly wouldn't
be able to answer for every thing America, guys.
Speaker 2 (23:00):
You know, done in its history.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
But I also do want to not pretend we're not
in the moment we are of you know, offer you
my empathy, it does it feel strange to be telling
this story about this immensely devastating time, you know, not
just in human history, but in the history of the
Jewish people, when you are also in the midst of
(23:28):
this horrific conflict. I imagine that it puts you in
a very emotional and tough position. Like I don't know,
I don't really know what the question is necessarily, but
I yeah, I just I feel for you trying to
(23:51):
make art and honor the past in a moment where
the present is so horrific.
Speaker 3 (23:57):
Yeah, thank you this. I do feel the empathy.
Speaker 1 (24:01):
I am so inspired by people like you are talking about,
who say we are better than this. We see each other,
we want I want better for your family, and I
know you want better for mine, And it is exactly
what you mentioned earlier. We should know better by now,
but it seems like for some reason.
Speaker 4 (24:21):
We do not. I don't understand why, Like, why isn't
it so simple and basic? Yeah, that we're all like
in an immense pain.
Speaker 1 (24:33):
And I think it must be particularly present and real
for you because you are discussing this beautiful piece of
historical work that is being mirrored yet again now. And
(24:54):
I imagine it's very hard as an artist because you're like, no, no,
I'm trying to make us see each o other.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
I'm not trying to make anyone pick a side.
Speaker 3 (25:02):
I'm actually trying to.
Speaker 1 (25:03):
Say, we've been through this, we should know better, we
should do better, and it's it's it's a hard place
to be.
Speaker 4 (25:12):
That's so accurate, and I think that that is the
only way for us to overcome this conflict, only with
like actually meeting the people and talking to them and
just hearing each other's trauma and pain and fears.
Speaker 1 (25:31):
Well, I think I have a friend who you know,
has worked at the UN for a long time, who
talked who's talked to me a lot about how they
rebuilt in Rwanda after the genocide, and the the intense
undertaking of making sure that every family was paired with
(25:54):
a family from the other side, and people sat in
these healing circles and people people would talk to someone
who you know, murdered families and someone whose family members
were murdered, and the whole country went through this process.
And what you're saying, it's painful to listen to trauma,
it's painful to reckon, but the whole country did this.
(26:18):
This peace process together and everything changed. And I think
it's that sort of idea right that we're supposed to
know better by now.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
And I'm very.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
Heartened by people who've said this population, it's not us
or them, it's us, all of us.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
We're here together.
Speaker 1 (26:39):
And I don't know, I know a lot of you know,
important people, powerful people, governments make a lot.
Speaker 2 (26:46):
Of money on war.
Speaker 1 (26:47):
But I'm very inspired by the people who keep standing
up every day and saying not in our name, we
don't want this. And I really, you know, I've I've
been very heartened to see so many people protesting, saying
like enough, this isn't this isn't making anybody safe.
Speaker 2 (27:10):
What are we doing?
Speaker 1 (27:12):
And I, I don't know, I hope, I hope more of
us wind up getting to set the course in the future,
because clearly a lot of the people who've set it
so far have not have not done so with the
kinds of goals for unity that I think.
Speaker 2 (27:28):
We all pray for.
Speaker 1 (27:30):
And you know, I yeah, I just I appreciate, you know,
I appreciate it, and I can't quite imagine how it
must feel to, you know, try to straddle all of
these worlds at the same time.
Speaker 4 (27:49):
For you.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
Yeah, it's chaotic.
Speaker 1 (27:52):
Yeah, I just imagine it's very, very difficult. And you know,
you're one human being who happens to be, you know,
telling his grandmother's story right now, and I know it
becomes about a lot of other things. And I I
also know as artists our job is to sort of
try to hold all of the world, past and present
(28:12):
and figure out how to tell stories. So yeah, I
just I just wanted to make a little bit of
you know, space for you there.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
I oh, thank you.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
I think no matter what you know, the subject matter
of the show of Lucky Ones, I would be asking
about how you cope with the heaviness and the pressure,
and and it's it's I would imagine, bigger now than
you even thought it would be a year ago.
Speaker 3 (28:38):
Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 4 (28:39):
It's it's interwined with the past and the present are
so dominant. They're like they keep fighting who takes the spotlight?
Speaker 3 (28:50):
Was it was.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
It an interesting thing for you because I would imagine,
you know, with your grandmother's history, you've always grown up knowing,
you know, what she survived, what she escaped. Was it
sort of surreal to know that you were going to
step into that world when did you guys film this
like two years ago?
Speaker 4 (29:13):
Maybe like like a year and.
Speaker 2 (29:15):
A half ago, Okay, so in twenty twenty two, yes, yea.
Speaker 4 (29:22):
Was Yeah?
Speaker 1 (29:22):
Was it was it bizarre to have to walk into
that world and into that time period as an artist,
but as an artist who's got such a personal connection.
Speaker 4 (29:35):
Yes, that's such a good question.
Speaker 3 (29:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (29:40):
I it was really a special moment because I really
remember when I got the part that I realized that
I have to dive deep in now into this subject,
which is the most like the heaviest subject of them all.
And growing up, I've heard the Holocaust story from any
(30:05):
like from every angle, Like we are taught about the
Holocaust since first grade. We have like the Memorial Holocaust
Day in Israel, and there's always like a ceremony, and
there's Holocaust films. So I've heard so much about it
growing up. But then after that there's sort of like
(30:26):
a like after you finished with all your mandatory studies,
you stop hearing about it all of a sudden.
Speaker 3 (30:36):
So so then going into.
Speaker 4 (30:40):
This project, it was sort of like, oh wow, I'm
an adult now and I can examine it and experience
it through a whole different lens. I had the like
the actual ability to think about it as an adult,
which was so.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
It was like it was sort of like I sort.
Speaker 4 (31:04):
Of like re learned about it and I realized how
how crazy these eight years were. The Second World War
was something unbelievable. It was very It was so oiled up.
It was like a whole machine.
Speaker 3 (31:25):
That is just.
Speaker 4 (31:28):
It's like, I don't think I still can grasp what
was it like. But watching all the documentaries and rereading
all stuff that I read growing up, but then like again,
like going back into the books, it was unbelievable to me.
Speaker 3 (31:45):
It was.
Speaker 4 (31:47):
Also walking on set it felt like that I don't
understand how these people lived through that time and also
survived like them specifically they survived. I don't know if
I could. I don't know if I would be able
to survive the power of their thoughts and their perseverance
(32:10):
and strength and courage.
Speaker 1 (32:11):
Yeah, and now a word from our wonderful sponsors. It
becomes very difficult, I think, to wrap your head around.
You know, the things we study and we see pictures
of in books, and we read the stats. It's different
(32:33):
when your body begins to feel what happens to people.
You know, I had a very similar experience when I
really started to become an advocate for you know, closing
all of these gender gaps and particularly about gender based violence.
Like when I really began to actually understand in my bones,
(32:57):
not just in my brain, the statistics of what happens.
Speaker 2 (33:00):
To women, I was like, what the fuck you know?
Speaker 1 (33:04):
And what there's there just is something different when it
goes from your brain to your body.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
It's different.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
And I imagine that's part of why it feels so
important to tell stories like this, you know, I know,
it's why it feels important for me to you know,
use my platform, you know, for women and and for
the non binary community. And I, yeah, I wondered, do
(33:33):
you do you think that experience you had of it
traveling from the intellectual to the emotional physical like you know,
brain to body was did that make you sort of
even more sure that this that this is a story
that's important to.
Speaker 2 (33:51):
Tell now.
Speaker 3 (33:54):
Interesting? Yes, of course.
Speaker 4 (33:56):
I I remember walking on set and seeing like extra
dressed up as Nazis and its just like yeah, and
seeing like all these weapons and seeing and hearing like
them screaming things in German and it's just like it.
I was just I choked in that moment, being dressed
(34:20):
in my own outfit, my character's outfit, and then seeing
it was sort of like traveling back in time in
a way. And I mean, we're actors, so we're like,
I'm not like, I don't like I know who I am.
I know that I'm here to work and that I
(34:43):
need to like learn my lines and do the scene.
But then when you suddenly step out of work mode
and you just observe the situation that you're in, it's
it does become a physical like you do. You do
develop like a physical reaction. Of course, I felt nausea
(35:06):
on set seeing those images come to life and we
all cried there. Yeah, several amount of times just watching playbacks. Also,
when you suddenly watch playback and you see yourself in
that situation, it's it's chilling, and that definitely strengthens the
(35:31):
the need to tell more and more stories like that.
Speaker 1 (35:37):
When you think about what you want to do next,
you know there's there is so much importance, but heaviness
obviously in a project like this. Does it make you
just want to go to a comedy like do you
want to go on Dancing.
Speaker 2 (35:50):
With the Stars?
Speaker 3 (35:51):
Like, like what do.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
You do to get something like this out of your body?
What do you what do you want to do next?
Speaker 4 (35:59):
I sure I'll do Dancing with the Stars, but yeah,
I want to do something that yeah light, definitely light,
definitely comedy. Like I don't know, Like I just want
to do stuff with good creators and good people, because
(36:21):
that cannot be changed when you work with like I've
been very fortunate to have like very good set experiences
and have like good directors and good writers, and like
after working with Tommy Kale, who was the director of
We Were the Lucky Ones, It's very hard to go
(36:44):
on to something that would be less meaningful. So I
think it should be a combination of like something that's very.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
Light. It has to be light, but also I need
some like.
Speaker 4 (37:05):
Meaning to it, of course, but also like I just
I don't know what I'm talking about.
Speaker 3 (37:10):
I want to do anything and everything.
Speaker 4 (37:12):
I have so many dreams. I have so many like
so many like things that I want to do and
and be in, and and I don't know, there's I've
got so many goals and dreams and and I just
I don't know what will be next, but I but I'm.
Speaker 3 (37:34):
Excited to find out yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:36):
Yeah, Well that feels exciting when you think about the
year ahead. What feels like you're work in progress?
Speaker 3 (37:43):
Oh wow.
Speaker 4 (37:45):
So I'm now here in La which I'm planning to
stay for a while here, and it's a whole different
a whole different life, yeah than then back in Tel Aviv.
So I think that my work in progress is to
figure out how do people like, how do people like
(38:11):
just live here? I feel like I'm still settling in.
I've been here for three months and I still feel
like it's my first week. I don't know when will
I feel that I belong or that I know that
I've got it all figured out. But I think that
my work in progress is to find my own, like
(38:33):
favorite spots and to find good people to just like.
Speaker 3 (38:38):
Create an island.
Speaker 4 (38:43):
For me to exist in that feels right and that
feels nice and comforting.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
In times of need.
Speaker 2 (38:53):
Yeah, it makes you feel at home.
Speaker 4 (38:55):
Yeah, yeah, I think that That's what I'm mostly working
on now.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
Wonderful. Well, we love it. I'll send you a whole
list of places I love.
Speaker 3 (39:09):
Oh please do I'm in desperate please?
Speaker 2 (39:13):
All right?
Speaker 1 (39:14):
Well, thank you and thank you for your thank you,
you know, for your openness today and yeah, I really
appreciate it
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