Romi Aboulafia

Romi Aboulafia (Template:Lang-he, born January 21, 1984) is an Israeli actress, screenwriter and filmmaker.

Early Life

Aboulafia was born in Tel Aviv, Israel. Her mother was a host and editor in Galatz and her father a lawyer. She started acting at the age of 6 and was cast for a lead role in award-winning Israel drama ShabatotVeHagim when she was 15-years-old. Aboulafia joined the IDF Spokesperson's Unit when she was 18-years-old, where she served as an editor.

Career

Acting

As a child, Aboulafia participated in numerous children’s tapes including Arik Einstein’s KmoGdolim. At 15-years-old she was cast for a lead role in Ari Folman’s ShabatotVeHagim, alongside Alon Abutbul, Lior Ashkenazi, and Yael Abecassis. The show ran for five consecutive seasons. In 2002 she starred in Hagai Levi’s mini-series 101. In 2006, she played Orit in Anthony Minghella’s Breaking and Entering alongside Jude Law, Robin Wright and Juliette Binoche. In 2009, she starred in Israeli drama Noah’s Ark alongside Yael Abecassis and her brother-in-law Mark Ivanir.

In 2010, she starred in John Madden’s The Debt alongside Helen Mirren, Jessica Chastain, and Sam Worthing. The film was released by Fox Searchlight Pictures in 2011. That year, she also starred in the Israeli LGBTQ cult indie Joe + Bell by director Veronica Kedar. In 2012, she starred in Nony Geffen’s Not in Tel Aviv, which won the Jury Award at Locarno Film Festival, as well as in Endemol Shine’s strip-club-thriller Allenby. In 2014, she participated in the television series Very Important Man alongside Yehuda Levi, as well as staring in the German film Anderswo alongside her mother-in-law Hana Laszlo. In 2018, she starred in Endemol Shine’s Harem alongside Alon Abutbul.

Filmmaking

After her 2-years of mandatory army service, Aboulafia moved to the UK to study film. She earned a MFA from the London Film School and directed in thesis film 'Eyes, which was shot in Israel. Throughout her acting career she’s been also working as a film editor.

In 2019, she began developing a television series for Endeavour Content with her husband Ben Giladi and Hagai Levi

Modeling

At the age of 18, Aboulafia became the first spokesmodel of Israeli fashion brand - Castro. Aboulafia presented the company for one season before deciding to leave the country to study film. Castro spokesmodels that followed include - Gal Gadot and Bar Refaeli.

Personal Life

Aboulafia married film and television producer Ben Giladi in 2016. The two have a child together and live in London. She’s the daughter-in-law of Israeli actress and comedian Hana Laszlo, sister-in-law of actor Mark Ivanir and the niece of Television executive Orly Adelson.