Lior Raz

Lior Raz is an Israeli actor and screenwriter renowned for creating and playing the lead role in the political thriller "Fauda." Born to Iraqi and Algerian immigrants, he was raised in Jerusalem and served in an IDF anti-terrorist unit as part of special ops. Following his military service, Raz moved to the U.S where he worked as a bodyguard.

Upon returning to Israel, he held the position of creative director at BBDO, one of Israel's prominent advertising agencies. He later founded "Kookooruza," a top production company for TV commercials in Israel. In 2003, Raz shifted his focus to acting, performing in various roles at the Gesher Theater and Ruth Kaner company, as well as in multiple Israeli TV series and films.

In 2014, alongside Avi Issacharoff, he co-created "Fauda," a series critically lauded for its portrayal of an undercover counter-terrorism Mista'arvim unit, in which Raz stars as the unit commander, Doron Kavillio. The series received widespread acclaim, winning Best Drama Series at the Israeli Academy Awards in 2016. It also earned the title of best international show in 2017 from The New York Times and garnered 11 Israeli TV Academy Awards in 2018 for categories including best TV drama, best actor for Raz, and best screenplay.

Raz's film career includes a prominent role in "Operation Finale," an MGM thriller where he portrays Isser Harel, the director of Israel's Mossad. He acted alongside notable figures such as Sir Ben Kingsley, Mélanie Laurent, and Oscar Isaac. Raz also starred in the Netflix film "6 Underground," directed by Michael Bay, featuring Ryan Reynolds.