Ania Bukstein
אניה בוקשטיין
Born	(1982-06-07)7 June 1982 (age 43) Moscow,Russian SFSR,Soviet Union
Occupations	Actress singer pianist
Years active	1994–present

Ania Bukstein (Hebrew:אניה בוקשטיין;Russian: Аня Букштейн,Anya Bukshteyn; born 7 June 1982) is an Israeli actress, singer and pianist, performing in Hebrew, Russian, French, and English.

Bukstein was born inMoscow,USSR, in 1982, to a family ofRussian-Jewish descent.^[1] Her parents are both doctors; her mother is aspeech-language pathologist, and her father is aneuro-oncologist. Growing up in Moscow, she studiedclassical piano as a child starting at the age of 5, which she says she studied with a strict discipline common amongst children in theSoviet Union.^[2] She and her parentsrepatriated toIsrael in the early 1990s when she was 7 years old, while her grandparents still live in Moscow. She began her acting career at age 12. However, in Israel she gave up her dream of becoming a professional concert pianist.^[3] As a teenager, she attended Thelma Yellin Arts High School inGivatayim, Israel.

After her high school graduation, she served as a soldier in theIsraeli Air Force Band for two years. After studying French, she then received a scholarship to study in Paris.

A classically trained pianist, Bukstein performed many songs on piano for the musicaltelenovela seriesHaShir Shelanu. In 2013 released Bukshtein an album of songs she has written, Sunday, featuring eight songs written and composed by her. The album was produced by Johnny Goldstein, who also co-wrote the song "One Day" from it. The singles featured in the album are "One Day", "No One" and "Seven Minutes".

In June 2017, in collaboration with DJ Ofer Nissim, she released another single, "Boy or Man". She also performs classic Israeli songs, in state and memorial ceremonies, including presenting the official Israel Independence Day broadcast. In addition, she performs with theIsrael Philharmonic Orchestra.^[4]

In 1994, when she was twelve, Bukstein got her first cinematic role and worked alongsideEtti Ankri andShuli Rand and portrayed Anna, the main character in the filmEretz Hadasha (A New Country), a film about a young Holocaust survivor and her difficulties after she moved to Israel in 1950 with her older brother. For her performance on the film she was nominated for anOphir Award for best actress, she was the youngest actress to be nominated in this category.

In 2003, she appeared inDover Kosashvili'sMatana MiShamayim. In 2005, she co-starred in theShmuel Hasfari directed filmShoshelet Schwartz, for her performance, she was once again nominated for an Ophir Award for best actress. Later that year, she portrayed Anastasia during the first season of the children's television seriesRosh Gadol. In 2006, she portrayed Tamara weiss in the third and fourth season of the musical drama seriesHaShir Shelanu. In 2007, she starred inAvi Nesher's critically acclaimed filmThe Secrets as Neomi Hess, a curiousHaredi teenager who discovers her attraction to another girl at a religious school. On 6 September 2007, in the Israeli 'People of the Year Ceremony', she won the 'Woman of The Year in Cinema' award for her performance inThe Secrets. That same year, she portrayed Irena Kovlova in the crime drama seriesThe Arbitrator onHot 3 channel.

In 2008, she appeared on Israeli comedy television seriesKapiot (Spoons) onChannel 2. In 2010, she portrayed Adi inKalevet (Rabies), and later appeared on sitcomNaor's Friends. In 2014, she portrayed Silvy in the comedy seriesAmamiot. Later that year, she co-starred inFalse Flag and portrayed Asia Brinditch, an Israeli kindergarten teacher who is implicated together with 4 other Israeli citizens in a high-profile kidnapping that is covered by the media all over the world.

In 2016, she portrayed the mysterious priestess Kinvara in thesixth season of theHBO seriesGame of Thrones. In November Bukstein won Wolf for the Best Actress award inPÖFF Festival for her role inA Quiet Heart who also won the award for the Best Film.^[5]In 2017, Bukstein appeared in the American TV seriesGenius, portraying the Russian spy Margarita Konenkova, with whomAlbert Einstein had an affair after the death of his second wife.^[6]

In 1998, she appeared in a children's playTzav Tzav HaMelech (King Turtle Turtle, based upon Leah Goldberg's translation toDr. Seuss'Yertle the Turtle). In 2002, she starred inLeah Goldberg written playBaalat HaArmon (The Palace Owner). In 2005, she played in the drama playMilhama (War) atHabima Theatre, for her performance in the play she won theIsraeli Theater Award for 'Most Promising Actress of The Year'. In theHanukkah holiday of 2007, she played in the musicalNarnia atTel Aviv Performing Arts Center. In 2008, she played in the musicalOliver! at theBeit Lessin Theater. In 2010, she portrayed Hayyah inJoshua Sobol's playGhetto at theCameri Theater. She starred asMaria von Trapp in the 2013 Israeli version of the musicalThe Sound of Music at Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center. Before the pandemic of COVID-19 Bukstein starred as Elle Woods in the Israeli production ofLegally Blonde.

In 1994, she voiced Marie in the Hebrew version of the 1970 filmThe Aristocats. She also narrated and sang the intro song ofDick Bruna's Miffy Storybook Classics: The Original Series which aired that year inChannel 2 (Reshet). In 2002, she voiced Jane in the Hebrew version ofReturn to Never Land. From 2003 to 2006 she voiced Clover inTotally Spies! onDisney Channel Israel. From 2004 to 2007 She voicedDaphne Blake in theScooby-Doo franchise. She voiced Susan Pevensie in the Hebrew version ofThe Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in 2005 and Princess Selenia in the Hebrew version ofArthur and the Invisibles (2006).

Bukstein reportedly dated herHaShir Shelanu co-star, Israeli actorRan Danker.^[7]

She married Israeli real estate developer Dotan Weiner (cousin ofGalit Gutman) in 2013. In 2018, they had their first daughter.

She speaks Russian, Hebrew, French, Italian and English.

Wikimedia Commons has media related toAnia Bukstein.

• Ania Bukstein atIMDb
• profile on 'edb.co.il'(in Hebrew)

• 1982 births
• Living people
• Israeli child actresses
• Israeli film actresses
• 20th-century Israeli Jews
• 21st-century Israeli Jews
• Israeli military musicians
• Israeli people of Russian-Jewish descent
• Israeli television actresses
• Israeli voice actresses
• Jewish Israeli actresses
• Russian emigrants to Israel
• 20th-century Russian Jews
• 21st-century Russian Jews
• 21st-century Russian actresses
• 20th-century Israeli actresses
• 21st-century Israeli actresses
• Thelma Yellin High School of Arts alumni

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