In recent years, Dar Zuzovsky has acted alongside some of Hollywood’s most recognizable names and worked with first-tier directors, including Martin Scorsese. But when asked which actor she was most excited to meet on set, she gives an unexpected answer: Danny DeVito.“I met him five years ago while filming ‘The Survivor,’” she says. “The reason I was so excited was that I grew up on ‘Matilda.’ It was the movie that really shaped me. Danny DeVito directed it and also played the heroine’s father. It’s about a little girl who discovers she has magical powers and can move things with her mind.GalleryDar Zuzovsky (Photo: Yaniv Edri)“I was eight when I first saw it at a summer camp movie night. It affected me so deeply that afterward, I sat in front of a tree and tried with all my might to move it using only my thoughts. I sent all my energy toward it, until I suddenly noticed a few kids watching me and laughing. From that moment on, I became the joke of the camp.”Did you ever tell DeVito the story?
“Yes. I don’t remember exactly what he said, but I do remember how kind he was.”Zuzovsky, 35, has moved quite a few trees in her career since then. A decade and a half after breaking out in the Israeli series “The Greenhouse,” she has become an acclaimed actress, moving between Los Angeles, London and Tel Aviv. Despite the complicated climate facing Israeli actors abroad, she continues to land international roles.She recently wrapped filming on a new HBO pilot alongside Joshua Jackson, Ray Romano and Rita Wilson. Before that, she appeared in two seasons of "Martin Scorsese Presents: The Saints", Scorsese’s docudrama series, and in the miniseries “Vanished,” starring Sam Claflin, who became her partner after filming.At the same time, Zuzovsky has continued to build an impressive career in Israel. After winning best performance at the Canneseries International Series Festival in 2023 for her role in “Corduroy,” she is now arriving at the Jerusalem Film Festival with “Peppa the Great,” a short film in which she not only acts, but also serves as producer and co-creator.Zuzovsky moved to Los Angeles about two years ago to pursue the dream that many Israeli actors share: a Hollywood career. Slowly and gradually, she began finding her way into American productions, including the independent film “Papa,” starring Daryl Hannah and Mischa Barton, and later Barry Levinson’s Holocaust drama “The Survivor,” in which she played the love interest of the main character, portrayed by Ben Foster.Many Israeli actors fly to Hollywood with the same dream. Why did it work for you?
