Yuval David is an American actor, filmmaker and activist. As an actor, he has played various roles including that of Matvey Sokolov in the television series Madam Secretary and a regular on What Would You Do?. His filmmaking includes directing and producing, including the creation of man on the street performances. His work has been screened in over 100 film festivals and won more than 80 awards. David also advocates for rights of the LGBT community, the Jewish community, environmental and humanitarian causes.
Early life and education
David's grandparents were survivors of The Holocaust[1] and he was raised in both Israel and Washington D.C.[2] He began performing in theatre, voice overs, film and television at a young age. He went to Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School prior to attending the University of Maryland on an acting scholarship where he studied the arts, film, acting, and journalism. While there he was a member of Kol Sasson, UMD’s premiere Jewish Acappella group.[3]
Career
After college, David moved to New York to pursue acting. He traveled between New York City and Los Angeles and took roles in theatre, television, and film, including off-Broadway plays and independent films.[3] He also played Matvey Sokolov in the television series Madam Secretary and was a series regular on What Would You Do?.[4]
David is the creator of film projects using man on the street encounters.[5] One such series is One Actor Short where he has people he meets on the street act in short films.[1] His work has been screened at more than 100 film festivals and won over 80 awards.[6]
As an activist, David advocates for rights of the LGBT community, including acceptance and inclusion of LGBTQ people within religious communities and the prohibition by the FDA on the use of blood plasma from donors based on sexual orientation.[7] He has also partnered with organizations such as the National LGBTQ Task Force and GLAAD[4] He also advocates on behalf of Jewish, LGBTQ, and human rights organizations in the United States and Israel.[8]
Filmography
Actor
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-2018 | Madam Secretary | Actor | Matvey Sokolov[4] |
| 2011-2018 | What Would You Do? | Actor | Series regular[4] |
| 2014 | The Michael J. Fox Show | Actor | Reoccurring character (David)[9] |
| 2008-2009 | Days of Our Lives | Actor | Reoccurring character (David)[9] |
Filmmaker
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Wonderfully Made | Yes | Yes | Yes |
|
[10] |
| 2019-2020 | One Actor Short | Yes | Yes | Yes |
|
[1] |
| 2018 | Better World with Yuval David | Yes | Yes | Yes |
|
[11] |
| 2017 | What Makes You Beautiful | Yes | Yes | Yes |
|
[11] |
| 2014 | Pranks of Kindness | Yes | Yes | Yes |
|
[11] |
References
- ^ a b c Shahgholi, Hazel (8 December 2020). "Actor and director Yuval David's 'One Actor Short' powered by his 'Brave Space' philosophy". AMNY.
- ^ Malcom, Rudy (29 July 2021). "You Should Know…Yuval David". Washington Jewish Weekly.
- ^ a b "Almuni Spotlight". CESJDS.
- ^ a b c d Andrew, Corey (21 May 2020). "Actor, Director Yuval David Brings Strangers Together In Buzz-Worthy 'One Actor Short'". Instinct.
- ^ Meyers, David (6 May 2021). "A Jewish Artist Finds Hope Amid COVID and a Life in Entertainment". The Algemeiner.
- ^ "Actor Yuval David Doesn't Wait For Opportunities. He Creates Them". Daily Actor.
- ^ Riley, John (24 April 2020). "Andy Cohen, Yuval David call out FDA restrictions on gay and bi male blood and plasma donors". Metro Weekly.
- ^ Cohen, Haley. "Self-described 'queer Zionist' Yuval David takes hits from both the Right and Left". The Jerusalem Post.
- ^ a b Shapiro, Eileen. "Yuval David - The Real Deal". Get Out.
- ^ Shah, Hazel (24 January 2021). "'Wonderfully Made': New documentary tackles troubled relationship between LGBTQ+ believers and Catholic Church". AMNY.
- ^ a b c Cristi, A.A. (22 July 2020). "'Man on the Street' Content Creator Yuval David Uses NYC Streets as Canvas for Uplifting Work". Broadway World.