Gila Almagor Reflects on Lifelong Career, Personal Triumphs, and Israeli Society
Veteran Israeli actress Gila Almagor-Agmon, 87, reflects on her extensive career in film and theater, her personal life, and her views on current Israeli society in a wide-ranging interview. Almagor-Agmon, known for her roles and for establishing the "Agmon" foundation to help sick children, discusses her enduring love for acting, her early struggles for recognition, and the profound impact of cinema on her life.
She recounts her childhood, marked by the assassination of her father, and her early career beginnings in Tel Aviv, including her first acting role in a Habima Theater production and her subsequent success in commercials and films. Almagor-Agmon highlights her collaborations with prominent Israeli and international directors like Menahem Golan, Steven Spielberg, and Assi Dayan, sharing anecdotes about their creative processes and her experiences on set. She emphasizes her deep connection with the camera, stating, "The camera loved me from the first moment, and I loved it. It's my best friend."
Almagor-Agmon also touches upon her personal life, including her marriages and her relationship with her adopted daughter, and her views on aging and beauty. She expresses her dismay over the current political climate in Israel, noting that international friends have distanced themselves from her due to her nationality. She voices strong support for Gadi Eisenkot in the upcoming elections and condemns the government's actions regarding the film "Beyond the Halachah," calling for democracy and freedom of expression.
The interview also features Almagor-Agmon's reflections on her contemporaries and younger actors, her philanthropic work, and her personal philosophy of finding joy and purpose in her work. She concludes by emphasizing the importance of pursuing one's passions and the resilience required to navigate life's challenges, stating, "The only secret is the right to wake up in the morning and go do something I love."
