Israeli actress Mali Levi is joining the cast of Dancing With the Stars on Keshet 12, in a new episode airing Wednesday after the news. In an interview with mako alongside her dance partner Danny Yochtman, she spoke about the partnership, the demands of rehearsal, and how her family is handling her long hours away from home.
Levi said the intense rehearsals have changed life at home for her husband, former footballer Shimon Gershon, and their children. “They react in real time, because they really do not see me much,” she said. “A word of praise also goes to Shimon, who holds the whole house together, and it is no longer half-and-half.” She added that her younger son is especially attached to her and told her, after she put him to sleep, that he was “proud” of her. For Levi, the experience also shows her children that she is “following my dreams” instead of giving up on herself for them.
Levi said she had no dance background before the show, though dancing had always been a dream. Yochtman said their connection is unusually strong, calling it a unique bond. Both described the rehearsals as demanding but positive, with some tension and frustration along the way. Levi said she is not worried about the judges because this is a new skill for her, not her main profession, and she wants feedback on how to improve.
The appearance is not Levi’s first reality-TV run, she recently reached the final of The Masked Singer, where she competed against Mia Dagan. Levi also mentioned her son’s recent appearance in a music video with Anna Zak, and said he sees himself mainly as a football player. Yochtman said he is not very active on social media or at industry events, while Levi joked that she will make him more visible. The two also discussed Levi’s role in The Head, where she played Amir Benayun’s mother, and joked that Yochtman’s dancing could eventually help Levi land a musical role.
