Fauda star Lior Raz down under

Fauda star Lior Raz headlined Magen David Adom (MDA) Australia’s Appeal launch in Melbourne on Wednesday night.

In conversation with journalist Kathryn Eisman, before a crowd of around 900 people, Raz discussed how real-life experiences inspired the hit show Fauda, which he co-created and stars in as the lead character, Doron Kabilio – the commander of an Israeli counter-terrorism unit.

“Fauda is really based on our experience in the army, but it’s a television show, so you have to make it like much more extreme,” Raz said.

Raz was born and raised in Ma’ale Adumim, his parents came to Israel from Iraq and Algeria, and he grew up speaking Arabic and Hebrew.  His father served in Israel’s Shin Bet, while Raz became a commando in the elite undercover counter-terrorism unit Sayeret Duvdevan, and served in the Duvdevan reserve unit for over 20 years.  He said characters from Fauda are inspired by real life, including his teenage relationship with Iris Azulai, who was tragically stabbed to death in a terrorist attack in Jerusalem in 1990.

Raz developed Fauda with journalist Avi Issacharoff following a life-changing conversation in the reserves: “He [Issacharoff] asked me if I have a dream, and I looked at him, and I said yes…  I want to write something about these people [serving in counter-terrorism]… I want to write about the mental price that they are paying for the action, but not just them, it’s also their family, their friends.”