The corona hit without Byrne financially and he moved to a seat with his partner Eliana Tidhar • Now he stars in "Lock Hour", is waiting for the wedding and feels due to fatherhood
The new life in the shadow of the corona, and the tense general atmosphere, fail to affect Lee Byrne's mood.
vice versa.
For him the epidemic is generally an opportunity to advance the journey of personal development.
"Being a better partner, eating better, leading a healthier lifestyle, being a better grandchild - and getting better at everything I can," he details.
What it means?
"Eliana and I left Tel Aviv in early July and moved to Moshav. We waited two years for the right moment to make the move. Our house in Moshav is very simple, like in a 'small house in the Arava'. We planted a vegetable garden and adopted a dog, Ringo. Eliana never lived out of town. But I knew she would fly for it.There were also concerns, but we said that in the worst case we would return to the city.
"For me, this is the first time I feel at home. What makes me happy is being alone with Eliana. We are not partygoers. Although we loved restaurants, but now we have learned to be better at cooking as well."
The corona did not hurt you financially?
"Yes, of course it hurt, but I put everything in proportion. Even if I was hurt, we were hurt, with a lot of money, as long as we have something to eat - everything is fine. On the other hand, I see in this period citizens who have become better to each other, "And it's amazing. We're lacking in mutual evil, and suddenly the good deeds are floating around."
And also the demonstrations, disagreements, quarrels and violence.
"True, there are many opinions, and there is politics, but first of all we are the people of Israel. In my view, we should talk about what brings us closer, not what separates us. If we want to find closeness - we find. I always say that when you throw a stone into the water, there is a small wave "From which comes a bigger wave, and even bigger - and so on. Each of us has to throw his stone."
Not a little naive?
"Maybe that's exactly what we are missing, naivety. Shalom Hanoch sings the darkest before dawn. We are in a difficult time, but I truly believe that being optimistic brings more joy, and it does not cost money. I have not lost hope. I love this country, and no "What is happening here does not make me lose faith in her."
There are quite a few artists who express their opinions and snatch.
Where are you in the story?
"The terms 'right' and 'left' are meant to divide and give power to people who hold certain reins to lead here or there. That's why I do not engage in politics. Nor did I go out to demonstrate. I do good where I can, and I concentrate on that. The only pain I do not pass. "To see families who do not know if they will have food for the children tomorrow. It is not perceived in my eyes."
***
Biran was born 31 years ago in Kfar Saba to Eran (55), a strategic consultant, and to Orly (54), who works in a pasta factory.
His parents divorced eight years ago.
"I did not deal with my personal difficulty because I felt the family needed me strongly, and I did not have time to congregate within myself and start crying," he shares.
"The reality was they wanted to break up, contrary to what I wanted, but I supported."
Pain?
"I admit I did not see it coming, but even if I shout very loudly and try to change, the bottom line is that these people are not good together and they want to break up. Just have to accept reality. It was a sad day, and it's still sad. Most of my life we were on Seder night On Passover with everyone - and suddenly only one side. "
Has it affected your perceptions about marriage and relationships?
"After it happened, I told my parents that their divorce would not make me lose faith that I would find someone I would live with for the rest of my life. It was important to me that they know this, and it seemed to me theirs was important to hear that."
Byrne kept his promise, and whoever was a good friend and colleague became the great love of his life - the successful actress and singer Eliana Tidhar (28).
They have been together for four years.
Inseparable, not even for a few days.
Three years separate them, their careers are similar, and sometimes they even look physically similar.
Over the years they worked together, until on Yom Kippur four years ago it hit him: Eliana is the woman of his life.
"I was sitting in the synagogue in Kfar Saba, I went through a cleaning without any distractions. I felt a little in a hurry and I began to imagine that I was arranging my life like arranging my room. I fold these clothes and put them in the closet? I mean the things I have to do. Refers to the things I feel I need to fix.
"At one point in my imagination I look under the bed, and I see a diamond. I take the diamond out, remove the dirt from it, and it shines and makes light all over the room. It was Eliana. At that moment I understood. I said to myself, I love this person. Suddenly it happened. There's a person here who's everything I'm looking for, and far beyond.
"It was mystical and spiritual. When you come to an understanding, it affects the world, and then Eliana also came to an understanding. Something changed there. With the help of the name, she is my future wife. I met her when I was 21, at 27 we became a couple, and at 30 I offered her to marry me. We probably had to go through everything to get to this point.
"Things have their time and reason, even if you do not understand them at that moment. My previous relationships taught me to be responsible and better, and I owe a lot to the women who were with me in life, because thanks to them I am a better person. I'm glad it goes to Eliana. For the same reason I also love her previous spouses, because they prepared her for this stage. "
In the last eight months, they have been engaged twice - when they proposed marriage to each other.
Byrne was the first to kneel at dinner, and she later returned it with a romantic proposal on her part - which also included a ring.
"Look (shows the ring she brought him and the letters P and B are stamped on it). P is my nickname, Pantil, and B is Bentil, her nickname. I really liked her proposal and I was obviously surprised. We are a very egalitarian house, and I loved that gesture. .
"She told me she kept the ring a secret for three days, and it was hard for her to hide from me. It came from her heart, and it moved me. The world is used to having a man's gesture to a woman, but the woman also has to say 'I want to marry you, will you agree to be my husband? ? '
And not just 'I do' ".
Why did you decide you wanted to marry her?
"Eliana and I have known each other for a long time. I said to myself, you are 30 years old, and every morning when you get up you look at her and smile, so what are you waiting for? There is no doubt about our relationship and our best friends, so why not get married?"
Are you planning a big wedding?
"No, we are pretty private and modest people. We only want our immediate families and close friends, and that's enough.
"Now, with all the corona, we are in a state of 'what do we do?'
At the moment it is forbidden to hold wedding ceremonies, but as soon as it is allowed, for me, we will get married within a week, in a limited event. I told her, 'Let's do it.' I just want to be married to her. I want to make our covenant with her and God, and I Think about it all the time. "
I always seem like a very couple type.
"From the age of 13 I kept looking for one. When all my friends were busy conquering, I said I wanted only one. To find her, marry her and have children with her, because that's what would make me happy."
At first you really did not want your relationship to be publicized.
Why?
"Sometimes, at the beginning of something, you want it to be just yours. There's something unnatural about everyone knowing what's going on with you, unless you choose. A person chooses, say, to come out of the closet, and it will be less pleasant for them to take it out. In our case, let "I have to say, 'I love her.'" Before people got involved in my relationship, I wanted to get involved. "
***
Biran has been in the spotlight for 12 years.
At the age of 18 he stole the focus in the sixth season of "A Star Is Born" when he performed "Sivan" in an acoustic version, and has since become one of the busiest stars the show has produced for the world of entertainment.
His resume is replete with series ("Children of the Prime Minister", "O Boy", "Head Injuries"), shows, five festivals, an album ("Pockets"), a mini-album ("Playing the game") and successful singles ("Happy", "Give me a sign").
These days he is coming to a professional boiling point in the plot series in question, "Lock Hour" of Here 11 (Mondays, 9:15 p.m.), which deals with the Yom Kippur War in the Golan Heights sector.
There he plays Yoni, a novice and gentle paratrooper who got into a war - Manny's son, played by Lior Ashkenazi.
"We filmed four months on a level. There's a lot of life and death in the plot, and it makes you think a lot about your life, what you would do if it was your last minute, what you would like to change. In general, we went into the concept of war with all our might. Authentic, without mercy, because in war there is no mercy, and you see the souls of young people shattering.The tears you will see in my eyes are real tears.
"This is a heavy and difficult series, but it is part of our identity as Israelis. We are talking here about one of the deepest wounds in the country's history. Meet us with soldiers who fought there and with someone who was in captivity for eight months, and you understand that you have to tell their story and give your million percent ".
Did the scenes accompany you even after the filming?
"Yeah. I came home after a hard day of photography, and when I came in Eliana was in shock because I couldn't completely take off my makeup and blood. When I got out of the shower, my whole back was full of blue marks. Eliana said to me 'wow, you'll all be bruised.' "I realized. We were in such an adrenaline rush that I did not notice the injuries. This is the most serious job I have done, with the greatest weight."
It was recently reported that the series was sold to the
HBO
streaming service
.
"When I heard the news, I was moved to a level that was hard to contain. I told myself that a lot of people in the world would see this thing. In that breath I had an inner voice that told me that with all due respect, it's still an Israeli story, about an Israeli war in which Israeli fighters lost their lives. "HBO excited me, but not like knowing our people would see it."
In "lock time" your relationship with your father is not good.
In reality it is just the opposite.
"In the series, my father, Lior Ashkenazi, goes through a journey on his own and learns what it means to be a father. In reality, my father is my best friend. And in general, my parents always gave me back to do what I want. The worst thing is that it will not turn out well. I also came to this 'audition hour' audition with this approach.
"A few years ago I got a role in a project that my colleagues fought hard to get accepted into. In the end I gave up because it felt wrong to me. Everyone thought I was crazy, but I felt in my heart that the role should not be mine. Happily, something else came that I felt suited me better."
To what extent is money a consideration in your choice?
"I was educated that money is not a derogatory word. I have no problem talking about money or dealing with it. Money is not an end, but a means. There can be economic consideration in my choices, but the crucial thing is whether I have fun or not, whether I learn or not, "And whether it would challenge me or not. If they offered me a festival and I suffered in the process - I would not do it. The blessing in our lives is in the good things."
What do you still regret?
"I have no regrets. Regret about something is a wrong channel of your energy. If you look back, it's to learn. I have no regrets about things that have already been done. If they have succeeded or failed - I have learned from them."
I will ask another: When did you apologize to someone?
"Last Yom Kippur I called a friend I had not spoken to for two years and apologized to him. It was someone close to me, and we were both hurt by each other. My trust in him was hurt and I took a step back. But in the meantime I came to the conclusion that I love him, and that we need peace. We have to close everything, without making an account, and today we are friends again.
"When I'm in a relationship with someone, my heart is open to the end. I just have to get a sense that I can trust him, that he will not lie to me or hurt me. People tell me I'm really calm and don't let things upset me. If I feel something negative, I stop and not "Let him lead me. At the age of 17, I realized that things in life come from choice, and the injury from that friend was also my choice."
When did you break down?
"You ask when I cry? I cry happy. Pure, clean and true happiness cracks my heart to shards of light. Two weeks ago I wrote a happy song, and when I heard it at home, I just danced and cried happy. I said thank you to the Creator of the world who brought me this song."
I notice that you use the terms of "getting stronger".
"I am a very believing and profound person. I put on tefillin from the age of 17, I keep a tradition. I separate religion from faith. I believe that there is a God, that there is a higher power and that our prayers and deeds have reactions. This is how I live my life."
What was the biggest crisis you went through?
"Farewell to a partner in 2015, after three and a half years together. I felt it did not go to the place of 'together for life'. I remember the night of the farewell, and she was the one who comforted me. I told her that in a sense she was my first wife. Today we Really good friends. "
***
Byrne was recently photographed for a new yes series called "Animal," which deals with the infant trade.
He plays Shlomi, a new police officer in a unit investigating the difficult phenomenon.
Even there, as in "Lock Hour", his character - of course - conveys innocence against the background of her harsh environment.
"If the devil had messengers, trafficking in babies is what they would do. Maybe even the devil himself," he is furious.
"It's hard for me to even think about it. You see in the series how hard it really is for me to digest. You do not believe there is such evil in the world, but it exists - and it knocks you out of the box."
It seems that in recent years you are more into acting and less into music.
"Music and acting are two loves. As a child I used to sing in the shower and play in front of the mirror. While working on music, the doors opened in acting. Music is not going anywhere. If I do not release a song or album now, I will release in two years. And do not forget I wrote the music For the series I played in. "
In the coming years we will get more music from you?
"Yes, unequivocally. I missed it. In the first closure I wrote enough songs for a mini-album, and then I wrote another - and there is already almost an entire album. Today I can say for myself that I am a professional. I do things like a professional, but it took me a while to realize that it The profession.
"When I started making music, at 16, it was not to make a career. When I was asked over the years 'Are you a musician?', I would answer 'No, I make music.' 'Are you an actor?', 'No, I play.' But with Over the years, I have acquired additional tools and honestly earned the right to call myself a professional. "
***
Byrne is now adding another degree to his resume - filmmaker.
Recently, the filming of a romantic comedy he created and produced with his father and Eliana ended, with him and Tidhar, of course, starring in it.
According to Biran, the film, which was directed by Yaron Arazi based on a screenplay by Roni Yador, is in advanced stages of editing, and will be released "when the situation becomes clear."
He refuses to reveal what the plot is about and what official name was chosen for the film.
"Eliana and I were in Thailand three years ago, on the beach, and we thought of the idea of making a movie together. We really like to do things for the whole family. We wanted to make a movie that would speak on several levels and not deprive parents or children. On the way back to Israel, by plane, I wrote the summary "For the script, while Eliana is asleep. She always falls asleep on flights and I stay awake. From there it started."
The plot is based on your life?
"There are all kinds of things we've seen over the years in our careers, and also things that happen in the industry in the country, but it's not personally based on us. By the way, I wrote the music for the film, but I don't sing any song in it."
How did you manage to photograph during the Corona period?
"We made sure to keep all the instructions, and luckily, we were able to shoot. The shooting was postponed once, at the entrance to the first closure. As soon as we could and started filming - we did not stop. It was a miracle. One day we filmed a scene with no less than 50 extras. ".
So from now on we will also call you a filmmaker?
"I see myself as an entrepreneur. I'm a musician, an actor and an entrepreneur - and this's not the first time I'm an entrepreneur. I have previously initiated the 'My Brother Spirit' network series and the show with Eliana's 'Sixteen Sheep' songs.
"I have a lot of role models, but I grew up on Steven Spielberg's films. I like to see how he manages to convey very deep messages to a wide audience. His range is amazing: he is able to make a film about an alien and also the 'Schindler's List."
With a hand on heart, Eliana and you do not want to separate some forces at work?
"We love being together. Our secret, beyond infinite love, is that we have very good communication. We do not fall into places of quarrels.
"We also have an agreement that before going to bed we do not talk about work. If there is a day we were too much around work, we will make sure that in the coming days we take off. We also had a joint scene at the new Festigal, which is coming up online these days. We have to play together. "
Sorry about the Polishness, but are you ready for fatherhood?
"Yes, I know it's part of my journey to happiness. When you meet the right woman, you already want to be a father. Maybe we will have twins too, because my mother is a twin. Inshallah in our next interview I will already be a father. And maybe there will be more than one child. ".
erans@israelhayom.co.il
