Makram Khoury


Makram Jamil Khoury is an Israeli-Arab actor, born 30 May 1945 in Jerusalem. He was the youngest artist and the first Arab to win the Israel Prize, the highest civic honor in Israel.

Biography

Makram J. Khoury was born into a Palestinian-Christian family, in the al-Sheikh Jarrah section of Jerusalem to his father, who was a judge, and his mother, a teacher. The Khoury family fled to Lebanon during 1948 Arab-Israeli War. A year later, they returned to what had become the new State of Israel. The family took up residence in the port city of Acre, near Haifa. Educated there and in the nearby village of Kufr Yasif, Khoury finished high school in 1963. He then entered the Hebrew University of Jerusalem but later dropped out and pursued a career as an actor.
His eldest daughter, Clara Khoury, is also an actress in Israel. She appeared in three films that garnered international attention: Rana's Wedding, The Syrian Bride and Lipstikka. His son Jameel Khoury is also an actor, and appeared in Ridley Scott's film Body of Lies.

Acting career

Khoury trained in Israel. In 1970-1973 he studied at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London, England. He later became involved with the Cameri Theater in Tel Aviv and the Haifa Municipal Theater, continuing as a member of the latter for twenty years.
Khoury returned to Haifa following a year-long tour playing Tierno Bokar in Peter Brook's 11 and 12.

Filmography

Film

Awards and recognition