Quick Facts
Gemini
Biography
Norman Issa (Arabic: نورمان عيسى, Hebrew: נורמן עיסא; born 17 June 1967) is an Arab-Israeli actor, active in cinema, theatre and television. His parents, who are Maronite Christians, are from the village of Kafr Bir'im.
Career
He studied at Beit Zvi and has acted in many plays by William Shakespeare at the Haifa Theatre and Cameri Theatre. He worked at The Arab-Hebrew Theater together with fellow Israeli-Arab actor Yousef Sweid.
He started to become famous as the main protagonist of the Israeli sitcom Arab Labor, created by Israeli-Arab journalist Sayed Kashua.
Personal life
He is married to Jewish-Israeli playwright Gidona Raz, and has three sons. The couple jointly founded the Elmina Theater in Jaffa. They reside in Jaffa.
Controversies
In 2015, Issa refused to perform in a settlement in the Jordan Valley, causing the Minister of Culture Miri Regev to threaten to shut down the Elmina Theater.
Awards
At the 2016 Haifa International Film Festival, Norman Issa and Moshe Ivgy were awarded the prize for Best Actor in a Feature Film, for The 90 Minute War.