‘Shtisel’s’ Michael Aloni to Star in ‘The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem’

Michael Aloni is adding another family saga to his repertoire. Now shooting the third season of “Shtisel,” the popular series about a Charedi family in modern Jerusalem, Aloni will next lead the cast in Yes TV’s adaptation of “The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem,” a multi-generational, historical story set against the backdrop of the Ottoman Empire, The British Mandate and Israel’s War of Independence. 

Based on the best-selling novel by Sarit Yishai-Levy, and set in locations in Jerusalem, Safed, Acre and other cities in Israel, the series also stars Hila Saada (“The Baker & The Beauty”), Itzik Cohen (“Fauda”), and introduces Swell Ariel Or who will play the title role of Luna Armoza, the beauty queen of Jerusalem. Yuval Scharf (“McMafia”), Ellie Steen, Moris Cohen, Irit Kaplan, Israel Ogalbo, Tamir Ginsburg, Tom Hagi, Omer Dror, Miki Kam, and Dov Navon round out the cast.

Yes TV has commissioned an initial 2 seasons of the series, which was created by Shlomo Mashiach and Ester Namdar Tamam and written by Mashiach, with Oded Davidoff directing. It’s produced by Dafna Prenner and Shai Eines from Artza Productions.

“After years of watching with envy costume dramas from around the world, we feel lucky to be able to produce a period drama that will bring to the screen the rarely seen sights and sounds of early 20th century Jerusalem,” Prenner said. “From acquiring the rights to Israel’s bestselling book of the last decade and the formation of a brilliant dream-like creative team, this has been a surprising, emotional and inspiring journey — and we can’t wait for what will come next.”

“The Beauty Queen of Jerusalem” will air on Yes TV in Israel in early 2021. No U.S. release plans have been announced.