Earlier in the week we took a look at the growth in the Israeli film industry over recent years as they have produced Oscar nominated movies such as Waltz with Bashir which was a massive critical hit that once again put them on the world stage.
As well as producing movies that have caught the eye of the rest of the world they have also produced some movie stars that have broke out and made a name for themselves.
Ayelet Zurer has worked steadily since 1992 but it's her role in Ron Howard's blockbuster Angels & Demons that looks set to be her breakthrough performance.
After completing her services in the army Zurer set her sights on an acting career by moving to new York to study at the New Actors Workshop School.
In 1991 she moved back to her native Israel and just a year later she kicked off her acting career with television series Inyan Shel Zman (A Matter of Time). And by 1993 she had caught the eye of the Israeli film industry as she landed a role in Nikmato Shel Itzik Finkelstein (The Revenge of Itzik Finkelstein).
A string of roles in her native country, in both television and film, followed which has led to a string of Israeli Film Academy Award nomination and wins.
2005 marked her move into English speaking movies as she landed a role in Steven Spielberg's Munich before moving on to Vantage Point.
But it's her role as Vittoria Vetra in the new Dan Brown adaptation Angels & Demons, which sees Tom Hanks reprise his role as Robert Langdon and Ron Howard back on directorial duties, that will introduce her to a more worldwide audience.
Natalie Portman is one Israel's biggest stars having enjoyed a career that has spanned fifteen years, which may came as a surprise as she is only twenty eight years old.
The Israeli born star made her big screen debut in 1994, at the tender age of thirteen, in Leon alongside Jean Reno.
Since then her star has risen quickly and she has moved between big budget commercial movies such as Star Wars to more indie movies such as Garden State.
It was 2004's Closer, which saw her star alongside Julia Roberts, Clive Owen and Jude Law, that brought her the most success.
For her role as Alice Ayres she was nominated for her very first Oscar in the Best Supporting Actress category as well as winning the Golden Globe.
Despite this success she has continued to mix up her roles taking on more obscure parts in Free Zone and Paris, je t'aime before wandering back to the mainstream with V For Vendetta and The Other Boleyn Girl.
Chaim Topol is one of the biggest actors to hail from Israel who enjoyed a career in both the theatre and screen, as well as breaking out of his home country onto a more global stage.
The mid sixties saw him kick off his career in Sallah Shabati. The film propelled the young actor to fame as it was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars and he went on to win the Golden Globe Award for New Star Of The Year - Actor.
He was catching the eye of people outside of Israel in the early seventies with his performance in Fiddler on the Roof at Her Majesty's Theatre in London.
He went on to reprise the role of Tevye in the big screen version of the movie and he was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Oscar for his performance.
Over the coming years he juggled both theatre work, returning to The Fiddler on the Roof, with movie work appearing in Galileo and For Your Eyes Only.
Mili Avital is another actress who has carved a very successful career for herself and she has become one of the most respected actresses in Israel.
She picked up an Israeli Film Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1992 and following it up with a best Actress nod two years later.
She has moved into American television appearing in Stargate before moving into movies The Human Stain and When Do We Eat?
Other high profile Israeli actors include Shaike Ophir, Yigal Naor, Ofra Haza and Sirak M. Sabahat.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Tagged in Natalie Portman