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Sunday, May 3, 2020

'Unorthodox Star' Shira Haas sings Hallelujah in previously unseen audition video


Unorthodox star Shira Haas shared her previously unseen audition video on Instagram on Wednesday as she took on the role of Esty Shapiro for the first time. 
Singing Leonard Cohen song, Hallelujah, it was clear to see why the 24-yeara-old was picked for the role for the Netflix four-parter. 
Unorthodox tells the story of a 19-year-old ultra-Orthodox Jewish woman who flees her arranged marriage and religious community in Williamsburg to start a new life in Berlin. 
'Thank you, everyone, for all the love. Hallelujah.'
And in fact, her onscreen estranged husband Amit Rahav, who plays Yanky Shapiro, wrote in the comments: 'I can listen to this forever.' 
Esty famously sings Mi Bon Siach in a particularly poignant scene in the series.
Shira previously recalled her shock and nerves at having to shave her head for the drama series. 
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Reflecting on the role, Shira - who was born in Tel Aviv to a Jewish family told British Vogue that she didn't know about many of the practises in this community, including shaving your head after marriage. 
Recalling having to be filmed having her hair shaved, Shira confessed she was shocked to learn it would be one of the first scenes she shot. 
She recalled: 'That was the final scene on the first day of shooting. When Maria [Schrader, the director] told me it was going to happen right at the beginning, I was so shocked. 
'But, it was great because it really got me into character. Of course, your head can only be shaved once so I knew it would be one take and I had to get it right. 
'I was nervous, but I was willing to do it in order to tell this story.'
Shira spent months researching the Ultra-Orthodox community, explaining to Vogue, 'every Jewish community is different and you really can’t generalise.'
The actress revealed she travelled to Berlin two months before filming began in order to learn Yiddish, which she revealed is 'very different' to her native Hebrew.
Shira also had to take piano and singing lessons in preparation for the role, and several consultations with the show's religious consultant, revealing that the cast rehearsed for two full days before filming the wedding scene to ensure it looked authentic.  
The show then sees her flee to start a new life in Berlin, away from her arranged marriage to Yanky [Amit Rahav], who tries to track her down and win her back.
He enlists the help of his rule-breaking and sinister cousin, Moishe Lefkovitch, played by Jeff Wilbusch.
The series is loosely based on a true-story memoir Unorthodox: The Scandalous Rejection Of My Hasidic Roots by Deborah Feldman.

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