Yair "Jonah" Lotan (Hebrew: יאיר לוטן; born July 3, 1973) is an Israeli actor best known for appearing in Hostages, Foyle's War and 24.
Early life and education
Lotan was born Yair Zlotogorsky in Jerusalem, Israel, on July 3, 1973, and grew up in Jerusalem and the U.S. state of New York. His family returned to live in Jerusalem when he was twelve years-old and he attended Hebrew University Secondary School. His father is a psychologist and his mother is a physician.[1] He served for three years in the Israeli Defense Forces during the 1990s.[2] In his early 20s he embarked on a modelling career and appeared as a host of children's shows on Channel 1. He graduated with a degree in cinema from Tel Aviv University. Lotan then moved to London to pursue a master's degree at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.[1]
Career
Lotan starred as Joe Farnetti in Foyle's War, a British drama set around real-life war stories in which characters must wage personal war amid the chaos of an actual war. He stated that his character in Foyle's War reminded him of a friend in the military who had an ability to see humor in any given situation. He voiced the lead role in the 2001 video game Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis, as David Armstrong, a U.S. Army soldier serving in the Cold War. He appeared in the 2001 film Swimming Pool as Chris, played Kenny in the 2004 television series NY-LON, and acted next to Keira Knightley as an intern in 2005 film, The Jacket. Lotan also had a role in the fifth season of 24, as Spenser Wolff, and appeared in four episodes of CSI: NY as Marty Pino, a doctor/serial-killer. Lotan played Jesse in the 2006 film, One Night with the King, and was in the 2006 television film, The Beyond, centering on NASA scientists at a jet propulsion laboratory during a global crisis. Lotan was also in the 2008 HBO historical war drama Generation Kill, as Robert Timothy Bryan, a U.S. Navycorpsman. He was also cast for the lead role in David Milch's HBO pilot Last of the Ninth.[3]
^"Jonah Lotan". Filmbug. Misja. March 17, 2007. Retrieved April 19, 2013. Best known for his role as the cheeky U.S. Army soldier, Private Joe Farnetti, in Anthony Horowitz's British detective series Foyle's War (2002-present), Jonah Lotan was born Yair Lotan in Israel. He grew up in Jerusalem and New York, and now lives in London. The young actor's three-year stint in the Israeli army in the 1990s prepared him for his role in Foyle's War, set around real-life war stories in which characters must wage personal war amid the chaos of an actual war. Lotan says Joe Farnetti reminds him of an army friend who had the ability to see the humor in any situation. The actor's previous credits include the film role of Chris in The Pool (2001), Kenny in the London/New York cross over TV show Ny-Lon in 2004, and starring next to Keira Knightley as an intern in film The Jacket (2005). Jonah joined the cast of the hit TV series 24 for its fifth season as Spenser Wolff, and has occasionally appeared as Dr. Marty Pino in CSI: NY (2004-present). Since returning from India for the filming of One Night with the King (2006), in which he stars as Jesse, Lotan has completed the drama pilot for the, Beyond, a film centering on the scientists at NASA's jet propulsion laboratory during a global crises.
