Ayulet Zurer talks about starring in ‘House of David’ on Amazon Prime Video

Ayulet Zurer in ‘House of David.’ Photo Credit: Nikos Nikolopoulos, Prime Video

TV and film actress Ayulet Zurer chatted about starring in “House of David” on Amazon Prime Video, where she plays Queen Ahinoam.

She is also known for portraying Vanessa Marianna-Fisk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe television series “Daredevil,” and its revival series “Daredevil: Born Again.”

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt once said: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” This quote applies to Ayulet Zurer.

Synopsis of ‘House of David’

“House of David” tells the story of the ascent of the biblical figure, David (Michael Iskander), who eventually becomes the most renowned and celebrated king of Israel. The series follows the once-mighty King Saul as he falls victim to his own pride.

At the direction of God, the prophet Samuel anoints an unlikely, outcast teenager as the new king.

As Saul loses his power over his kingdom, David finds himself on a journey to discover and fulfill his destiny, navigating love, loss, and violence in the court of the very man he’s destined to replace. As one leader falls, another must rise.

“I love the show. I am very interested in the themes of the show, and I like the people that I work with, and I liked where we worked on it. I love filming in Greece.”

Zurer on playing Queen Ahinoam

Zurer portrays Queen Ahinoam in “House of David,” and she was drawn to her character for several reasons.

“I like how my character is fierce, and I love the fact that she would do anything to protect her family,” she said. “I like the journey that she is going on, especially to protect the people, the nation, the country, and the family.”

“On a personal level, she goes through a question of faith… feeling abandoned and she does everything she can to gain protective power. She is just a very interesting and intriguing character,” she elaborated.

Zurer on the original song ‘Lead Me To The Water’

Zurer also praised the song “Lead Me To The Water,” which was written and composed by Jonas Myrin, and performed by Michael Iskander and Gabby Barrett for being “a beautiful song.”  

“Michael is a phenomenal singer. I love how he sings,” she exclaimed. “The first time we heard him sing, we were all moved to tears.”

The musical soundtrack of “House of David,” which features “Lead Me To The Water,” is available on digital service providers by clicking here.

Working with Michael Iskander as David

On working with Michael Iskander in the title role of David, she said, “For Michael to play David is quite a big task because he has to film every day, so that’s a lot of work, and a lot of other things come into that.”

“Learning the lines, the singing, learning Hebrew, and also the fighting scenes. There is so much work for him beyond just the filming. Michael is so great,” Zurer added.

Lessons learned from this script and role

On the lessons learned from this script and role, she said, “When I was looking deeper into this character’s journey, beyond the story, I noticed that there is a sense of trust that we are all going through in life, and we go through heavy-duty things, especially when things don’t go our way.”

“For me, the very deeper part of the storytelling aspect of her — playing a queen — was really the essence of what I was trying to get into, so I was taking a very good look into that… how much I resent change or try to control the future,” she elaborated.

The digital age

On being a part of the digital age, Zurer said, “It’s crazy! When I started working on this show, I didn’t know what to expect or how the audience would relate to it because it’s a Biblical story, and a historical story.”

“I didn’t know if we would be successful in making these people realistic and human. I am thrilled that it has been well received, and that it has been very successful,” she noted.

“Amazon has provided a huge platform for people to watch the show,” she added.

‘Munich’

Zurer recalled her time in the Academy Award-nominated movie “Munich,” where she played Daphna, the wife of Eric Bana’s character.

“It was such a good movie,” she admitted. “I was very lucky to be in that movie and play Daphna.”

“Working with Eric Bana was great; he is such a talented actor… he is very giving, smart, and very funny,” she said.

“Getting to work with Steven Spielberg was one of the highlights of my career. Also, it opened the door for me to work internationally, so that was great,” she added.

Career-defining moment: ‘Munich’

Zurer described “Munich” as a career-defining moment because it allowed her to move from a career in Israel into an international career.

“Then, I moved to the United States, and I became a citizen, and that launched a different lifestyle entirely,” she said.

Advice for young and emerging actors

For young and aspiring actors, she said, “To experience life; the more the merrier.”

“The experiences that the actors have in life are what the actors are portraying, and that’s why we want to watch them. The more rich of a life they live, then that will translate better on the screen,” she elaborated.

“Also, never give up because all it takes is one role to launch your career,” she said.

Stage of her life

On the title of the current chapter of her life, Zurer said, “And Now We Begin…”

Superpower of choice

Her superpower of choice would be “love.” “Self-love and other forms of love,” she said.

Success

Regarding her definition of the word success, Zurer said, “Success is freedom to chose what I do and how I do it. Success is also living in joy. Also, it’s definitely peace of mind.”

Message for fans about ‘House of David’

For her fans and followers, Zurer remarked about “House of David,” “I want the fans to connect to all the characters, and to see themselves in them.”

“I hope they are able to relate to the story and take away that they should trust in their own power, and that people should believe in themselves,” she concluded.

To learn more about Ayulet Zurer, follow her on Instagram.