Danny A. Abeckaser (Hebrew: דני א. אביכזר) is an Israeli-born American actor, director and filmmaker.[1][2][3][4]

Danny A. Abeckaser

Early life

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Abeckaser was born in Israel, the sixth of seven children of Moroccan Jewish parents who immigrated to the U.S. in 1980.[5] He grew up in Brooklyn.[6]

Career

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Nightclub career

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Abeckaser worked in the nightclub industry in New York as a promoter. Well connected in the industry, he brought models to clubs, planned parties & events, and took care of the celebrity clientele. He helped to open up clubs like Avenue and Marquee.[7] The 2015 movie Club Life, in which he co-starred, created, and co-wrote was based on these experiences.[8][9]

Film career

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As an actor

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Abeckaser had a small part in the Vince Vaughn comedy Made in 2001, which led to receiving other small parts in movies such as Alpha Dog, You Don't Mess with the Zohan, and the TV show Entourage.[10][11] He then played the part of Dino Lapron opposite Michael Shannon and Winona Ryder in the Ariel Vromen film The Iceman (2012) and had a very small role in the Martin Scorsese film The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).[6] Abeckaser shared a scene with Robert De Niro as Louie the Deadbeat in the Scorsese film The Irishman (2019).[12][13][14]

Abeckaser had his first starring role in A Stand Up Guy (2016).[15] Abeckaser also appeared in Mob Town, Lansky, I Love Us, Inside Man, and The Engineer.[16] He is represented by APA and LBI Entertainment.[17][18]

As a director

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He made his directorial debut with First We Take Brooklyn (2018), which he co-starred with Harvey Keitel.[15] He has directed other movies such as I Love Us, Blackjack: The Jackie Ryan Story, Mob Town, Inside Man, and The Engineer.[19]

In 2024, Bardejov was released, a film that Abeckaser both directed and starred in.[20]

As a producer

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In 2013, Abeckaser created the production company 2B Films banner to produce his movies.[21][22] Abeckaser's first movie as a producer was Holy Rollers (2010), which he also starred alongside Jesse Eisenberg.[5] Since then, he produced other movies such as The Last Shaman, Davi's Way, as well as the movies he’s directed.[23]

Personal life

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Abeckaser married Instagram model May Almakaies in May 2022 in Israel. Leonardo DiCaprio was one of the wedding guests.[24] Abeckaser is involved with the charities Rhonda's Kiss, where he is a committee chair, United Hatzalah Emergency Relief Fund,[25] and Together1Heart.[26]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
2001 Made Club Promoter Uncredited
2004 Point&Shoot Danny A
2006 Alpha Dog Latino Youth #1
2006 Homie Spumoni Rosa's Maitre d
2006 El Cantante Studio Engineer
2007 Gardener of Eden Ami
2007 The Education of Charlie Banks Arresting Officer
2008 You Don't Mess with the Zohan Ze'ev
2010 Holy Rollers Jackie Solomon Producer
2011 Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star AFA Presenter
2012 Freelancers Louie
2012 The Iceman Dino Lapron
2013 The Wolf of Wall Street Investor's Center Broker #2
2015 Experimenter Braverman Producer
2015 Club Life Mark Also producer and writer
2016 A Stand Up Guy Sammy Producer
2016 The Curse of Sleeping Beauty Executive producer only
2016 Marauders Antonio Leon
2018 First We Take Brooklyn Mikki Writer, producer and director
2019 The Irishman Deadbeat
2019 Mob Town Joe Barbara Director and producer
2020 Blackjack: The Jackie Ryan Story Producer and director only
2021 Lansky Greg Kunz
2021 I Love Us Sammy Silver Director
2023 Inside Man Roy DeMeo Director and producer
2023 The Engineer Yakov Director and producer
2024 Bardejov Dr. Atlas Director
TBA The Perfect Gamble TBA Director and producer

References

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  1. ^ Eric Ortiz Garcia (December 9, 2019). "Interview: Danny A. Abeckaser Talks MOB TOWN, The Apalachin Mafia Meeting And THE IRISHMAN". Screen Anarchy. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  2. ^ Donnelly, Matt (September 20, 2017). "Martin Scorsese's 'The Irishman' Casts Former Nightlife Kingpin Danny A Abeckaser (Exclusive)". TheWrap. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  3. ^ Donnelly, Matt (September 20, 2017). "Martin Scorsese's 'The Irishman' Casts Former Nightlife Kingpin Danny A Abeckaser (Exclusive)". Yahoo! Entertainment. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  4. ^ Grater, Tom (December 22, 2020). "Danny A. Abeckaser Signs With APA; Dystopian Thriller 'Go / Don't Go' U.S. Deal – Global Briefs". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
  5. ^ a b Klein, Amy (May 13, 2010). "Rolling with not so holy Chasidim". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Roberts, Sheila (April 30, 2013). "Danny Abeckaser Talks THE ICEMAN, His Role in THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, and His Movie THE LIFE". Collider. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  7. ^ "Danny A Abeckaser". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  8. ^ "First We Take (Hollywood): How One Man is Paving His Way to the Top". Huffington Post. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  9. ^ "How NYC Nightclub Power Player Danny A. Abeckaser Turned Real Life Into 'Club Life'". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  10. ^ "Danny Abeckaser". IMDB. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  11. ^ "Danny A Abeckaser". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  12. ^ Brunner, Jeryl (November 5, 2019). "Danny A. Abeckaser Opens Up About the Time Robert De Niro Punched Him in the Gut While Filming The Irishman". Parade. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  13. ^ "'It Was The Best Experience Of My Life': Actor Danny A. Abeckaser On 'The Irishman' & Robert De Niro". WLNY-TV. November 1, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  14. ^ Paltrowitz, Darren (August 23, 2019). "Israeli-American Actor Danny A. Abeckaser on Landing Gig on 'The Irishman'". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  15. ^ a b Gustafson, Kristy (November 29, 2017). "First We Take (Hollywood): How One Man is Paving His Way to the Top". HuffPost. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
  16. ^ "Danny Abeckaser". IMDB. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  17. ^ "Emile Hirsch To Reteam With 'The Gemini Lounge' Director Danny A. Abeckaser For Action Pic 'The Engineer'". Deadline. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  18. ^ "Danny A. Abeckaser Signs With APA; Dystopian Thriller 'Go / Don't Go' U.S. Deal – Global Briefs". Deadline. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  19. ^ "Emile Hirsch To Reteam With 'The Gemini Lounge' Director Danny A. Abeckaser For Action Pic 'The Engineer'". Deadline. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  20. ^ "From Flight to Film: How a Chance Meeting Sparked 'Bardejov's' Remarkable Journey". Jewish Journal. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  21. ^ "Danny A. Abeckaser Signs With APA; Dystopian Thriller 'Go / Don't Go' U.S. Deal – Global Briefs". Deadline. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  22. ^ "Danny A. Abeckaser Opens Up About the Time Robert De Niro Punched Him in the Gut While Filming The Irishman". Parade. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  23. ^ "Danny Abeckaser". IMDB. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  24. ^ Cashman, Greer Fay (May 31, 2022). "Grapevine June 1, 2022: A different Moshe has his say". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  25. ^ "How Some of L.A.'s Biggest Hospitality Vets Rallied for Israel". Los Angeles Magazine. Retrieved November 26, 2023.
  26. ^ "Danny A. Abeckaser: From 'The Irishman' to 'Mob Town'". Good Men Project. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
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