Yael Grobglas

Early life

Grobglas was born in Paris. Her father Jean Pierre Grobglas is from a French-Jewish family. Her mother Eva is from Austria and converted to Judaism. In 1986, when Grobglas was two years old, the family immigrated to Israel and resided in Ra'anana city.

Her talent and passion for performing arts became visible even as a young girl. As a teenager, Grobglas studied and performed in professional dance and ballet groups. She later lead a brief modeling career and participated in a number of runway shows and advertising campaigns. Eventually having realized a greater interest in acting, Grobglas graduated from the Yoram Loewenstein Performing Arts Studio in Tel Aviv.

Career

In 2007, Grobglas was cast to her first major role for the Israeli sci-fi series Ha'Yi ("The Island"), which made her popular among Israel's young audiences. Following two consecutive seasons of the show Grobglas enrolled in a full-time three-year acting program at the Yoram Loewenstein Performing Arts Studio. She completed the third season of Ha'Yi in 2010, and was cast for a number of major commercials during the course of her studies.

In 2010, Grobglas gained international recognition when she starred in the first Israeli horror film Rabies ("Kalevet"). She was part of the main cast of the Israeli sitcom Ha-Shualim ("The Foxes"). Grobglas also played the role of Linda Christie in a Beersheba Theater adaptation of Play It Again, Sam.

In 2012, Grobglas was cast to the Israeli comedy-drama series Tanuchi ("Chill").

In 2013, Grobglas starred as America Singer in the CW's The Selection pilot, described as a cross between The Bachelor and The Hunger Games, but it was ultimately not picked up to series. In the same year, her roles included the lead in an Israeli film, and the recurring role of Olivia D'Amencourt in the CW's series Reign.

In 2014, Grobglas was cast as Petra, one of the main characters on the CW's Jane the Virgin. When describing her experience as Petra to the New York Times, Grobglas said "I’m usually cast for the more goofy and tomboyish characters [...] I’m having a wonderful time playing someone so complex and layered and funny." she loves the role and hopes she can get a new one someday. "She’s calculating, resourceful and manipulative," she said. "But even though I don’t agree with the decisions she makes, you have to admire her. It’s been a blast playing such a mischievous character because she’s so unlike me."

In January 2015, Time Magazine stated that "Grobglas [...] has turned Petra into one of television’s most amusingly complex comic villains. Fans love to hate her, yet as Jane delves deeper into Petra’s backstory — and shows off her lighter side — they’re starting to love her as well."

In 2015, Grobglas starred along Yon Tumarkin and Danielle Jadelyn in JeruZalem, an English-language Israeli horror film.

In March 2016, TVLine gave Grobglas an honorable mention for her performance in Jane the Virgin Chapter 36: "Leave it to Jane the Virgin‘s unsung MVP Yael Grobglas to turn the painful process of giving birth – to twins, no less! – into a comedic tour de force ... After witnessing Grobglas’ impeccable ability to mix humor and emotion, we can’t wait to see what challenges (and laughs) motherhood will bring for her character."