Biography
Eli Gorenstein (born August 31, 1952) is an Israeli actor, voice actor, director, singer, and cellist.
Born in Tel Aviv and raised in Ramat Gan, Gorenstein is the grandson of philosopher Felix Weltsch on his mother's side. He studied theatre and music in New York City and earned a master's degree from Tel Aviv University. Beginning his career in the 1960s, he frequently collaborated on stage with Zachi Noy. Gorenstein performed at numerous Israeli theatres, including the Habima Theatre and Haifa Theatre, often appearing in Shakespearean adaptations and musical theatre productions.
He made guest appearances on children's programs such as Rechov Sumsum (the Israeli Sesame Street) and Parpar Nechmad. His film roles include the 2007 movie Israeli Intelligence and the 2018 film The Awakening of Motti Wolkenbruch. Gorenstein was also a regular on Zehu Ze!, where he performed a song with Shlomo Gronich.
As a voice actor, Gorenstein is known for voicing many Hebrew-dubbed Disney villains, sidekicks, and supporting characters, especially during the Disney Renaissance era. His notable roles include Scar in The Lion King, Frollo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Professor Ratigan in The Great Mouse Detective, Jafar in Aladdin, Clayton in Tarzan, Sebastian in The Little Mermaid, Eeyore in the Winnie the Pooh series, Lumière in Beauty and the Beast, Dr. Facilier in The Princess and the Frog, Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, The Wolf in Hoodwinked!, Professor Paljas in Alfred J. Kwak, and Grimmel in How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. He has often worked alongside Rama Messinger, Dov Reiser, and Yuval Zamir.
Gorenstein is also a singer and cellist, known for performing songs in the style of Frank Sinatra. With a bass vocal range, he frequently sings opera at the New Israeli Opera and records jingles for television programs and commercials. He took part in various music festivals, including the Israeli Children’s Songs Festival in 1976, where he placed second. He has collaborated with the Israel Chamber Orchestra and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2011, he released his debut album featuring works by artists such as Yoni Rechter, Yehonatan Geffen, Nathan Alterman, and Nurit Galron.
Married with three children, Gorenstein’s daughter Roni is also an actress.
