Yael Grobglas is a French-Israeli actress based in Los Angeles.
She is known for her roles of Petra Solano and her twin sister Anezka in the critically acclaimed CW series “Jane the Virgin”, the feature “Interview with God” and a number of recurring roles on television series including “Reign” and “Supergirl”. Over the five seasons of Jane the Virgin, Yael’s performance as Petra and Anezka have been praised in numerous publications, including The New York Times, Time Magazine, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, Cosmopolitan, Washington Post, TV Guide and Entertainment Weekly. Time Magazine described her performance: “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 to love her as well.”
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.
Before transitioning to Hollywood, Yael had a successful TV, Film and Theater career in Israel. 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 adult 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 made the move to Los Angeles and was promptly cast as the lead 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 “Jeruzalem”, 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’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 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.”
Between 2016-2019, while filming Jane the Virgin, Yael had guest and recurring roles in the CWs “Crazy Ex Girlfriend” and “Supergirl” and starred in the 2018 Feature “Interview with God”.
