Prime Video’s popular streaming series, House of David, retells one of the most well-known biblical epics—the story of King David. The eight-episode first season follows David from shepherd boy to giant slayer, marking the first step in his path to becoming the most celebrated king of Israel.

Developed by Christian filmmaker Jon Erwin and his studio Wonder Project, the first season begins with David’s defeat of Goliath, then steps back in time to explore David’s humble beginnings as well as his time as a musician in the court of an increasingly unhinged King Saul. The politics and faith, intrigue and romance found in the biblical texts make their way to the small screen in this action-infused lavish production.

The series premiered last winter on Prime Video and garnered 22 million viewers in its first 17 days, making it among the top 10 streaming series debuts in the United States to date. Its second season debuted on October 5 on Wonder Project’s new subscription service, and will be available on Prime Video globally at a later date.

Season 2 follows the aftermath of the battle between David and Goliath and David’s rise to the throne, navigating palace politics, his family’s jealousy, and romance.

Hadassah Magazine spoke to two Israeli-born stars of the show: Veteran actor Ayelet Zurer, who plays Queen Ahinoam, Saul’s trusted and protective wife who is something of the villain of the series; and newcomer Yali Topol Margalith, who portrays Mirab, Saul and Ahinoam’s independent-minded daughter. 

Zurer, 56, who lives in Los Angeles, is probably best known to American audiences for portraying another strong-willed woman. In the Marvel superhero series Daredevil, she plays Vanessa, wife of villain and crime lord King Pin. She began her career on the Israeli teen drama Inyan Shel Zman (A Matter of Time) and has won numerous acting awards in Israel. Raised in Tel Aviv in a secular Jewish family, she shared that her mother was a hidden child during the Holocaust. “I grew up with a mother who was raised Christian as a child,” Zurer said. “As a World War II survivor, she was raised by a Christian family while her Jewish parents were hiding deep in the forests of Slovakia.”

Topol Margalith, 25, who lives in London, is relatively new to the acting scene, but she comes from Israeli acting royalty. She is the granddaughter of Chaim Topol, beloved for portraying Tevye in the film version of Fiddler on the Roof; he was also the first Israeli actor nominated for an Oscar. Topol passed away in 2023, but his granddaughter has recalled in interviews how he encouraged her to become an actor. In addition to her role in House of David, she recently starred in the Holocaust mini-series The Tattooist of Auschwitz and in A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.

These interviews, which were completed in late Spring 2025, have been edited for brevity and clarity.

Tell me about the characters you each play?

Ayelet Zurer: Queen Ahinoam is loyal to a fault and will do anything in order to protect her family, her king and kingdom. What interests me about her is her complicated relationship with God. From her perspective, He has abandoned her and now she is left with one choice —taking things into her own hands. Top that with stunning wardrobe and jewelry, filming in Greece(!), and you can imagine the joy.

Yali Topol Margalith: Mirab is King Saul’s oldest daughter. She’s one of 4. She’s not the ideal princess, so her parents put all their focus and energy into her younger sister, Mychal. Mirab is able to see the politics of her family for what it is and is hardened and distant because of that. She’s an amazing modern woman, but for the time where this story is set, her attitude isolates her from her family and life at the palace.

Her older brother Eshbaal is her best friend, she really looks up to him, and together they are irreverent.

Were you familiar with the David story before taking on your roles?

Zurer: I mean, I don’t know that there is a person who is unfamiliar with this story to some extent, so much so that it has become an idiom, for example, one can ask, “what is your Goliath?” Of course, there is also the external part of the story that most people know, which is that David was a shepherd who fought someone double his size and won.

But there is so much more to the story that I never gave a second thought to, that is imbedded in the spiritual level, which is the “why”—the thing that drives David. Something beyond self-gain. He does what he does without the expectation to get something in return. He does it solely to do what he feels he is called to do. And that is the thing that resonates with me personally.

Topol Margalith: I was familiar with it to an extent, but it was really interesting to dive into the dynamics of the royal family. I knew my character, Mirab, by name, but nothing of her story. The bible doesn’t mention too much about her as a person, so it was a fresh slate for me to build her.

How did it feel bringing these biblical characters to life?

Zurer: I loved the experience of working on the show. To find the right way to tell the story and keep the feeling of ancient times while telling it to a modern audience. Queen Ahinoam is so much fun to play. She is a fierce wife and mother, and the stories she tells are the best part.

Topol Margalith: It has been epic. Breathing life into this incredibly complex and strong woman has been an honor. Getting to work with brilliant actors, portraying such iconic figures to so many religions and cultures has been fascinating. For me, it was always about showing that they were real people, with flaws and strengths.

I tried to avoid putting a biblical character on a pedestal to show her humanity as much as I can. The cast, crew, production team, creatives have all been some of the best people I’ve met. We became a family, and it has amplified this experience into something incredibly special.

What was the biggest challenge in inhabiting these characters?

Zurer: Finding the right tone. I wanted to create a human character that resonated with audiences today, and not let the fact that it’s a famous biblical story get in the way. We were going back and forth between the showrunners and directors, Jon Gunn and Jon Erwin, on some of the writing for her, to find the female perspective and be truthful to what it means to be a woman at the time, while being the “villain” in the story. So I am grateful to them that they wanted to make sure that was in the story.

Topol Margalith: The biggest challenge for me was probably the style. Telling a story that feels very honest and contemporary to me, using language from another era, that feels heightened and poetic. It was important to me to make it all fresh and true.

This is a Jewish story being spearheaded by a Christian production company. Have you experienced any antisemitism since you took on the roles?

Zurer: The set of House of David contained Jews, Christians and Muslims, both behind and in front of the camera. We worked together in total respect for one another, so the experience was actually one of the best in my life.

What has the fan response been to the show?

Zurer: I have to say that it surprised me how well the show has been received, I guess that shows that we did something right.

Topol Margalith: I don’t personally interact with fans, but it seems like many people are engaging really positively with the show! I’m hoping women who watch the show, who might feel like they don’t belong within their community, perhaps they don’t fit the mold, can find comfort in watching someone like Mirab.

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Susan L. Hornik is a veteran entertainment and lifestyle journalist.