Yael Shavitt is an Israeli born actress, based in New York City.

She made her network TV debut on NBC's Law & Order: SVU opposite Emmy and Golden Globe Award-Winner, Mariska Hargitay and Emmy-Award nominee, Jason Biggs.

Yael is the creator and Lead Actress of the award-winning series, Split (now streaming on Amazon). Chicago Blow-Up Arthouse, Open World Toronto and Southern States Film Festivals have all nominated her for Best Lead Actress. Split is an Official Selection at 12 US & International Film Festivals and has garnered 10 Award Nominations including Best Drama Series from LA's QueerX and NYC's Stareable Film Festivals.

On stage, Yael performed at The Public Theater with the Obie Award-winning theater company, 600 Highwaymen, and at New Ohio Theatre with the Byzantine Choral Project. She performed at Rattlestick Theater in the play Best Friends, Winner of the Israeli National Theater Award for Best Comedy.

As a Founding Member of NYC's Asylos Theater Collective, Yael co-created and performed in Envy on Fire (Exponential Festival), Woolgatherers (Frigid Festival), the site-specific immersive piece Out of the Ash and many others.

Before moving to New York, Yael served in the Intelligence Corps of the IDF and co-created the documentary feature film If You Pull North (Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival Official Selection).

Yael is a graduate of New York City's American Academy of Dramatic Arts and Tel Aviv's Thelma Yellin School of the Arts, with additional training from AMAW, MN Acting Studio and UCB.