Yaniv Rokah grew up on the Mediterranean in Netanya, Israel.
[3] He attended New York's Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.
[3] Although Rokah landed some small acting roles, he first came to wider attention for his 2015 documentary film, Queen Mimi.
[3][4][5][6] The subject of the documentary, Marie 'Mimi' Haist, was a homeless woman living in a laundromat frequented by young, unknown actors and helping them do their laundry.
The film garnered substantial publicity while still in production when actor Zach Galifianakis, who had since become successful with The Hangover series, arranged to give her an apartment, which Renée Zellweger furnished.