Biography
Who is Daniel Hendler?
Early life in Montevideo
Daniel Hendler was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, on January 3, 1976. He grew up in the Buceo, Pocitos, and Cordón neighborhoods within a Jewish family. His father worked as a merchant, while his mother was a dedicated theatergoer. He attended the Escuela Integral school and participated in basketball at Hebraica Macabi.
During his youth, he had two separate bar mitzvah ceremonies because his parents lived apart from the time he was five years old. Although raised in a Jewish household, he does not identify as religious. By the age of 14, he began exploring theater with friends, which eventually steered him toward his professional path.
Education and theatrical beginnings
He spent nearly five years studying at the University of Architecture in Montevideo. Before committing to acting, he considered becoming a musician and studied the guitar for several years. Eventually, he shifted his focus entirely to the performing arts and served as an assistant professor and head of drama at the Catholic University of Uruguay.
With a group of friends, he co-founded the theater company Acapara el 522. The name was a humorous reference to a local bus stop in his hometown. The group competed in the Youth Contest of Theater in Montevideo, winning recognition for their work. During this period, he collaborated with writer Leo Maslíah and worked on literary workshops and stage plays like Abulimia.
Rise in cinema and television
His feature film debut came in the year 2000 with the comedy drama Waiting for the Messiah, directed by Daniel Burman. Shortly after, his role in the Uruguayan film 25 Watts helped revitalize the local cinema scene and marked his entry into the New Argentine Cinema movement. He became a familiar face in Argentina, especially appearing in telecommunications advertisements for Telefónica starting in 2002.
His filmography expanded with well-known roles in Bottom of the Sea and Family Law. For his performance as Ariel Makaroff in the 2004 film Lost Embrace, he earned the Silver Bear for Best Actor at the Berlin International Film Festival. He later gained significant television popularity in the 2012 telenovela Graduados and starred in the Netflix series División Palermo.
Directing and writing work
Beyond acting, he transitioned into screenwriting and directing. His debut feature, Norberto's Deadline, was released in 2010. This project, which he wrote and directed, explored the story of an unemployed man who begins acting classes to build self-confidence. He had previously gained experience working on scripts for other films, including El nido vacío.
He continued his directing career with projects such as A Loose End and 27 Nights, both released in 2025. He also reunited with Daniel Burman to work on the Netflix series Edha. Throughout his career, he has maintained a diverse portfolio, balancing work as an actor, film producer, and theater director.
Birthday and age
Daniel Hendler was born on January 3, 1976, which makes Daniel 50 years old today. That birthday falls under the Capricorn sign. Daniel shares the date with 35 other famous people.
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