Daphna Kastner is a Canadian actress, screenwriter, and film director who is also widely known as the wife of veteran actor Harvey Keitel. Born in Montreal, she built her own career in independent film long before becoming part of one of Hollywood’s more private long-term marriages. Her credits include Julia Has Two Lovers, French Exit, Spanish Fly, and Timecode.
Daphna and Harvey had crossed paths years earlier, lost contact, and then reconnected in 2001. Within weeks, they married in Jerusalem. Their son, Roman, was born in 2004. As of 2026, the couple remain married, making their relationship nearly 25 years long.
What makes Daphna especially interesting is that she was never simply a celebrity spouse. She acted, wrote screenplays, directed feature films, and built a creative identity of her own.
Where Was Daphna Kastner Born?
Daphna Kastner was born on April 17, 1961, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
That makes her 65 years old in 2026.
Public sources consistently identify her as Canadian, and her professional life later moved between independent cinema, American film work, and her family life with Harvey Keitel.
Much less is reliably documented about her parents, siblings, and childhood home.
Rather than fill those gaps with guesses, it is safer to say that her early family life remains largely private.
What Did Daphna Kastner Do Before Marrying Harvey Keitel?
Daphna had an established film career well before her 2001 marriage.
IMDb lists her as an actress, writer, and director, with acting credits beginning in the 1980s.
Her early work included The Lonely Lady and Evixion.
She later appeared in films such as Girlfriend from Hell, Eating, Crack Me Up, Julia Has Two Lovers, Lana in Love, Venice/Venice, Kiss & Tell, Timecode, and Eden.
This was not a case of someone entering entertainment after marrying a famous actor.
Daphna already understood the industry from the inside.
Was Daphna Kastner Also a Screenwriter?
Yes.
Writing is a major part of her career.
IMDb credits her as a writer on projects including Evixion, Julia Has Two Lovers, Lana in Love, Crack Me Up, and French Exit.
That is important because it shows she was interested in more than performing roles written by someone else.
She wanted control over stories.
She wrote characters.
She helped build scripts.
And eventually she moved into directing as well.
A natural internal-link opportunity would be women filmmakers who built careers in independent cinema before becoming widely famous.
Which Films Did Daphna Kastner Direct?
Daphna directed at least two feature films:
French Exit and Spanish Fly.
French Exit was released in 1995.
Spanish Fly followed in 1998.
She was also involved creatively in both projects beyond directing.
That combination of acting, writing, and directing gave her a much broader role than many performers have.
She was not waiting only for casting calls.
She was also creating the work.
What Was Julia Has Two Lovers?
One of Daphna’s better-known early films was Julia Has Two Lovers.
She played Julia and also received screenplay and story credits.
That combination is a good example of how personal her filmmaking could be.
She was not simply appearing in the finished product.
She helped create the character and story before stepping in front of the camera.
The film remains one of the titles most closely associated with her independent-film career.
What Was French Exit?
French Exit, released in 1995, was another important project for Daphna.
She directed it and also had writing involvement.
The film starred Mädchen Amick and Jonathan Silverman.
For Daphna, it represented a move more firmly behind the camera.
Directing requires a very different set of skills from acting.
A director has to manage performances, visual style, pacing, production pressures, and collaboration across many departments.
That made Daphna’s career unusually varied.
What Was Spanish Fly?
Spanish Fly, released in 1998, is another film closely associated with Daphna.
IMDb lists her as director, while she also played Zoe.
Again, she occupied multiple creative roles.
That pattern matters because it shows a consistent interest in controlling her own stories rather than being limited to acting.
Daphna belongs to a group of independent filmmakers whose careers may not always be highly commercial but show strong creative ownership.
How Did Daphna Kastner Meet Harvey Keitel?
Daphna and Harvey first met years before they married.
IMDb says they first crossed paths in the 1980s and later lost contact.
They reportedly went on a date during that earlier period.
Life then moved in different directions.
Harvey had other relationships and children.
Daphna continued her own film career.
Years later, they unexpectedly reconnected.
That second meeting changed everything.
When Did Daphna and Harvey Reconnect?
Current biographies place their reunion in 2001.
One account says they reconnected at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2001 after having known each other years earlier.
IMDb gives August 11, 2001, as the date of their reunion.
The exact first day may therefore vary depending on how the reunion is defined.
But all versions agree on the main point:
They reconnected in 2001 after many years apart.
And the relationship moved extraordinarily fast.
When Did Daphna Kastner Marry Harvey Keitel?
Daphna and Harvey married on October 7, 2001.
The wedding took place in Jerusalem, Israel.
EBSCO’s biographical summary describes it as a Jewish wedding ceremony held on a Jerusalem rooftop.
They had reportedly been reunited for only a short period before deciding to marry.
That makes their story unusual.
Many celebrity couples date for years before marriage.
Daphna and Harvey already had history.
When they found each other again, they apparently did not need years to decide what came next.
Was Their Jerusalem Wedding Secret?
It was private enough that several biographies describe it as a secret or surprise wedding.
Daphna and Harvey were in Israel around the time of the Haifa International Film Festival when they married.
They later held another celebration in New York.
Sources disagree slightly about the precise location of that later ceremony.
IMDb says they celebrated at Robert De Niro’s home, while other summaries mention a Manhattan home belonging to a friend of Keitel.
Because of that conflict, the safest statement is that they later celebrated the marriage with friends in New York.
The Jerusalem marriage itself is well established.
Who Is Harvey Keitel?
Harvey Keitel is one of the most respected actors associated with the New Hollywood era.
He was born on May 13, 1939, in New York City.
His career became closely linked with Martin Scorsese through films such as Who’s That Knocking at My Door, Mean Streets, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Taxi Driver, The Last Temptation of Christ, and later The Irishman.
He also became famous for films including Reservoir Dogs, The Piano, Pulp Fiction, Bad Lieutenant, and The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Harvey built a reputation for playing intense, morally complicated men.
Off screen, however, his family story has been much more complicated than many casual fans realize.
A useful internal-link opportunity would be Harvey Keitel’s career from Mean Streets to Reservoir Dogs and The Irishman.
Was Harvey Keitel Married Before Daphna?
Daphna is Harvey’s first publicly documented legal wife in the sources reviewed, but he had serious long-term relationships before her.
His most famous earlier relationship was with actress Lorraine Bracco.
They were together from approximately 1982 until 1993 and had a daughter, Stella.
Their breakup led to a long and difficult custody dispute.
Harvey later had a relationship with artist Lisa Karmazin, with whom he had another son, Hudson, in 2001.
He then reconnected with Daphna later that same year.
How Many Children Does Harvey Keitel Have?
Harvey has three children publicly identified in major biographical sources.
His daughter Stella Keitel was born during his relationship with Lorraine Bracco.
His son Hudson was born from his relationship with Lisa Karmazin.
His youngest son, Roman Keitel, is his child with Daphna Kastner.
It is important not to describe all three as Daphna’s biological children.
She and Harvey have one child together.
When Was Daphna’s Son Roman Born?
Daphna and Harvey’s son, Roman Keitel, was born in August 2004.
That was almost three years after their Jerusalem wedding.
Roman later developed an interest in acting as well.
Current biographical summaries identify him as an actor, meaning the entertainment connection continued into another generation.
Daphna therefore became both the wife of an actor and the mother of a young performer while already having her own directing and acting background.
Is Stella Keitel Daphna Kastner’s Daughter?
No.
This is a common source of confusion.
Stella Keitel is Harvey’s daughter with Lorraine Bracco, not Daphna’s biological daughter.
Some databases list Stella under Harvey’s family information near Daphna’s name, which can make the family tree look unclear.
Daphna’s only publicly documented biological child with Harvey is Roman.
She became Stella’s stepmother through marriage.
Is Hudson Keitel Daphna’s Son?
No.
Hudson is Harvey’s son from his relationship with Lisa Karmazin.
He was born in 2001, before Harvey married Daphna.
This distinction matters because celebrity family profiles frequently merge children from earlier relationships.
Daphna and Harvey’s shared child is Roman.
The wider Keitel family includes children from three different relationships.
What Has Harvey Said About Fatherhood?
Harvey has spoken emotionally about being a father.
In a 2015 interview, he called fatherhood perhaps the most glorious and wonderful thing that had ever happened to him.
That comment came from an actor whose public image is often tough and intimidating.
It reveals a very different side of him.
Daphna entered his life relatively late in his adulthood, and Roman was born when Harvey was already in his mid-60s.
That made his experience of raising Roman very different from the years when Stella was young.
Did Daphna Keep Acting After Marriage?
Her screen career became less active after the early 2000s, but she did not immediately disappear.
IMDb lists her in Eden in 2001 and later in My Sexiest Year in 2007.
Her best-known acting work, however, remains concentrated in the period before and around her marriage.
There is no need to call her formally retired unless she has publicly used that word.
A better description is that her recent screen activity has been limited.
Her established professional identity remains actress, writer, and director.
Did Daphna and Harvey Work Together?
Their careers belong to the same industry, but Daphna’s best-known writing and directing projects were developed independently of Harvey’s major roles.
She did not become known primarily through movies starring her husband.
That is another important distinction.
Her creative career existed before the marriage.
Harvey’s later fame may have increased public curiosity about her, but it did not create her filmography.
What Makes Their Marriage Unusual?
Several things.
First, they had known each other many years before becoming a couple.
Second, after reconnecting, they married very quickly.
Third, Daphna entered the marriage as a creative professional rather than as someone completely outside Harvey’s world.
And finally, the marriage has lasted.
In an industry full of short relationships, Daphna and Harvey have remained husband and wife since 2001.
As of September 2026, they are approaching their 25th wedding anniversary.
Is Daphna Kastner Still Married to Harvey Keitel in 2026?
Yes.
Current 2026 biographical records continue to list Daphna as Harvey Keitel’s wife.
There is no credible report of separation or divorce.
Their 25th anniversary falls on October 7, 2026.
That is a notable milestone considering how quickly the marriage began after their 2001 reunion.
Where Do Daphna and Harvey Live?
Harvey has long been closely associated with Lower Manhattan, New York City.
A 2015 profile described him as feeling very much at home in his downtown Manhattan neighborhood, where he could walk the streets without attracting overwhelming attention.
Daphna has also been connected with New York through their family life.
Their exact residence should remain private.
The useful public point is simply that New York has long been an important home base for Harvey and his family.
Is Daphna Kastner Jewish?
Daphna and Harvey married in a Jewish ceremony in Jerusalem.
Some public profiles also identify Daphna as Jewish Canadian.
However, religion is a personal detail, so it is better not to overstate beliefs, observance, or religious identity beyond what established biographical sources specifically document.
The wedding’s Jewish setting and ceremony are well established.
Her personal level of religious practice is not something that should be guessed.
What Is Daphna Kastner’s Net Worth?
Daphna’s individual net worth has not been reliably verified.
She worked for years as an actress, screenwriter, and director.
Harvey also earned substantial income through a long international acting career.
But his fortune cannot simply be described as Daphna’s personal net worth.
Celebrity websites often publish exact numbers without providing financial evidence.
Without contracts, investments, property records, or other detailed disclosures, the responsible answer is that her personal net worth is unknown.
Why Is Daphna Kastner Still Searched Today?
Most searches begin with Harvey Keitel.
People watch Taxi Driver.
Then Reservoir Dogs.
Then Pulp Fiction or The Irishman.
Eventually they become curious about Harvey’s private life.
Who is his wife?
How long have they been married?
Does he have children?
That leads to Daphna.
But then something more interesting appears.
She was already a filmmaker.
She wrote.
She directed.
She acted.
She had made feature films before becoming Mrs. Keitel.
That gives her story much more depth than a simple celebrity-spouse profile.
Daphna Belongs to Independent Film History Too
Harvey Keitel’s career is much larger and more famous.
That is obvious.
But Daphna’s career belongs to a very different part of cinema.
Independent film often gives creators more freedom but fewer resources.
Actors may become writers.
Writers may direct.
Directors may appear in their own films.
Daphna worked in exactly that kind of environment.
Her résumé reflects someone who wanted creative control, not simply mainstream visibility.
A useful internal-link opportunity would be Harvey Keitel’s family life, children, and relationships away from the screen.
Interesting Facts About Daphna Kastner
Daphna was born on April 17, 1961, in Montreal, Canada.
She has worked as an actress, screenwriter, and film director.
Her best-known projects include Julia Has Two Lovers, French Exit, and Spanish Fly.
She wrote and directed films before marrying Harvey Keitel.
Daphna and Harvey first knew each other in the 1980s, lost contact, and reconnected in 2001.
They married in Jerusalem on October 7, 2001.
Their son Roman was born in August 2004.
Harvey also has daughter Stella and son Hudson from earlier relationships.
As of 2026, Daphna and Harvey remain married.
What Is Daphna Kastner Doing Now?
Daphna maintains a much lower public profile today than during the most active period of her film career.
There is no strong current evidence of a major new directing project in 2026.
That should not be turned into a claim that she has officially retired.
Her present-day life appears primarily private.
Current biographical records still identify her as an actress, writer, and director and continue to list her marriage to Harvey as ongoing.
Final Thoughts
Daphna Kastner is often discovered because people are curious about Harvey Keitel’s wife.
But her own life started telling an interesting story long before their wedding.
She was born in Montreal.
She entered acting.
Then she moved beyond acting.
She wrote screenplays.
She directed films.
She took on projects such as Julia Has Two Lovers, French Exit, and Spanish Fly.
And somewhere along the way, she briefly crossed paths with Harvey Keitel.
They went their separate ways.
Years passed.
Harvey lived through major relationships, fatherhood, career highs, and personal difficulties.
Daphna continued making films.
Then, in 2001, their paths crossed again.
This time, they did not separate.
Within weeks, they were married in Jerusalem.
Three years later, their son Roman was born.
And nearly a quarter-century after the wedding, they remain together.
That longevity is striking.
But Daphna’s story is not valuable only because the marriage lasted.
She belongs to independent film in her own right.
She has been an actress in front of the camera, a writer shaping stories on the page, and a director responsible for the larger vision.
Those are three very different creative jobs.
She did all three.
As of 2026, Daphna has largely stepped away from regular public attention, while Harvey continues to be remembered as one of the great actors of his generation.
Yet her earlier career remains part of the record.
And her marriage has quietly become one of the longest-lasting relationships in Harvey Keitel’s complicated personal life.
Daphna Kastner is therefore not simply Harvey Keitel’s wife.
She is a Canadian filmmaker with her own body of work, the mother of his son Roman, and the woman who reentered his life decades after their first meeting and stayed.
For more carefully researched celebrity biographies and family stories, visit Charles Magazine.
FAQs About Daphna Kastner
Who is Daphna Kastner?
Daphna Kastner is a Canadian actress, screenwriter, and film director. She is also the longtime wife of actor Harvey Keitel.
When was Daphna Kastner born?
She was born on April 17, 1961, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
When did Daphna Kastner marry Harvey Keitel?
Daphna and Harvey married on October 7, 2001, in Jerusalem.
How did Daphna Kastner and Harvey Keitel meet?
They first knew each other in the 1980s and later lost contact. They reconnected in 2001 and married only weeks later.
Do Daphna Kastner and Harvey Keitel have children?
They have one son together, Roman Keitel, born in August 2004. Harvey also has two children from earlier relationships.
What movies did Daphna Kastner direct?
She directed French Exit and Spanish Fly. She also wrote and acted in several independent films.
Is Daphna Kastner still married to Harvey Keitel?
Yes. Current 2026 records continue to list Daphna and Harvey as married. They reach their 25th wedding anniversary in October 2026.
What is Daphna Kastner’s net worth?
Her individual net worth has not been reliably verified. Exact online estimates should be treated as speculation rather than established financial facts.
