In 2007, Grobglas was cast to her first major role for the Israeli sci-fi series
The Island, which made her popular among Israel's young audiences. Following two consecutive seasons of the show Grobglas enrolled in a full-time three-year acting program at the Yoram Loewenstein Performing Arts Studio. She completed performing for the third season of Israeli series
The Island in 2010, and was cast for a number of major commercials during the course of her acting studies. In 2010, Grobglas gained international recognition when she starred in the first Israeli horror film
Rabies (
Kalevet). She was part of the main cast of the Israeli sitcom
HaShualim (
The Foxes). Grobglas also played the role of Linda Christie in a
Beersheba Theater adaptation of
Play It Again, Sam. In 2012, Grobglas was cast to the Israeli comedy-drama series
Tanuchi ("Chill"). In 2013, Grobglas starred as America Singer in
the CW's
The Selection pilot, described as a cross between
The Bachelor and
The Hunger Games, but it was ultimately not picked up to series. In the same year, she began the recurring role of Olivia D'Amencourt in the CW's series
Reign. In 2014, Grobglas was cast as Petra, one of the main characters on the CW's
Jane the Virgin. When describing her experience as Petra to the
New York Times, Grobglas said, "I'm usually cast for the more goofy and tomboyish characters [...] I'm having a wonderful time playing someone so complex and layered and funny." "She's calculating, resourceful and manipulative," she said. "But even though I don't agree with the decisions she makes, you have to admire her. It's been a blast playing such a mischievous character because she's so unlike me." In January 2015,
Time magazine stated that "Grobglas [...] has turned Petra into one of television's most amusingly complex comic villains. Fans love to hate her, yet as Jane delves deeper into Petra's backstory – and shows off her lighter side – they're starting to love her as well." In 2015, Grobglas starred along
Yon Tumarkin and
Danielle Jadelyn in
JeruZalem, an English-language Israeli horror film. In March 2016,
TVLine gave Grobglas an honorable mention for her performance in
Jane the Virgin Chapter 36: "Leave it to Jane the Virgin's unsung MVP Yael Grobglas to turn the painful process of giving birth – to twins, no less! – into a comedic tour de force ... After witnessing Grobglas' impeccable ability to mix humor and emotion, we can't wait to see what challenges (and laughs) motherhood will bring for her character." In 2024, Daniel Feinberg of the Hollywood Reporter noted Yael's performance in the 2024 CBS series Matlock: "I also quite liked the one-off guest appearance by Jane the Virgin‘s Yael Grobglas. She plays a human lie detector working as a jury consultant and her return might be what it would take to get me to come back to Matlock at some point." == Personal life ==