Shiri's parents started her in acting in order to get her to overcome her excessive shyness as a child. At 4 years of age Shiri would not talk to anyone except her parents but, by getting her interested in acting, her parents were able to persuade her to walk into audition rooms and introduce herself to complete strangers.

The therapy obviously worked and Shiri is now a self-confident, accomplished actress. But in an interview for Venice magazine she did admit : I just feel so pretentious sitting here[talking about myself]. It gives me a headache afterwards; then I sit in my car, thinking, did I say anything I shouldn’t have? So a little bit of the old insecurity must still be there. Maybe that's one reason why her fans are so intensely loyal.