Israeli media powerhouse, Dana Eden, 52, one of the creators of the award-winning drama series “Tehran,” died suddenly in Athens on Sunday while there to supervise filming of the show’s fourth season in Greece, according to Kan, the Israeli public broadcaster.
Eden was in Athens to closely oversee production when she was found lifeless in her hotel room. Hebrew media reported that her brother discovered her after she failed to respond to messages and calls.
Greek police issued an autopsy order to determine the cause of death. Authorities are also collecting security camera footage and testimony from hotel staff as part of the investigation.
Who was Dana Eden?
Dana Eden was a leading figure in Israel’s television industry and a longtime partner of producer Shula Spiegel. Together, they ran Donna and Shula Productions, through which “Tehran” and many of Eden’s other projects were produced. Eden and Spiegel jointly produced more than 40 television series and films in both scripted and documentary formats.
Their work included “Five Men and a Wedding,” “Dan & Muzly,” “The Magpie,” “The Stylist,” the CBS pilot “Mother’s Day,” several seasons of the popular children’s series “Shakshouka,” and the documentary series “Saving the Wild Animals.”
Statement from Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation
The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation published a statement mourning her death. “We mourn the passing of our colleague and partner in a long line of productions, series, and programs at the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation – Dana Eden,” read the statement. “Dana was among the senior figures in Israel’s television industry and played a central role in creating and leading some of the corporation’s most prominent and influential productions. Her professional and personal legacy will continue to shape Israeli television for many years to come.” The statement indicated that Eden had travelled to Greece to closely oversee filming of the fourth season.
The production company behind “Tehran” said there was no evidence of foul play, responding to rumours on social media claiming she may have been killed by Iranian agents.
“The production company wants to make it clear that the rumors of the death being criminal or nationalistic are not true and baseless,” Donna and Shula Productions said in the statement. “We call on the media and the public not to publish unfounded theories and to act with responsibility and sensitivity. This is a moment of immense pain for the family, friends, and colleagues. We want to preserve Dana’s dignity and her privacy.”
“Tehran,” an award-winning series that received an International Emmy Award and is screened on Apple TV, was written and created by Moshe Zonder, Eden, and Maor Kohn.
Athens was chosen as a filming location after Eden visited Greece on a family vacation and noticed visual similarities between the Greek capital and Tehran. Israelis are banned from visiting Iran, making filming there impossible.