Dana Eden, an Israeli producer best known for co-creating the Apple TV show “Tehran,” was found dead Sunday in Athens, where the show’s fourth season was being filmed, Greek police said.
Eden, 52, was found dead in a hotel room after several attempts by relatives to contact him were unsuccessful. Police said her death was being treated as a suicide, according to Reuters.
“We mourn the loss of a friend and partner of Israel Public Broadcasting Corporation’s long line of works, series and programs,” Kang said in a statement.
Kang said Eden was in Greece to oversee the “complex and important production” of the fourth season of the spy thriller “Tehran,” which premiered in 2020 and won the International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series in 2021.
“Her professional work, uncompromising commitment and love of creation have left a deep mark on the Israel Broadcasting Corporation,” Kang added.
“Tehran” depicts the plight of Tamar Rabinan, a young Mossad operative who was born in Iran and raised in Israel, but returns to Iran on a mission to thwart Iran’s nuclear program. Israelis are prohibited from visiting Iran, so the show was filmed in Athens due to its similarities to Iran’s capital.
In his Emmy acceptance speech, Eden said that working on the show with Iranian actors who fled the regime showed him that “we have a lot in common.”
“Tehran is more than just an espionage series. It’s also about understanding the people behind the enemy,” she said. “I hope that Iranians and Israelis, whether in Jerusalem or Tehran, can walk together as friends, not as enemies.”
Much of Eden’s work was a collaboration with Shura Spiegel, who also worked as a producer on “Tehran.” The couple’s production company, Dana & Shula Productions, said Eden’s death was “a moment of great pain for her family, friends and colleagues.”
Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar said he received the news of Eden’s death with “deep sadness” and praised her as “one of the most prominent and influential producers in Israeli television.”
“Dana left a deep mark on Israel’s creation and brought our story to the international stage with pride, talent and courage. I share in the sadness of her family, friends and colleagues. May her memory be a blessing,” Zohar said.
