Dana Eden, 52, a producer and creator of the Israeli drama series “Tehran,” died suddenly in Athens on Sunday, during filming of the show’s fourth season in Greece, Kan, the Israeli public broadcaster, said.
According to Hebrew media, Eden was found lifeless in an Athens hotel on Sunday by her brother, who began searching for her after she failed to respond to messages.
Local police issued an autopsy order to determine the cause of death and began collecting security camera footage and testimony from hotel staff.
The Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation published a statement mourning Eden’s passing.
“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,” said 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.”
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The statement said that Eden had traveled to Greece to closely oversee filming of the fourth season.
Co-creator director/writer Daniel Syrkin, left, actor Glenn Close, co-creator Dana Eden and executive producer Shula Spiegel pose together at Apple TV’s “Tehran” season two premiere at the Robin Williams Center on Wednesday, May 4, 2022, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
The production company behind “Tehran” said there was no evidence of foul play in the death of Eden, amid rampant rumors on social media that 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,” it added. “We want to preserve Dana’s dignity and her privacy.
The award-winning show, recipient of the International Emmy Award and screened on Apple TV, was written and created by Moshe Zonder, Eden and Maor Kohn.
The decision to use sections of the Greek capital, Athens, as a stand-in for Tehran was made after Eden visited the European country on a family vacation and was struck by the visual similarities between the two cities.
Israelis are banned from visiting Iran.
Eden’s professional partner was producer Shula Spiegel, the other half of Donna and Shula Productions, through which “Tehran” and many of Eden’s other works were produced.
Eden and Spiegel have collectively produced more than 40 TV series and films in both scripted and documentary formats, including “Five Men and a Wedding,” “Dan & Muzly,” “The Magpie,” “The Stylist” and CBS pilot “Mother’s Day,” as well as multiple seasons of the hit children’s series “Shakshouka,” and documentary series “Saving the Wild Animals.”
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