The Ιsraeli citizen found dead in an Athens hotel on Sunday has been identified as Dana Eden, one of the creators and producers of the Emmy-winning TV drama series Tehran, filmed in Athens.
The filmmaker, 53, was found lifeless in her fifth-floor hotel room by her brother, who was searching for her after she had vanished and given no sign of life.
A police investigation with full postmortem was ongoing, per Greek media, but Eden’s production company has denied foul play in her death, saying that “rumors of a criminal or nationalistic death are false and unfounded.” According to Israeli outlet Ynet, Israeli police has also said there was “no indication of a suspected criminal incident.”
The world-acclaimed producer had been staying at the hotel near Athens Syntagma Square, off Ermou Street at the heart of the Greek capital, since February 4, during the filming of the fourth season of the prominent Apple TV+ show.
“The fourth season of the series is currently being filmed in Greece—a complex and significant production, which Dana came to closely monitor. Her professional work, uncompromising commitment and love of creation have left a deep mark,” the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation said in a statement.
Police investigation for dead Israeli film producer in Athens
The alarm was raised on Sunday when Dana Eden’s brother, concerned after she had failed to respond to his repeated calls, arrived at the hotel to check on her well-being. Upon entering the room, he discovered his sister unresponsive, leading to an immediate call to emergency services.
While the presence of various medications near the body led police to initially investigate suicide as the primary cause of death, forensic experts shifted their focus after a preliminary examination revealed bruising on the neck and hands. These physical marks prompted authorities to investigate all possibilities, with self-inflicted harm not being ruled out.
Greek police have reportedly ordered an exhaustive post-mortem examination and a toxicology screening to provide a clearer picture of the circumstances. Meanwhile, detectives were reviewing CCTV footage from the hotel and interviewing staff.
EMMY-winning series Tehran filmed four seasons in Athens
Dana Eden, a mother of three, was an acclaimed producer and writer in Israel, her career spanning over three decades. She gained international acclaim with Tehran, an espionage TV drama whose story is set in Iran‘s capital but was filmed in Athens.
The show, produced for KAN Public Broadcasting, became an international hit through Apple TV+ and the first season won an International Emmy Award for Best Drama in 2021. Season 3, whose release was delayed due to the war in Gaza and the ongoing Iran-Israel conflict, premiered on the streamer on January 9, 2026.
"טהרן" זכתה בפרס האמי הבין-לאומי | המפיקה דנה עדן נאמה בשם היוצרים: "'טהרן' היא לא רק סדרת ריגול, אלא עוסקת גם בהיכרות עם האדם שמאחורי האויב שלך. אני מקווה שנצעד יחד – איראנים וישראלים – בירושלים ובטהרן כחברים ולא כאויבים"@alon_fruchter (צילום: אי-פי)https://t.co/Lg3Kr7XLvb pic.twitter.com/ibx6niVoCj
— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) November 23, 2021
As the series had been renewed for a fourth season, Dana Eden was again in Athens for filming at the time of her death.
Season 4 had also faced delays, with producers rewriting parts of the script to avoid being too close to real-life, contemporary events, Ynet reported in 2023.
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