The co-writer of an Israeli hit TV series was found dead in a hotel room in Athens, where the fourth season of the spy thriller is being filmed, the British newspaper The Guardian reported today.
Dana Eden, 52, was found by her brother late Sunday, Greek police said, ruling her death an apparent suicide.
Her death was described by Donna and Shula Productions, the international company that Iden founded, as "a moment of great sadness for family, friends and colleagues."
Following reports in Israeli media that Greek police were investigating a possible link to Iran, the company took the unusual step of ruling out "criminal or nationalist-motivated deaths," saying the rumors circulating were "not true" and "unfounded."
In such circumstances, an autopsy is automatically performed, and its results are then supported by an official investigation, according to the Guardian.
Within hours, the police launched an official investigation, took statements from hotel staff, and ordered the surrender of security camera footage.
Police spokeswoman Constantina Dimoglidou appeared to rule out the possibility of foul play, telling the media that the producer's brother had said his sister was taking medication for a condition that had previously hospitalized her, the Guardian reports.
The award-winning TV executive producer, who won an Emmy for producing the TV series "Tehran," was a prominent figure in Israel's burgeoning TV industry. She had been in Athens since February 4, working on the latest season of the spy thriller.
The country's public broadcaster, KAN, said: "We are saddened by the passing of our friend and partner in a long line of productions, series and programs. Dana was among the leading figures of the Israeli television industry and played a central role in creating and leading some of our house's most prominent and influential productions."
The series "Tehran," in which Niv Sultan plays Mossad agent Tamar Rabinian, is the story of an Iranian-born, Israeli-raised spy who is recruited to infiltrate Iran to dismantle the country's burgeoning nuclear program.
The series, which also starred Glenn Close in its second season, was described in the New York Times as being so convincingly realistic in its depiction of the famed Israeli intelligence service that "even the director of the FBI supported it." The Iranian regime has repeatedly criticized the series as Zionist propaganda.
From the beginning, "Tehran" was filmed in Athens, a location that the production teams believed was closest to what resembled the Iranian capital, with a network of "narrow residential streets and alleys and wide boulevards and squares."
Both cities are surrounded by mountains and share the same chaos, illuminated by a similar Mediterranean light, according to the Guardian.
The thriller series attracted such an audience that Apple TV decided to finance a fourth season in December.
KAN said that Iden's contribution to the industry will not be easily forgotten.
"Her professional and personal legacy will continue to shape Israeli television for many years to come," they said.
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