Evgenia Dodina

Evgenia (Zhenya) Dodina (in ; born December 10, 1964) is an Israeli theater, film, and television actress, originally from Soviet Belarus. After meeting director Yevgeny Aryeh at the Mayakovsky Theater in Moscow, she immigrated to Israel and became a founding member of the Gesher Theater.

Dodina has appeared in numerous stage productions, films, and television series in Israel and abroad, and has received multiple awards for her performances. She is known for her linguistic versatility, having performed in Hebrew, Russian, German, English, Polish, and Dutch.

Biography Dodina was born in Mogilev, in Soviet Belarus (now Belarus), to a father who was a teacher and a mother who was a pediatrician. She studied acting at the State Academy of Arts in Moscow. After graduating, she joined the Mayakovsky Theater, where she met Yevgeny Aryeh. Their collaboration led her to immigrate to Israel in the early 1990s, joining Aryeh and a group of actors to establish the Gesher Theater. She quickly gained recognition for her talent.

Theater career Upon her arrival in Israel, Dodina began performing at the Gesher Theater, despite not initially speaking Hebrew. She appeared in productions such as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1992), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2001, Israeli Theater Award for Actress of the Year), The Slave (2002), Medea (2005), and The Cherry Orchard (2006).

She later joined the Habima National Theater, where she starred in plays including Little Eyolf, A Track to Damascus, Anna Karenina, A Simple Story (2016), A Streetcar Named Desire, and Three Sisters. In 2012, she performed in Persona, a co-production between Habima and Munich’s Residence Theatre.

From 2020 to 2024, Dodina was a permanent ensemble member at the Staatstheater Stuttgart in Germany. Upon returning to Israel, she starred as Richard in a 2023 Gesher Theater production of Richard III, directed by Itay Tiran.

Film and Television Career Dodina has acted in over 50 films and television series. She appeared in four Ophir Awards-winning films: Saint Clara (1996), Circus Palestine (1998), Nina's Tragedies (2004), and several award-winning TV productions including A Touch Away Rehearsals (2020).

She has collaborated with prominent Israeli directors such as Ari Folman, Samuel Maoz, and Hagai Levi. In 2003, she portrayed legendary actress Hanna Rovina in the TV film Was or Wasn't, earning Best Actress at the Warsaw Jewish Film Festival. She won Best Actress at the Haifa International Film Festival for Invisible (2011).

In 2016, she appeared in One Week and a Day and the short film Anna, both awarded at the Cannes Film Festival. In 2019, she played Tatiana, Villanelle’s mother, in the BBC hit series Killing Eve. Other international credits include The Attack (2012), and In Times of Fading Light (2017).

Personal life Dodina is married to Israeli musician and composer Avi Benjamin. Their daughter, Anna Benjamin Nedzvetzki, is an actress and pianist.

Awards and recognition

2017 – Best Actress, Short Shorts Film Festival, Tokyo, for Anna 2016 – Seymour Cassel Award, One Week and a Day 2011 – Best Actress, Haifa International Film Festival, for Invisible 2010 – Honorary doctorate, Tel Aviv University 2010 – Star on Israeli Walk of Fame (Haifa Film Festival) 2009 – Torch lighter at Israel’s Independence Day ceremony 2005 – Klatzkin Israeli-American Fund Award recipient 2003 – Israeli Theater Award, Actress of the Year, for The Slave 2003 – Best Actress, Warsaw Jewish Film Festival, for Snow Paper 2001 – Israeli Theater Award, Actress of the Year, for A Midsummer Night’s Dream 1998 – Rosenblum Prize for Excellence in the Performing Arts

Filmography

Theater Year Play Theater Director Character 2025 The Souls Gesher Theater Itai Tiran Marina 2023 Richard III Gesher Theater Itai Tiran Richard 2023 The Tempest The Staatstheater Stuttgart Burkhard C. Kosminski Caliban 2023 DER GUTE MENSCH VON SEZUAN The Staatstheater Stuttgart Tina Lanik Die Witwe Shin 2022 VERBRENNUNGEN The Staatstheater Stuttgart Burkhard C. Kosminski Nawal 2021 SIEBZEHN SKIZZEN AUS DER DUNKELHEIT The Staatstheater Stuttgart Tina Lanik Vicktor 2020 The Visit of the Old Lady The Staatstheater Stuttgart Burkhard C. Kosminski Clara 2018 VOGEL The Staatstheater Stuttgart Burkhard C. Kosminski Lea 2017 Three Sisters Habima Theater Hanan Snir Irina 2016 A Simple Story Habima Theater Shir Goldberg Tzirel 2015 A Street Car Named Desire Habima Theater Ilan Ronen Blanche 2015 Oedipus Rex Habima Theater Hanan Snir Jocasta 2014 Our Class Habima Theater Hanan Snir Mariana 2013 A Man Doesn’t Just Die Habima Theater Shir Goldberg Fradel 2012 Persona Co-production: Habima Theater & Residenz Theater Munich Amelie Niermeyer Elizabeth / Alma 2009 A Track to Damascus Habima Theater Ilan Ronen Sarah 2008 Little Eyolf Habima Theater Hanan Snir Rita 2007 Anna Karenina Habima Theater Ilan Ronen Anna Karenina 2006 Cherry Orchard Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Ranevskaya 2005 Medea Gesher Theater Lena Kreindlin Medea 2004 The Marriage of Figaro Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Cherubino 2003 Shosha Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Betty Slonim 2002 The Slave Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Vanda/Sarah 2001 A Midsummer Night's Dream Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Puck 2000 Mr. Brink Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Aunt Demetria 1999 Eating Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Isabel 1999 Intrigue and Love Gesher Theater Leander Haubmann Lady Milford 1997 Three Sisters Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Masha 1996 The City Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Basia / little Babel 1995 Tartuffe Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Dorina 1994 The Lower Depths Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Natasha 1993 Adam Resurrected Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Jeny / Gretchen 1992 Idiot Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Aglaya 1992 The Cabal of Hypocrites Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Armand 1991 Dreyfus Affair Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Miriam 1991 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Gesher Theater Yevgeny Aryeh Ophelia