Yllka Gashi

Yllka Gashi is an award-winning actress whose powerful performances have earned her international acclaim. She began her acting career at 17, debuting as Ophelia in Hamlet by William Shakespeare, directed by David Gothard - CBE, at the National Theatre of Kosovo in 1999. A year later, she was accepted into the Acting Program at the University of Prishtina as an exceptional candidate. 

During the 2000s, Yllka became a household name in Kosovo and the Albanian diaspora, starring as the beloved Zana in over 300 episodes of the hit TV series Familja Moderne on Radio Television of Kosovo.

After immigrating to the United States in 2015, Yllka made her American stage debut in the acclaimed Off-Broadway production Women on Fire: Stories from the Frontlines, written and directed by Chris Henry at Royal Family Productions in New York City. Her international breakthrough came with her mesmerizing portrayal of Fahrije in Blerta Basholli’s feature film Hive. The film made history at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, winning three major awards in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition, and became the first Albanian film shortlisted for the Best International Feature at the 94th Academy Awards. 

Now based in the Greater New York City area, Yllka remains a celebrated figure in her homeland and a passionate advocate, having served as a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF and Artist Ambassador for Save the Children in Kosovo.