# Isidora Goreshter
**Isidora Goreshter** (also known as Isidora Miriam Goreshter) is an American actress best known for playing Svetlana Yevgenivna on the Showtime comedy-drama series *Shameless* from 2013 to 2018. She was born in 1981 in [Long Beach, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/long-beach-california), and her screen work also includes the films *Paranoia* (2013) and *Clara's Ghost* (2018) and the series *Condor*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019617/) • [2](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/isidora-goreshter/umc.cpc.18ucpr20ilaoszhfe7vizltpm)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1981, Long Beach, California, USA[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019617/) |
| Signature role | Svetlana Yevgenivna on *Shameless*, 2013–2018, 53 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019617/) |
| Role's growth | The Svetlana part was written as a minor recurring character when she auditioned in 2013; she was made a series regular in 2016[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019617/) |
| Education | Degrees in art history and theater from California State University, Long Beach[3](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2149323/) |
| Languages | Speaks fluent Russian and Yiddish, with a natural American accent[4](https://portfolio.moremedavoy.com/isidora-goreshter) |
| Later series work | Kat Gnezdy in *Condor* season 2 (8 episodes, 2020); Paula in *Grey's Anatomy* (2019)[5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/26817/isidora-goreshter) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019617/) |
## Early life and training
Goreshter was born and raised in Long Beach, California. She is a first-generation American raised immersed in Russian culture, art, and food, and she has visited Russia with her family to see where her roots come from.[6](https://www.jaehakim.com/2016/01/go-away-with-isidora-goreshter/) She speaks fluent Russian and Yiddish.[4](https://portfolio.moremedavoy.com/isidora-goreshter)
Her childhood was filled with activities she describes as typical for a Russian kid: acting in commercials, modeling, dancing, gymnastics, piano, and violin. She once considered pursuing Olympic-level gymnastics, but acting was the creative pursuit that stuck through early adulthood.[6](https://www.jaehakim.com/2016/01/go-away-with-isidora-goreshter/) • [7](https://www.hngn.com/articles/167789/20160108/shameless-star-isidora-goreshter-talks-sixth-season-and-the-terrible-audition-for-an-unnamed-character-that-landed-her-a-recurring-role.htm) She began performing on stage at age three, studied classical ballet, and competed in gymnastics as a child, and later earned degrees in art history and theater from [California State University, Long Beach](https://www.edgepedia.org/california-state-university-long-beach).[3](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2149323/) After college she ran her own theater company and did stage work before returning fully to screen acting, and she has described the acting teacher Anthony Meindl as her mentor.[8](https://montecristomagazine.com/arts/shameless-actress-isidora-goreshter)
## Shameless and Svetlana
Goreshter's audition for *Shameless* in 2013 was for a one-day co-star role with a chance of recurring, for a character who did not even have a name; her trailer sign read "Russian Prostitute." She has called the audition one of the worst of her life, involving faking a massage of a wooden chair while acting with a Russian accent, and she apologized to her manager in advance for the feedback she expected. She was put on hold the next day.[7](https://www.hngn.com/articles/167789/20160108/shameless-star-isidora-goreshter-talks-sixth-season-and-the-terrible-audition-for-an-unnamed-character-that-landed-her-a-recurring-role.htm)
In her first episode, Svetlana is a Russian sex worker at a massage parlor hired by Terry Milkovich, the homophobic father of Mickey Milkovich ([Noel Fisher](https://www.edgepedia.org/noel-fisher)). The show brought her back a few weeks later, still without lines or a name, and after season three wrapped, producers told her they wanted her back and "Svetlana was born."[7](https://www.hngn.com/articles/167789/20160108/shameless-star-isidora-goreshter-talks-sixth-season-and-the-terrible-audition-for-an-unnamed-character-that-landed-her-a-recurring-role.htm) The character grew into a major presence: she becomes pregnant with Mickey's child and is forced to marry him, and she later becomes entangled in a three-way relationship with Kevin and Veronica and even owns the Alibi Room bar for a period.[7](https://www.hngn.com/articles/167789/20160108/shameless-star-isidora-goreshter-talks-sixth-season-and-the-terrible-audition-for-an-unnamed-character-that-landed-her-a-recurring-role.htm) • [9](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/cast-shameless-where-now-012645850.html) Goreshter was made a series regular in 2016 and appeared in 53 episodes through 2018, leaving the show at the end of season 8.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019617/) • [9](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/cast-shameless-where-now-012645850.html) Of the character, she has said, "She's the ultimate hustler. She's incredibly strong, a survivalist; and she will do whatever it takes to protect her family and herself."[7](https://www.hngn.com/articles/167789/20160108/shameless-star-isidora-goreshter-talks-sixth-season-and-the-terrible-audition-for-an-unnamed-character-that-landed-her-a-recurring-role.htm)
## Film and television after Shameless
In 2013, the same year she first appeared on *Shameless*, Goreshter appeared in the films *A Leading Man* (as Morgan Tucker) and *Paranoia* (as Hospital Nurse #1).[9](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/cast-shameless-where-now-012645850.html) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019617/) After leaving *[Shameless](https://www.edgepedia.org/shameless-american-tv-series)* at the end of season 8, she took the female lead role of Kat Gnezdy in season 2 of the MGM/Skydance thriller series *[Condor](https://www.edgepedia.org/condor-tv-series)* for Amazon, starring opposite [Max Irons](https://www.edgepedia.org/max-irons), and appeared in Netflix's romantic comedy *Happy Anniversary* (2018) as Georgia.[4](https://portfolio.moremedavoy.com/isidora-goreshter) • [9](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/cast-shameless-where-now-012645850.html)
Her film work includes the Sundance movie *Clara's Ghost* (2018), directed by Bridey Elliott, in which she played Adelia, and Theresa Rebeck's indie *Trouble* (2017), in which she played Young Maggie, a young version of [Anjelica Huston](https://www.edgepedia.org/anjelica-huston)'s character.[4](https://portfolio.moremedavoy.com/isidora-goreshter) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019617/) On television she guest-starred as Paula in *Grey's Anatomy* (2019, one episode) and as Elena in *2 Broke Girls*, and she appeared in *The Five Rules of Success* (2020) and *The Portrait* (2023) as Officer Bartlett.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019617/) • [5](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/26817/isidora-goreshter) She also shot the [HBO Max](https://www.edgepedia.org/hbo-max)/John Wells pilot *Red Bird Lane*, starring opposite [Susan Sarandon](https://www.edgepedia.org/susan-sarandon), though the series was not picked up.[4](https://portfolio.moremedavoy.com/isidora-goreshter)
## References
1. [Isidora Goreshter, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3019617/)
2. [Isidora Goreshter Movies and Shows, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/isidora-goreshter/umc.cpc.18ucpr20ilaoszhfe7vizltpm)
3. [Isidora Goreshter, elCinema](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2149323/)
4. [Isidora Goreshter, More Medavoy portfolio](https://portfolio.moremedavoy.com/isidora-goreshter)
5. [Isidora Goreshter, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/26817/isidora-goreshter)
6. [Go Away With … Isidora Goreshter, Jae-Ha Kim (Tribune Content Agency), January 12, 2016](https://www.jaehakim.com/2016/01/go-away-with-isidora-goreshter/)
7. ['Shameless' Star Isidora Goreshter Talks Sixth Season, Her Terrible Audition, And Securing A Recurring Role, HNGN, January 8, 2016](https://www.hngn.com/articles/167789/20160108/shameless-star-isidora-goreshter-talks-sixth-season-and-the-terrible-audition-for-an-unnamed-character-that-landed-her-a-recurring-role.htm)
8. ["Shameless" Actress Isidora Goreshter, MONTECRISTO Magazine](https://montecristomagazine.com/arts/shameless-actress-isidora-goreshter)
9. [The cast of "Shameless": Where are they now?, Yahoo Entertainment](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/cast-shameless-where-now-012645850.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames Go to G*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license