# Kadia Saraf
**Kadia Saraf** is a Swiss-born American actress and writer, best known as Detective Claudette Wallace on *Dexter: Resurrection* (2025) and for her recurring role as U.S. Attorney Anya Avital on *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6086835/) She holds Swiss, Israeli, and American citizenship and works primarily in New York.[2](https://www.filmmakers.eu/en/actors/kadia-saraf)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Signature role | Detective Claudette Wallace, series regular on *Dexter: Resurrection* (Showtime, 2025–2026, 10 episodes in season 1)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6086835/) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/94184/kadia-saraf) |
| Recurring TV role | U.S. Attorney Anya Avital on *Law & Order: Special Victims Unit* (2021–2023) and *Law & Order: Organized Crime* (2023)[4](https://www.etalenta.eu/members/profile/kadia-saraf) |
| Born | November 9, in Switzerland; IMDb lists Bern[5](https://www.imdb.com/de/name/nm6086835/bio/) |
| Nationality | Swiss, Israeli, and American (triple citizen)[2](https://www.filmmakers.eu/en/actors/kadia-saraf) • [6](https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/960712-2682464) |
| Languages | Hebrew (mother tongue), English, German, and Swiss German (fluent), American Sign Language, basic Arabic and Aramaic[4](https://www.etalenta.eu/members/profile/kadia-saraf) |
| Training | Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, 2012–2013; later coaching with Ted Sluberski, Bob Krakower, Adam Kee, and Kathleen Turner[2](https://www.filmmakers.eu/en/actors/kadia-saraf) |
| Writing credit | "Story by" on the *Law & Order: SVU* episode "Jumped In" (season 24, January 5, 2023)[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/94184/kadia-saraf) • [7](https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/dexter-resurrection-kadia-saraf-claudette-wallace-episode-7-interview/) |
## Television career
Saraf's early television credits were small guest parts: Jill on *Rescue Me* (2006), Hostage 2 on *[Blindspot](https://www.edgepedia.org/blindspot-tv-series)* (2015), an interviewer on *Madam Secretary* (2017), a role in *Counterpart* (2018), and Maya Elazar on *The Blacklist* (2017).[4](https://www.etalenta.eu/members/profile/kadia-saraf) Her profile rose with the recurring part of U.S. Attorney Anya Avital on *[Law & Order](https://www.edgepedia.org/law-and-order-franchise): Special Victims Unit*, appearing in four episodes of season 23 (2021) and returning in season 24 (2023), and she played the same character in one episode of *Law & Order: Organized Crime*.[8](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-946875/filmographie/) Guest roles followed on *FBI: International* as Legal Attaché Erin Padilla (2022), *Blue Bloods* as Regina (2023), and *The Good Fight* as Talia Aaronson (2020).[4](https://www.etalenta.eu/members/profile/kadia-saraf) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/94184/kadia-saraf) In 2025 she appeared as Chief PM in one episode of *The Better Sister*, directed by [Craig Gillespie](https://www.edgepedia.org/craig-gillespie).[6](https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/960712-2682464)
## Dexter: Resurrection
Saraf's most prominent role is Detective Claudette Wallace on *Dexter: Resurrection*, a Showtime series in which the title character has moved to New York City.[7](https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/dexter-resurrection-kadia-saraf-claudette-wallace-episode-7-interview/) In a 2025 interview with ComicBook.com, Saraf described how the role came about: actor [David Zayas](https://www.edgepedia.org/david-zayas), a longtime friend, pointed her to the character in the script, she taped an audition in December 2024, and the production cast her from the tape without an in-person callback.[7](https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/dexter-resurrection-kadia-saraf-claudette-wallace-episode-7-interview/) She prepared by writing an extensive notebook in Claudette's voice about the case and building a chart of serial killers, and she described the character as having a flat affect and a hyperfocused quality that co-star Jack Alcott called "a human laser beam."[7](https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/dexter-resurrection-kadia-saraf-claudette-wallace-episode-7-interview/) Her character's first meeting with Dexter, played by [Michael C. Hall](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-c-hall), occurs in episode seven; Saraf deliberately avoided meeting Hall until that scene was filmed.[7](https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/dexter-resurrection-kadia-saraf-claudette-wallace-episode-7-interview/) TVmaze credits her with 10 episodes in the first season, and she returns for the second season in 2026.[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/94184/kadia-saraf) • [8](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-946875/filmographie/)
## Writing
Saraf holds a Writers Guild of America East membership alongside her [SAG-AFTRA](https://www.edgepedia.org/sag-aftra) membership.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6086835/) She received a "Story by" credit on the *Law & Order: SVU* episode "Jumped In," which aired on January 5, 2023.[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/94184/kadia-saraf) In her account, she brought the episode's concept, drawn from her study of [American Sign Language](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-sign-language) and the deaf community's experience with the justice system in New York, to the showrunner, who agreed to develop it; staff writers wrote the teleplay while she supplied the story's key points.[7](https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/dexter-resurrection-kadia-saraf-claudette-wallace-episode-7-interview/)
## Background and training
Saraf was born in Switzerland on November 9; her IMDb biography, self-verified through IMDbPro, places the birth in Bern, while TV Insider lists Zürich.[5](https://www.imdb.com/de/name/nm6086835/bio/) • [9](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kadia-saraf/) She was raised in both Israel and Switzerland and speaks Hebrew as her mother tongue along with English, German, Swiss German, and American Sign Language.[6](https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/960712-2682464) • [4](https://www.etalenta.eu/members/profile/kadia-saraf) She trained at the [Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute](https://www.edgepedia.org/lee-strasberg-theatre-and-film-institute) in Los Angeles and New York from 2012 to 2013, then continued with coaches including Ted Sluberski (2017–2023), Bob Krakower (2017–2022), Adam Kee (2017–2022), and [Kathleen Turner](https://www.edgepedia.org/kathleen-turner) (2021), and studied improv at the [Upright Citizens Brigade](https://www.edgepedia.org/upright-citizens-brigade).[2](https://www.filmmakers.eu/en/actors/kadia-saraf) Her film work includes the supporting role of Sarit in *First We Take Brooklyn* (2018), directed by Danny A. Abeckaser.[4](https://www.etalenta.eu/members/profile/kadia-saraf) Her resume lists a background in martial arts, including a self-described former Israeli national championship in Kenpo Jitsu, and weapons and stunt training.[6](https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/960712-2682464) She has been married to actor Terry Serpico since June 8, 2022.[5](https://www.imdb.com/de/name/nm6086835/bio/)
## References
1. [Kadia Saraf, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6086835/)
2. [Kadia Saraf, Filmmakers Europe](https://www.filmmakers.eu/en/actors/kadia-saraf)
3. [Kadia Saraf, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/94184/kadia-saraf)
4. [Kadia Saraf, e-Talenta](https://www.etalenta.eu/members/profile/kadia-saraf)
5. [Kadia Saraf, IMDb biography](https://www.imdb.com/de/name/nm6086835/bio/)
6. [Kadia Saraf resume, Actors Access](https://resumes.actorsaccess.com/960712-2682464)
7. [Dexter: Resurrection's Kadia Saraf Talks Episode 7, Creating Claudette, and More, ComicBook.com](https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/dexter-resurrection-kadia-saraf-claudette-wallace-episode-7-interview/)
8. [Kadia Saraf : Filmographie, AlloCiné](https://www.allocine.fr/personne/fichepersonne-946875/filmographie/)
9. [Kadia Saraf, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/kadia-saraf/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of Africa and the Middle East*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license