Marziyya Yusuf gizi Davudova, also spelled Marziya Davudova, (Azerbaijani: Mərziyyə Davudova; Russian: Марзия Юсуф кызы Даву́дова; 8 December 1901 – 6 January 1962) was a Russian-born Soviet Azerbaijani actress who starred in theatre and silent film.^[1] She was awarded the People's Artist of the USSR (1949).^[2][3]

Marziyya Davudova was born on 8 December 1901 in Astrakhan, Russian Empire (now Russia),^[4] into a family of Astrakhan Tatar origins.^[5] She graduated from the Jamiyyat-i Kheyriyya Islamiyya school.^{[citation needed]} In 1917, she debuted as an actress at the local Astrakhan Tatar Drama Theatre.^[2]

In 1918, her talent was noticed by Azerbaijani actor Huseyn Arablinski who was visiting Astrakhan at the time.^{[citation needed]} After the play and a short interview, Arablinski invited Davudova to pursue an acting career in Baku.^[6] In 1920, she settled in Baku, Azerbaijan and joined the Arablinski theatre troupe, acting at the Azerbaijan State Academic National Drama Theatre.^[2]

Many of her early roles portrayed the government-propagated heroic and independent image of the new-era Soviet woman, as seen in Sevil by Jafar Jabbarly, Hayat by Mirza Ibrahimov, Lyubov Yarovaya by Konstantin Trenyov, etc.^[7]

Throughout her career, she also starred in films such as Bakhtiyar, Haji Gara, Bir aila, Bakinin ishiglari, Bir mahallali iki oghlan, Koroghlu, Asl dost, etc.^[8] Her last role was that of the Mother in a theatre play based on Alexis Parnis's Aphrodite's Island in 1961.^{[citation needed]}

She was awarded the following awards the Honored Artist of the Azerbaijan SSR (1933); the People's Artiste of the Azerbaijan SSR (1936); the People's Artist of the USSR (1949); and Stalin Prize (or USSR State Prize) of the second degree (1948) for her role in the play "Morning of the East" by E. G. Mammadkhanli.^[2]

Davudova died on 6 January 1962 in Baku, aged 60, after a long struggle with cancer.^[4]

Marziyya Davudova was the partner of actor and director Abbas Mirza Sharifzadeh,^[9] who was executed by a Soviet Union firing squad for his political activities and connections. She was the mother of actress Firangiz Sharifova, and great-grandmother of Eurovision Song Contest 2011 winner Eldar Gasimov.^[9][5]

• List of People's Artistes of the Azerbaijan SSR