Favori Türk Ünlülerim

Tuncel Kurtiz was born in 1936, Izmit-Turkey. He graduated from Istanbul University, English Language and Literature and started acting in 1956 with Dormen Theatre. With the movie 'Suru', he reached the peak of his acting career. Kurtiz received many awards in Turkey and also abroad. He also known as director, producer and scenarist.

Serif Sezer is a Turkish actress. She is also known for her roles in Turkish cult films like Mustafa Hakkinda Hersey / Everything About Mustafa and Babam ve Oglum / My Father and My Son. She was born in 1946 in Mudanya and she has Rumelian, Georgian and Laz roots.

Haluk Bilginer is a Turkish actor. In addition to his acting career in Turkey, he has also worked in the United Kingdom and remains known for his role as Mehmet Osman in the television soap opera EastEnders (1985) during the 1980s. He has also starred in Hollywood movies as a minor actor. He played a villainous guerrilla leader in the 1987 comedy film Ishtar (1987) (one of the most notorious flops in movie history) and a Turkish Mafioso in the 2001 dark comedy film Buffalo Soldiers (2001). He played the character of Emre Celenk in the episode of Persephone in MI-5 (2002) 2004.

Bilginer was born in Izmir, Turkey. He graduated from Ankara State Conservatory in 1977 before going to England where he graduated from London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. He landed his first role at EastEnders (1985). Bilginer makes his first appearance in EastEnders (1985) as Mehmet Osman on-screen in June 1985, four months after the show originally aired. His arrival coincides with a cot death story line of Sue and Ali's baby, Hassan. Mehmet appears as a recurring character from 1985-1987, setting up a cab firm named Ozcabs from inside Ali's cafe; however, he becomes a regular in 1988, when both he and his wife Guizin (Ishia Bennison) are made partners in Ali's cafe, which is renamed Café Osman. Mehmet is portrayed as a charmer, a rogue and a womanizer. Author of The EastEnders (1985) Handbook, Hilary Kingsley, has said of him, "he tries it on with every woman he meets and sometimes succeeds through a combination of good looks and sheer audacity." A serial gambler, Mehmet was shown to steer Ali into various money-losing ploys, and had a combustible marriage to Guizin, who put up with his philandering, as in the Turkish community, that's "what a wife was expected to do".

Described as "the Terrible Turk", Haluk Bilginer was one of the more popular male cast members on EastEnders (1985) during the 1980s, and he reportedly received sackfuls of fan mail, "despite playing a villain and a womanizing snake". Hilary Kingsley has said that what made the character so popular was Bilginer's Omar Sharif-style good looks and charm. Following the departure of Holland and Smith, Mehmet was eventually written out of the serial in May 1989, in a story line that signified the disbandment of the Osman family. On-screen, Mehmet returns to his native Cyprus after a fight with Guizin regarding her suspicions about Mehmet's fabricated affair with Sue. The Osman family were among many characters to leave the serial that year. Writer Colin Brake has commented, "the pace of comings and going was fast and furious during 1989, as the program me tried to find a new direction." Bilginer went into musical theatre after leaving EastEnders (1985). During the course of the show, he came to Turkey to star in the 1987 TV series Gecenin Öteki Yüzü (1987) (The Other Side of the Night), where he met his eventual first wife Zuhal Olcay, famous Turkish actress and singer. After dividing his time in London and Istanbul for six years, he left the show to stay in Turkey permanently and married Zuhal Olcay in 1992. He guest starred in an episode of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles (1992) as Ismet Inönü, and went on to star in the Yavuz Özkan film "Iki Kadin (1992)" (Two Women). He then starred in various movies including the controversial Istanbul Beneath My Wings (1996) (Istanbul Under My Wings) and the famous Sawdust Tales (1997) (Master, Kill Me). After critical acclaim for these roles, he earned his first award as a supporting actor in Innocence (1997) (Innocence). After deciding he wants to pursue career on stage, he founded "Tiyatro Stüdyosu" (Theatre Studio) with his ex-wife Zuhal Olcay and Ahmet Levendoglu in 1990. After starring in various plays for six years, he had to return to screen in 1996 because of a fire that has destroyed the theater. He and his wife starred in television and movies to raise money to found another theater.

During this era, he starred in Eyvah Kizim Büyüdü (2000) (Oh My, My Daughter Has Grown), starting his second era in television. After years of work, he and his wife managed to start a second theater, called "Oyun Atölyesi" (Play Workshop). His most famous role however came after he started his second theater. He landed a role in Tatli Hayat (2001), a remake of The Jeffersons (1975). He played the role of Ihsan Yildirim, an angry and foul-mouthed, yet lovable dry cleaner. He was accompanied by legendary actress Türkan Soray, who played his wife, Asuman Dabak playing the witty cleaner, Neco playing the Greek neighbor (The enmity between Greeks and Turks were put instead of the Black-White one in the original) and Çolpan Ilhan playing Neco's wife. He and the show's breakthrough character Irfan (played by Celal Kadri Kinoglu) are regarded as the best characters in Turkish TV history. He divorced Zuhal Olcay in 2004 and began a relationship with Askin Nur Yengi, a famous Turkish singer. They married in 2006 and had a girl. After Tatli Hayat (2001), he starred in Where's Firuze? (2004) (Where Are You Firuze?), Hirsiz Var! (2005) (Thief!) and Killing the Shadows (2006) (Why Were Hacivat&Karagöz Murdered?). His most recent role in Police (2007) (Police) however, is his most critically acclaimed role after Tatli Hayat (2001). His portrayal of the troubled police legend Musa Rami has gained critical acclaim from both critics and viewers, who thought the movie was too experimental. Bilginer, however, has said that he will work in all of Onur Ünlü's (screenwriter and director of Police (2007)) movies, even as an extra if required. Bilginer played the role of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in an Is Bank commercial, which first aired on 10 November 2007 during the 69th commemorations of Atatürk's death. In 2009 , He play in famous Turkish series Ezel (2009) during the second season. He became famous with this role around many countries . Bilginer co-starred in the 2009 American thriller The International (2009) as Ahmet Sunay, a Turkish high-tech missile guidance system dealer. He was accompanied by Clive Owen and Naomi Watts in this movie. Bilginer plays Aydin, an imposing Grey-haired former actor, in Winter Sleep (2014), which won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014.

She is of Albanian origin on her mother's side and Dagestan origin on her father's side. She completed her education at Bursa Anatolian Girls' High School.

She started her career in cinema with Erden Kiral's Bereketli Topraklar Üzerinde (On Fertile Soils) and won the "Best Actress" award twice at the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival. To date, she has appeared in more than forty films and television series. Her first international work was the film Ayna in 1984. This film won the Oscar Award for "Best Foreign Language Film" in 1991. Umuda Yolculuk (1990), Dunkle Schatten der Angst (1993) and Yara (1998) followed.

She married Bülent Kayabas for the first time in 1981. She later married Sarp Kuray, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for being the leader of the armed leftist organisation 16 June Movement. Sürer, who is closely interested in women's rights, is also known for her political stance. In 2007, she participated in the 1 May celebrations in Istanbul and was detained by the police but was released one day later.

Sürer played the character of "Neriman Kozcuoglu" in the TV series Asi, which was broadcast on Kanal D between 2007-2009.

In 2021, Surer returned to the cinema with the film Sen, Ben Lenin and continued his TV acting career with the 2023 TV series Aile.

Erkan Can began acting in 1974 at the age of 16 with the local Bursa State Theater and took acting classes at the Industrial Vocational High School. From 1982 to 1984 he undertook his compulsory military service. In 1985 he entered the theatre department of the Istanbul State Conservatory and made his first screen appearance, alongside Kemal Sunal, in Davaci (1986) directed by Zeki Ökten before graduating in 1990.

From 1991 to 1992 he performed with the Bakirkoy Municipal Theatre. He had his first major roles in the television series Mahallenin Muhtarlari (1992) and Yalanci (1993) for TRT. He had a minor appearance in Sokaktaki Adam (1995), directed by Biket Ilhan, and a featured role in the short Bana Old and Wise'i Çal (1998), directed by Çagan Irmak before achieving success with On Board (1998), directed by Serdar Akar, for which he won best actor awards at film festivals in Antalya and Ankara as well as the Orhan Anzac Award.

A series of film a television roles followed, including appearances in Vizontele (2001), directed by Yilmaz Erdohan and Ömer Faruk Sorak, and Istanbul Tales (2005), directed by Ümit Ünal et al. Appearances in Destiny (2006), directed by Zeki Demirkubuz, and The Edge of Heaven (2006), directed by Fatih Akin were followed by, what Rekin Teksoy describes as, a "convincing performance" in Takva: A Man's Fear of God (2007), directed by Özer Kiziltan, for which he won best actor awards at film festivals in Antalya and Nuremberg as well as the Asia Pacific Screen Award.

Demet Evgar is a Turkish theater, film, and TV actor. She is the advocate of women rights as a Goodwill ambassador at UN woman.

Upon graduating from Istanbul University's National Conservatory as a theatre major. She started her theater career at the Tiyatro Kilcik, which she founded with her conservatory friends, and continued at the Kenter Tiyatrosu. After acting in the plays "Gece Mevsimi", "Anna Karenina", "39 Basamak" and "Cimri" as one of the cast of Kent Players, Evgar founded her own theater, Tiyatro Pangar. At Tiyatro Pangar she took part in the plays "Macbeth", "Soytarim Kral Lear", "Kozalar" and "Hedda Gabler". Tiyatro Pangar where she was able to get her fully locally produced play 'Kozalar' to the Avignon-Off Festival, one of the most prestigious in the world.

In addition to her TV performances in ''1 Kadin 1 Erkek", 'Avlu", and 'Alev Alev', she gave life to unforgettable characters in movies such as Banyo", "Beyza'nin Kadinlari", "Yahsi Bati", "Sen Aydinlatirsin Geceyi" "Askin Gören Gözlere Ihtiyaci Yok", "Sofra Sirlari", "Aile Arasinda", and "Topal Sükran'in Maceralari".

Ever since stepping foot onto the stage at age 17, Evgar has described acting as her life's purpose and she continues to serve this purpose through her performances as well as helping others find their purpose as an acting teacher in Hata Yapim Atölyesi which she founded.

Evgar has been honored with many awards for her performances in theater, film, and TV and has also been one of the recipients of the prestigious 'Best Ten Female Comedy Actors in the History of Turkish Cinema award.

Kivanc Tatlitug was born on October 27, 1983 in Adana, Turkey.

Graduated from Istanbul Kultur University Communication Designs-Multimedia and Cinema. His mother is from Edirne, Turkey. His paternal grandmother is Bosnian immigrant from Sarajevo. His paternal grandfather is Albanian immigrant from Pristina. His professional career started with modeling in 2002. After modeling career, his acting career began with the TV Series "Gumus" (2005) by the leading role "Mehmet". "Gumus" is known as first Turkish TV series which was sold to Middle East. He had guest role in fantasy series Acemi Cadi (2006) of Turkish adaptation "Sabrina The Teenage Witch" with Merve Bolugur for second time.

Afterwards Kivanc Tatlitug has gained large fan base abroad predominantly in Middle East, Balkans, North Africa and Turkic Republics. He was invited by many Film Festivals like Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Muscat, Doha Tribeca (as a Guest of Honor) and won many honorary awards.

Right after "Gumus" he continued his acting career in leading roles as Halil in the series "Menekse ile Halil", as Muzaffer in the movie "Amerikalilar Karadeniz'de", as Behlül in the TV series "Ask-i Memnu", as a guest star Sekiz in the TV series "Ezel", as Kuzey in the TV series "Kuzey Guney", as Muzaffer Tayyip Uslu in the movie "Kelebegin Ruyasi", as Kurt Seyit in the TV series "Kurt Seyit ve Shura" , Cesur in the TV series "Cesur ve Guzel", Ali in the movie "Hadi Be Oglum" and as Saruhan in the movie "Organize Isler Sazan Sarmali" and as Kadir Adali in the Tv series called " Carpisma ".

Throughout his acting career he won numerous "Best Actor" awards such as 36th Golden Butterfly TV Awards (2009), 17th Sadri Alisik Theatre and Cinema Awards (2012), 39th Butterfly TV Awards (2012), 18th Golden Lens Award (2012), Siyad-Turkish Film Critics Association Best Actor Award (2014),

"Creators of Their Own Miracles Award" in 44.Golden Butterfly Awards (2017) and "The Male Brand Award" presented by Marketing Turkey in 2018.

Recently, Kivanc Tatlitug was awarded as "Best Actor in Comedy " in 19th Sadri Alisik Theater and Cinema Awards (2019).

Furthermore, Kivanc Tatlitug also won "Best Actor" awards from many Universities, Educational and Public Institutions internationally.

Off-screen, Kivanc Tatlitug is the youngest Unicef Goodwill Ambassador ever in the world and continues working for children.

Türkan Soray (her last name begins S-cedilla) is one of four big female stars of the old Turkish cinema.

Türkan was born to a railway-officer father and a housewife mother. She started in Turkish cinema at the age of 15, when she accompanied her friend, neighbor Emel Yildiz (also known as Panther Emel due to her sensitivity for animal rights) to a film set. There she was discovered by Turker Inanoglu and the leading actress role was taken from Emel and given to Türkan in that film, Köyde Bir Kiz Sevdim (1960). After that her career developed steadily and she become the most desired women in movies during the 1960's due to her beauty and talent. Despite her success, some of her movies made losses as her movies with similar plots were shown in cinemas. Due to high interest in Türkan from producers, she dictated some principles, frequently mentioned as "The rules of Turkan Soray", to the producers. These laws consisted of some constraints about place, non-nudity, working hours, some penalties in violations and so on. These rules weren't opposed by the producers because of her popularity and the box office success of her movies. She had many national and international nominations and awards and she was chosen to be an "Artist of State" by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Turkey.

In the 1990's, she appeared in some TV productions. Notably, the Ikinci Bahar and Tatli Hayat TV series can be described as two of the best series of their kind at that time. She has been making a biographical cinema program, Sinema Benim Askim(Cinema is My Love) for NTV channel.

On 12 March 2010, she was chosen to be a goodwill ambassador by UNESCO.

In her personal life, she shared her life with Ruchan Adli during the early time of her career. Mr. Adli helped and advised her in her career development. They didn't marry but separated after 20 years. In 1983, she married Cihan Unal, but they divorced in 1987. They have a daughter called Yagmur.

Born in 1944 Istanbul, Turkey. Graduated from Vefa High School, Fatih, Istanbul. Sunal acted in many popular films, although he began his artistic career in the theater. His first play was called, "Unwilling Doctor" and he later worked at the Devekusu Kabare Theatre with Ulvi Uraz. Although Sunal had minor roles at first, after 1973 he was highly acclaimed for his roles in movies with large casts. He won the Antalya Film Festival's Golden Orange Award in 1977. He contributed greatly to Turkish cinema with his successful acting, including his roles in such movies as "Hababam Sinifi" (Outrageous Class), "Kapicilar Krali" (King of Janitors), "Salako" (Moron), "Inek Saban" (Shaban the Cow) and "Davaro". Sunal's latest role was in Sinan Cetin's border comedy "Propaganda"(1999). He also made a TV commercial.

Kemal Sunal died suddenly of a heart attack on July 3 at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport. he had just boarded the plane for Trabzon, where he was to take part in the filming of director Ali Ozgenturk's "Balalaika" (2000).

His death caused a wave of sorrow across Turkey. President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit and Minister of Culture Istemihan Talay and other politicians sent messages of condolence expressing their sorrow.

Merve Dizdar was born on 25 June 1986 in Izmir, Turkey. She is an actress, known for About Dry Grasses (2023), Snow and the Bear (2022) and Alice the Musical (2023). She has been married to Cihan Ayger since 9 June 2024. She was previously married to Gürhan Altundasar.

Tarik Akan's real name is Tarik Üregül and he was born in Istanbul in 1949 and grew up in the other parts of Turkey because of his father's job. His father was a colonel. Before he started his acting career he worked as a lifeguard on the beaches, rented boats to people... He also went on going to the university (Yildiz Teknik) at nights studying mechanical engineering.

He entered a contest of a famous magazine called "Voice(Ses)" back then to earn some money and he won the contest as a first runner up... He acted in his first film in 1970, at the age of 21... He left the university and joined the journalism faculty. He learnt film grammar from the famous Turkish film director 'Ertem Eilmez'. In 1974 the famous Turkish theatre director and writer 'Vasif Öngören' was his teacher. Back in the 70s, he took the young handsome lad roles in romantic comedies. Then going parallel with his age; he took roles in political strong dramas and he made it today. He has acted in 110 films and he took place in many unforgettable movies in the Turkish film history, won lots of awards from various festivals including Cannes, Berlin.

He directed several productions such as documentaries and serials for TV. He's been considered as the most handsome actor in Turkey also one of the best... He's been an educator for 11 years now and he wrote his first book "Anne Kafamda Bit Var" (biographical) in 2002. He's still going on with his acting career and keep enchanting his fans.

Fatma Girik was born on 12 December 1942 in Istanbul, Turkey. She was an actress and producer, known for Ezo Gelin (1968), Sürtügün Kizi (1967) and Bos Besik (1969). She died on 24 January 2022 in Istanbul, Turkey.

Early in his career, he mainly acted in comedy movies with Kemal Sunal such as "Hababam Sinifi", "Tosun Pasa", "Davaro" etc. Later, he had roles in movies criticizing Turkish society for its moral weaknesses as in "Milyarder", " Çiplak Vatandas" and the ones that reflected the contemporary social developments and problems as in "Zügürt Aga". He played in "Gönül Yarasi-Lovelorn" that was nominated to be the candidate for Academy Awards in 2005. He had many national and international awards and honored as a state artist by Turkish Republic in 1998.

Melisa Sözen is a Turkish actress, best known for her performance in Palme D'or winning Winter Sleep (2014).

Starting her professional career at the very early age of 15, Sözen starred in many Turkish TV hits including The Magnificient Century (2011), Subat (2012) and 7YUZ (2017). Melisa attracted international attention with her phenomenal acting in Nuri Bilge Ceylan's Palme D'or winning Winter Sleep in 2014. Following her role in the third season of Eric Rochant's influential series Le Bureau des Legendes in 2017, her first leading role in a French movie came in 2019 with Damien veut changer le monde.

After achieving an extra-ordinary level of critical success in her homeland by winning both Theater Critics Association's and Film Critics Association's awards for the actress in a leading role in 2015 with her performances in The Knot of the Heart and Winter Sleep, Sözen frequently was invited as a jury member to many international film festivals including Guanajuato International Film Festival (Mexico, 2015), Istanbul International Film Festival (Turkey, 2016), Sarajevo Film Festival (Bosnia Herzegovina, 2017) and Cannes Series (France, 2018). The actress speaks English and French.

Aras Bulut Iynemli is a Turkish actor. Iynemli has won numerous accolades for his acting since the beginning of his career. He is best known for his performances in the television series Oyle Bir Gecer Zaman ki (English: As Time Goes by), Muhtesem Yuzyil (English: Magnificent Century), Maral, Icerde (English: Inside) and Cukur (English: The Pit).

He has an older brother, actor Orcun Iynemli and an older sister, television host and singer Yesim Iynemli. Other relatives who are actors are Miray Daner (cousin), Cengiz Daner (uncle) and Ilhan Daner (great uncle).

After playing a role in 2-3 commercials, he got a role in the drama series Oyle Bir Gecer Zaman ki in 2010. This drama gained international success and Iynemli received a reward as well. Before this he had also worked in the drama Back Street, but he took a hiatus after the first part as he had to complete his education of aircraft engineering. He won OSS (SAT exam in Turkey) as one of first 100 students. He continued his studies at the Istanbul Technical University. In 2011, while he was 20 he received the Antalya Television Award for Best Supporting Actor.

In 2013 he appeared in the Azerbaijani-Turkish movie Mahmut and Meryem, based on a novel by Elcin Efendiyev. He played a disabled boy in Tamam miyiz? and portrayed Sehzade Bayezid on Muhtesem Yuzyil in the same year.

In 2015, Iynemli was selected to play the main male character in the series Maral: En Guzel Hikayem together with the actress Hazal Kaya. In 2016-17, he played the role of Umut Yilmaz / Mert Karadag in Icerde. In 2017, he began playing the role of Yamac Kocovali in Cukur.

In 2019, Iynemli portrayed a mentally ill father who was wrongly imprisoned for murder in 7. Kogustaki Mucize, which broke viewing records in Turkey within a short period. After the movie was broadcast on Netflix, it was well received by audience in France and Latin America.

In addition to his acting career, Iynemli has appeared in many advertising films and is the face of numerous brands.

She was born in Ankara, Turkey in 1943. After graduating from Ted Ankara College, she left university for a career in cinema. She was formerly married to producer / director 'Türker Inanoglu (I)' and they had one child - Ýlker.

He was born and grew up in Istanbul. He started his career at Bakirkoy Community Center Theatre. Later he worked at Ankara State Theatre, Istanbul State Theatre and Istanbul City Theatre. He also worked in small play houses with today's famous actors and actresses. He made his place in the theatre stronger with the play Fareler ve Insanlar (Mice and Men). Although he was a known stage actor he became famous nationwide with his movies, after 1950's.

In 1970's, he took part in many Ertem Egilmez movies which contained other famous names of the time. In those movies he mostly played with actress Adile Nasit as a duo and they became a memorable couple in the minds of the audience. His most known role is Kel Mahmut (Mahmut the Bald), who is the idealist principal of a high school with troubled students in Hababam Sinifi; movie series. Kel Mahmut (a.k.a. Mahmut Hoca) tries to help those students and guide them to a better life.

Ozkul, secluded himself from public when the TV started to become popular. Yet, he appeared in some TV shows as a guest star or in small parts.

Turkish Ministry of Culture awarded him with the title State Artist, in 1998.

In his youth he had some problems with his drinking habit. After that he spent the most of his life fighting against alcohol and by the 1990s he quit drinking, completely.

Ozkul's been married for 4 times and he has 3 children from those marriages. His first wife was Sadan, the second one was a famous actress Suna Selen, the third one was Yasar and the fourth and current one is Umman Ozkul with whom he's been married for 27 years now. One of his children, Guner Ozkul, is an actress and a TV presenter.

He's been suffering from Dementia since the early 2000s and, as a result of this disease, he almost never leaves home.

He's been battling with dementia and COPD for almost two decades and on January 5th, 2018 he lost that battle. He died at his home in Istanbul, where he lived the rest of his days with his family, at the age of 93.

Serenay Sarikaya was born 1 July 1992 in Ankara, Turkey. She is a Turkish actress and model. Sarikaya started to study at Antalya Saime Salih Konca High School. But she moved to Istanbul. So, she graduated from theatre department of Atasehir Adiguzel Fine Arts High School in Istanbul.

At the age of fourteen, she had minor roles in the movie "Saskin" (2006) and the film "Plajda" (2008). Her first leading role is in the fantasy child series Peri Masali (2008). With Kaan Urgancioglu, she played in series Limon Agaci (2008) and english short film "Hoscakal".

Her breakthrough role is "Sofia" in hit comedy crime series Adanali (2008-10). She came to international attention for her roles in series "Lale Devri", "Medcezir" Turkish remake of The O.C, "Fi" based on the novel and fantasy series "Sahmaran".

With Nejat Isler, she continued her movie career in franchise film series "Behzat C. Ankara Yaniyor" and "Ikimizin Yerine". Since 2019, Sarikaya performs in "Alice Müzikali", which a musical adaption based on the Alice in Wonderland. She received critical acclaim and won numerous accolades, including two Golden Butterfly Awards.

At the age of fifteen, she participated in a beauty competition and received a special award from the jury at the European Youth Beauty Competition. Later, Sarikaya became the first runner-up at Miss Turkey 2010. In addition to her acting career, Sarikaya has appeared in many advertising films and is the face of numerous brands. In 2014, she was chosen as the Woman of the Year by GQ Turkey.

Güney and his work were almost entirely unknown outside of his homeland Turkey until his 1981 escape from imprisonment in Turkey and his "discovery" the following year at the Cannes Film Festival for his autobiographical screenplay for Yol (1982), the festival's grand prize winner. Born in 1937 in a village near the southern city of Adana, Güney studied law and economics at the universities in Ankara and Istanbul, but by the age of 21 he found himself actively involved in filmmaking. As Yesilcam, the Turkish studio system, grew in strength, a handful of directors, including Atif Yilmaz, began to use the cinema as a means of addressing the problems of the people. Only state-sanctioned melodramas, war films and play adaptations had previously played in Turkish theaters, but these new filmmakers began to fill the screens with more artistic, personal and relevant pictures of Turkish & Kurdish life. The most popular name to emerge from the Young Turkish Cinema was that of Yilmaz Güney. Güney was a gruff-looking young actor who earned the moniker "Cirkin Kral," or "the Ugly King." After apprenticing as a screenwriter for and assistant to Atif Yilmaz, Güney soon began appearing in as many as 20 films a year and became Turkey's most popular actor. More than a screen idol, Güney was a Kurdish who believed in the Kurdish people and their way of life, as well as being personally committed to social change. Although the early 1960s brought some political reform to Turkey, Güney was imprisoned in 1961 for 18 months for publishing a "communist" novel. The country's political situation and Güney's relationship with the authorities only became more tense in the ensuing years. Not content with his star status atop the Turkish film industry, Güney began directing his own pictures in 1965 and, by 1968, had formed his own production company, Güney Filmcilik. Over the next few years, the titles of his films mirrored the feelings of the Kurdish people: Hope (1970); Agit (1971); _Acý (1971)_; The Hopeless Ones (1971). After 1972, however, Güney would spend most of his life in prison. Arrested for harboring anarchist students, Güney was jailed during preproduction on The Poor (1975) (completed in 1975), and before completing Anxiety (1974), which was finished in 1974 by Güney's assistant, Serif Gören. This was a cherished role that Gören would repeat over the next dozen years, directing several scripts that Güney wrote laboriously while behind bars. Released from prison in 1974 as part of a general amnesty, Güney was re-arrested that same year for shooting a judge. During this stretch of incarceration, his most successful screenplays were The Herd (1978) and The Enemy (1980), both directed by Zeki Ökten. After escaping from prison in 1981 and fleeing to France, Güney was greeted at the Cannes Film Festival with a Palme d'Or for Yol (1982), again directed by Gören. It was not until 1983 that Güney resumed directing, telling a brutal tale of imprisoned children in his final film, The Wall (1983), made in France with the cooperation of the French government. At that point, Güney's name was unspeakable in his homeland; eleven of the films he directed or appeared in were confiscated and reportedly burned to ashes; even so much as writing about Güney was forbidden. Despite the great international success of Yol and Duvar, Güney was ultimately a Kurdish director for the Kurdish people; his final separation from his home audience must have been even more painful to endure than his years of imprisonment.

Hülya Koçyigit is a Turkish actress. A prominent female lead in the Turkish cinema, she received numerous awards at international film festivals, including the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival. Altogether, she has acted in some 180 films. Koçyigit's father is a Muhajir from Bulgaria. She grew up in Istanbul and finished her secondary education in Ankara, where she attended Atatürk High School for Girls. She joined Istanbul City Theatre during her middle education. She then enrolled in Ankara Academy of State Art's ballet department for education in the arts.

Sadri Alisik, born Mehmet Sadrettin Alisik, was a stage and movie actor. Also, he was one of the best comedians in Turkey. He was the husband of Çolpan Ilhan.

He was a prolific actor. His movies that depicted poor, uneducated people of the society, who were happy and believed in love, the most were very popular in the 1960s and 1970s. His classical fun movies titled "Turist Ömer" were also great hits. He also had a leading role in the popular Turkish television series, "Kartallar Yüksek Uçar".

Alisik was also very interested in poetry and published his poems in a book called "Bir Ömürlük Istanbul" or Istanbul of a Lifetime.

He died on 18 March 1995. Alisik was laid to rest at the Zincirlikuyu Cemetery in Istanbul.

A cultural center was established in Istanbul by his wife, Çolpan Ilhan, after his death, under the name Sadri Alisik Kültür Merkezi (Sadri Alisik Culture Center).

She was born on August 13 1985 in Izmir. She graduated from Mersin University Fine Arts Faculty - Department of Opera. She began her acting training at Sahne Tozu Theater.

She made her acting debut in the TV drama series, "Öyle Bir Geçer Zaman Ki" in 2011-2012. Following that, she starred in other TV series; "Ask Kaç Beden Giyer", "Bir Ask Hikayesi", "Kurt Seyit ve Shura", "Kiralik Ask/Love for Rent", "Çarpisma/Crash", and Netflix original series "Yasamayanlar/Immortals."

Elçin Sangu's first role in the silver screen was "Mutluluk Zamani" in 2017. She also starred in an Ezel Akay film "9 Kere Leyla/Leyla Everlasting" in 2020, which premiered in Netflix.

In 2015, with Defne character she played in "Kiralik Ask", she got the "Best Actress" awards from "Radyo Televizyon Gazetecileri Dernegi", "Ayakli Gazete", "MGD 22. Altin Objektif" and from many other universities, educative, and public organizations. Lastly, she won the "Best Actress in Comedy" award from "43. Pantene Golden Butterfly Awards". In January 2018 for her performance in the TV series "Kiralik Ask", Elçin Sangu was given Best International Actress award by DIAFA (Distinctive International Arab Festivals Awards).

Çetin Tekindor is considered to be one of Turkey's best actors and most respected artists today. He was born in Sivas, Turkey in 1945. He graduated from Ankara State Conservatory in 1970, and his stage career started with the play "Murat IV". He is one of the most impressive performers in Turkish film and television thanks to his charismatic acting and his distinctive voice. In the successful TV drama "Karadayi" (2012-2015) he captured the hearts of the viewers with his inimitable readings of famous poems. During his long career he gave classes about stage and diction at the State Conservatory of Haceteppe University and the Theater Department of Bilkent University. Younger actors often refer to him as "Cetin hoca" (teacher).

Tekindor became famous after he starred in the TV drama "Küçük Aga", directed by Yücel Çakmak in 1983. In 1978 he was awarded "best actor" for his work in the play "Genç Werther'in Acilari" by the Ankara Art Association. His first film work was "Kaçamak" (The Love Affair) (1987), in which he acted with Basar Sabuncu and Müjde Ar. Over the years took roles and starred in many TV dramas such as "Dönemeç" (The Turn) (1988), "Önce Canan" (1988), "Son Türbedar" (1996), "Kerem" (1999), "Yilan Hikayesi" (1999), "Tutku Çemberi" (2000), "Üzgünüm Leyla" (2002), "Çaylak" (2003), "Bir Istanbul Masali" (An Istanbul Tale) (2003), "Seytan Ayrintida Gizlidir" (Satan Is Hidden In Details) (2004), "Ödünç Hayat" (Borrowed Life) (2005), "Kabuslar Evi-Hayal-i Cihan" (House Of Nightmares: The dream of Cihan) (2006), "Asi" (2007), "Bir Çocuk Sevdim" (I Loved a Girl) (2011), "Karadayi" (2012), "Içerde" (Inside) (2016) and in films like "Yavrularim" (My Babies) (1984), "Kaçamak" (The Love Affair) (1987), "Karsilasma" (Encounter) (2002), "Babam ve Oglum" (My Father and My Son) (2005), "Ilk Ask" (First Love) (2006), "Ulak" (The Messenger) (2007), "Av Mevsimi" (Hunting Season) (2010), "Dedemin Insanlari" (My Grandfather's People) (2011), "Babam" (My Father) (2017). In 1987 Tekindor received an award for "best actor" from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ankara Art Association. He was also awarded "best actor" by the Ankara Art Association in 1999. He stopped giving any kind of interviews in the 80's because he found himself in an awkward situation after a journalist wrote things he had never said, and he hasn't given any interview ever since. During the 90's he almost stayed away from any acting in film and television. He stayed in Ankara and kept on his stage work, teaching and voice overs. As well as a stage, TV and film actor, he is also very famous for his iconic voice and his voice dubbing work, which by that time was more than his work in front of the camera. This changed when a journalist wrote in an article: "What ever film or TV series we watch there is always the voice of Cetin Tekindor. I think he earned him self enough money to go on vacation and leave us alone for a bit". Tekindor considers this as the greatest gift that was ever given to him, because it made him realize that it was about time for a turn in his career. This game changing turn brought several awards and some of the greatest performances in Turkish film and television. In 2003, for his work as Mahmut in the film "Karsilasma"(Encounter) he received the "best actor" award in the Ankara Film Festival and the "best supporting actor" in the Sadri Alisik Awards. In 2005, Tekindor starred in Çagan Irmak's film "Babam ve Oglum" (My Father and My Son) and received the "best actor" award in both the 13th ÇASOD Awards and the 27th SIYAD Turkish Film Awards. His monologue in the middle of the street near the end of the movie, which was shot in only one take, is considered to be one of the most powerful, heartbreaking and unforgettable scenes/performances in Turkish film history. In 2008 working again with director Çagan Irmak in the film "Ulak" (The Messenger) brought him the "best male film actor" award in the 2008 Ismail Dümbüllü Awards. In 2009, he was awarded "best actor" by TÜRSAK. Despite his successful career and recognition he always keeps a low profile with no celebrity behavior. He stays away from the spot lights and avoids any self promoting action, focusing only on his work.

Hale Soygazi is a Turkish actress and beauty pageant titleholder. She studied French philology at the university. She was chosen as 'Miss Turkey' in 1973 and also did modeling for magazines. She made her film debut in a leading role in Kara Murat opposite famous actor Cüneyt Arkin. In 1978, she won her first Golden Orange award for her leading role in Maden.

She was married to folk singer Ahmet Özhan who acted with her in Cocugumu Istiyorum, but they divorced later. Then she married Murat Belge.

Çagatay Ulusoy is a Turkish actor and model .He was born on 23 September 1990 in ,Istanbul-Bakirköy,Turkey.He grew up in the Küçükçekmece district of Istanbul.His mother's name is Refiye Ulusoy and she is of Bosnian descent, and his father name is Aylin Ulusoy and he is of Turkish descent who immigrated from Bulgaria. He has a younger brother named Atalay,who is with 8 years younger than Çagatay.After graduating from high school Halkali Trade Vocational High School, Çagatay Ulusoy first began studying at the Istanbul University's Department of Garden Design and Landscaping. As a student, he started working as a model,at the age of 19 years. He did swimming,sports and drawing,first in pencil,then in oil.He played basketball for 7 years and wanted to become a coach.The guitar is one of the instruments that fascinated him from childhood.At the age 16 years in summer vacation,he has worked as a waiter in Bodrum. He plays to guitar,piano and drums. He loves music,nature,the sport. In 2010,in the short film Paranoia (2010) directed by Ozgur Ozer, Çagatay Ulusoy has interpreted a paranoid person.Also in 2010, Çagatay Ulusoy participated as a dancer in the series Recep Ivedik 3 (2010) . Çagatay Ulusoy started his acting career after winning the Best Model competition in Turkey,in 15 October 2010.On the night of winning the competition,he was proposed to play the lead role, along with the actress Hazal Kaya,in the Turkish series Adini Feriha Koydum (2011-2012) ,in the role Emir Sarrafoglu. He has started to take acting lessons from Ayla Algan before winning The Best Model,and later,during the series Feriha (original title it is Adini Feriha Koydum),he has started to take acting lessons with the actors Vahide Perçin and Altan Gördum to the Art School Academy 35 and a half. The Feriha series has started on January 14, 2011 and ended with the end of season 2, on June 29, 2012. After the end of season 2,the series Feriha has continued, with season 3 with the name Emir in Yolu ,but unfortunately,this series did not have a high rating and it was abruptly stopped. In season 3 from Feriha, Gizem Karaca was the co-starring of Çagatay Ulusoy . Between season 1 and 2 of the Feriha series,Çagatay Ulusoy has participated in his first movie project Anadolu Kartallari (2011) .He has interpreted the role of Lieutenant Ahmet Onur. The film was directed by Ömer Vargi. The premiere has took place on October 28, 2011. From September 13, 2013,until June 12, 2015,Çagatay Ulusoy has filmed the second series of his career,called Medcezir (2013-2015) along with co-starring actress Serenay Sarikaya. Yaman (original title it is Medcezir) was a remake of the English television series The O.C. Yaman was directed by Ali Bilgin. On December 25, 2015,he has released his second movie project, called Delibal (2015) .He has playing alongside the actress Leyla Lydia Tugutlu,the role of Baris Ayaz,playing the character of a student at Architecture who suffers from bipolarity.The film Delibal was directed by Ali Bilgin. For this role,he has learned to play at drums and he took lessons from Serkan Ayman. Also, the song Mutlu Sonsuz that he has performed vocally was in first place in the top 10 of the most listened songs in Turkey during that period.The song Mutlu Sonsuz was written for Delibal movie by Sezen Aksu and the music has belonged to Sezen Aksu and Ozan Bayrasa . In 2016, while he was in Los Angeles,he directed a short movie,called Home.It's a movie about homeless people. Çagatay Ulusoy has made an advertisement photo shoot for Colin's (Jeans Brand) in April 2016, with Taylor Hill,who is known for her work as a Victoria's Secret model. Another project of him, Içerde (2016-2017) series, started on September 19, 2016, and ended on 19 June 2017. Ulusoy played the lead role,in the TV series Intrusul with the actor Aras Bulut Iynemli! Intrusul (original title it is Içerde) was based on the American film The Departed directed by Martin Scorsese. Çagatay Ulusoy has personified in this series, the role of Sarp Yilmaz, a police officer who has infiltrated into the mafia. The Intrusul series was directed by Uluç Bayraktar. Beginning in fall of 2017, he takes acting lessons with Acting Coach Lori Lively, improves his professional performance and takes linguistics lessons, accent (for language English). In March 7,2018, Çagatay Ulusoy has began filming for the series The Protector (2018-) . Çagatay Ulusoy has personified the roles of Hakan Demir,the last Protector of Istanbul,and Harun Akinci the First Protector of Istanbul, Hakan's ancestor. The Protector, it was the first original Turkish Netflix series released on Netflix platform on December 14, 2018! The directors,were Can Evrenol, Umut Aral and Gönenç Uyaniki. The Protector has reached more than 10 million viewers for season 1, on Netflix.The series The Protector gave to Çagatay an international recognition when he won ,,Man of the Year GQ 2019", in Middle East in Abu Dhabi, on 7 October 2019,Ulusoy Is GQ's Television Star Of The Year. Throughout his acting career he won numerous "Best Actor" such Golden Butterfly TV Awards (2015).In 2014 he was chosen Best Stylish Actor in "Turkey Elle Style Awards".Also ,he won "Best Actor" awards from many Universities from Turkey, with many of his projects. In all these years since launching as an actor, he has continued to support charitable foundations in Turkey (Losev Foundation for children with leukemia) and most recently in Georgia, in Tbilisi! In 2018, he signed an agreement with one of the most prestigious talent agencies, United Talent Agency from Los Angeles. In the first Turkish original Netflix series The Protector, Çagatay Ulusoy played a double role, namely: Istanbul's First Protector, named Harun Akinci and Istanbul's Last Protector named Hakan Demir! For the role of Harun in The Protector interpreted by Çagatay Ulusoy, Netflix ordered a wax statue at the Madame Tussauds Museum. On 11.03.2020, Çagatay Ulusoy at the "Madame Tussauds" Wax Figure Museum in Istanbul, where the wax statue of Harun's character is on display. On March 11, the Turkish branch of the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum presented the statue of the first Protector of Istanbul Harun, played by Çagatay Ulusoy in the Netflix series, The Protector. On September 7, 2020, Çagatay Ulusoy finished filming the third movie Paper Lives (2021) of his acting career, produced by OGM Pictures! Çagatay Ulusoy plays the lead role in the film Paper Lives (2021) and plays the role of a father who earns his living by collecting garbage. Can Ulkay is the director and the screenplay belongs to Ercan Mehmet Erdem. On September 8, 2020, Netflix Turkey announced the release of this movie, Paper Lives (2021) on the Netflix platform. Also in September 2020, Çagatay Ulusoy appeared as a guest actor in episode 3 of Call My Manager (2020) directed by Ay Yapim and directed by Ali Bilgin. He plays the actor Çagatay Ulusoy. On January 16, 2021, Çagatay Ulusoy begins filming for the series Yesilçam (2021) for Blu TV, in the lead role, where he plays a film producer from the golden age of Turkish cinema of the 1960s, named Semih Ates. The series is produced by Eastern Sunrise ( ES Film), directed by Cagan Irmak, and the scenario of the series by Levent Cantek and Volkan Sumbul. Çagatay Ulusoy debuted in December 2019-January 2020 as a screenwriter and director with the short film Birdie, with which he participated in various festivals. On March 12, the film Paper Lives was released on Netflix, where Çagatay Ulusoy is the main actor who plays Mehmet, but also the Creative Producer of this film. In 2023, the actor Çagatay Ulusoy appears in the lead role as Peyami Dokumaci, in the series The Tailor (original title: Terzi), alongside the actors: Salih Bademci as Dimitri, Sifanur Gül as Esvet, Olgun Simsek as Mustafa. Series Writing Credits: Gülseren Budayicioglu, Onur Güvenatam, Rana Mamatlioglu and Bekir Baran Sitki. The series is produced by Onur Güvenatam and OGM Pictures and was directed by Cem Karci. The series premiered on 2 May 2023 on Netflix. The Tailor (Terzi) contains 3 seasons, which were in the top 10 Netflix series at each release and the top 10 non-English series. The final season was released on the Netflix platform on November 3, 2023. The Tailor achieved tremendous success. On January 18, 2024, Çagatay Ulusoy appears in the series Kübra, launched on the Netflix platform, with the character Gokhan Sahinoglu, alongside the actors: Aslihan Malbora, Ahsen Eroglu, Aytek Sayan, etc. The series was directed by brothers Durul Taylan and Yagmur Taylan. The series contains 2 seasons. The first season has 8 episodes. Starting from January 19, 2024, he appears in the series Gaddar, produced by Ay Yapim and broadcast by FoxTv Turkey. He will play the character of Daghan. Alongside him, the following actors will perform: Sümeyye Aydogan, Onur Saylak, Ugur Yildiran, Aytek Sayan, etc. The director of the series is Sinan Ozturk.