1. Overview
Neslihan Atagül, born on August 20, 1992, in Istanbul, is a prominent Turkish actress. She gained significant international acclaim for her leading role as Nihan Sezin in the television series Kara Sevda (2015-2017), which became the first Turkish series to win an International Emmy Award in 2017. Her career trajectory includes pivotal roles in other successful television dramas such as Fatih Harbiye (2013-2014) and Sefirin Kızı (2019-2021), as well as critically acclaimed films like Araf and Senden Bana Kalan. Throughout her acting journey, Atagül has been honored with numerous accolades, notably receiving the Academy Award for Best Actress at the prestigious Tokyo International Film Festival.
2. Biography
This section details Neslihan Atagül's personal background, including her early life, family origins, and educational pursuits.
2.1. Early Life and Background
Neslihan Atagül was born on August 20, 1992, in Istanbul, Turkey. Her father worked as a driver, and her mother was a homemaker. Her family background is diverse; her father is of Circassian descent, while her mother is of Belarusian origin.
2.2. Education
Atagül pursued her higher education at Yeditepe University, where she specialized in theater studies, honing her acting skills and theoretical knowledge of the performing arts.
3. Career
Neslihan Atagül's career has seen a steady progression from early aspirations to international stardom, marked by significant roles in both film and television.
3.1. Early Career
Neslihan Atagül developed an interest in acting at a young age, aspiring to become an actress when she was only eight years old. In 2005, at the age of 13, she took a proactive step towards her dream by contacting the Erberk Agency, which was owned by Neşe Erberk. She obtained the agency's address and, accompanied by her mother, went to register. Just one month later, she landed her first commercial role.
In 2006, Atagül made her acting debut in the film İlk Aşk (First Love), a role for which she received her first career award as a "Promising Young Actress" at the Golden Boll Film Festival. From 2006 to 2010, she appeared in the television series Yaprak Dökümü, which was based on a novel of the same name. Following this, she took on roles in other television series, including Canım Babam, Kalbim Seni Seçti, and Hayat Devam Ediyor. In 2012, she garnered significant attention for her starring role as Zehra in the film Araf. Her performance in Araf earned her several prestigious awards, including the Academy Award for Best Actress at the 25th Tokyo International Film Festival, the Best Performance award at the Pune International Film Festival, and the Best Actress award at the 45th Cinema Writers Association Awards. Additionally, she was recognized as "En Young Actress" at the 16th Uçan Broom International Women Films Festival in 2013 for the same film.
3.2. Breakthrough Roles and International Recognition
Her career reached new heights with several prominent roles that garnered her widespread recognition and international acclaim.
3.2.1. Fatih Harbiye (2013-2014)
In 2013, Neslihan Atagül secured her first leading role in a television series with the romance drama Fatih Harbiye. She starred alongside Kadir Doğulu, who would later become her husband. The series was an adaptation of a 1931 book by Turkish writer Peyami Safa. In Fatih Harbiye, Atagül portrayed Neriman Solmaz, a young woman from a mahala who, having lost her mother, is engaged to her childhood sweetheart until she encounters Macit Arcaoğlu, played by Kadir Doğulu. The series initially premiered on August 31, 2013, on the Fox channel before moving to Show TV. It successfully ran for two seasons, concluding on December 10, 2014.
3.2.2. Kara Sevda (2015-2017)
In 2015, Atagül took on one of the most pivotal and beloved roles of her career, playing Nihan Sezin in the melodrama Kara Sevda (Black Love). This series achieved historic success by becoming the first Turkish series to be honored with an International Emmy Award for Best Telenovela in 2017. Kara Sevda also received a special jury award at the Seoul International Drama Awards. It rapidly became one of the most-watched Turkish series globally, translated into over 50 languages and broadcast in more than 110 countries, including Russia, Iran, Slovenia, Uruguay, and Greece. Notably, during its broadcast in the United States for the Hispanic community, it became the most-watched non-Spanish series on the Univision channel. Atagül's performance in Kara Sevda earned her four awards, significantly boosting her popularity and recognition not only within Turkey but also internationally, particularly in Arab countries.
Following her success in traditional television, Atagül made her debut on online streaming platforms with the series Dip in 2018, where she starred alongside İlker Kaleli.
3.2.3. Sefirin Kızı (2019-2021)
Neslihan Atagül returned to the small screen in 2019 with the series Sefirin Kızı (The Ambassador's Daughter), where she played the character Nare. The series aired on Star TV for two seasons, comprising a total of 52 episodes. It premiered on December 16, 2019, and concluded on May 11, 2021. For her portrayal of Nare, Atagül received the Best Actress award at the Izmir Artemis International Film Festival. However, during the course of the series, she announced her withdrawal from the production due to health issues, specifically suffering from leaky gut syndrome.
3.3. Recent Projects
Neslihan Atagül continues to be active in the entertainment industry. Her recent professional endeavors include Hadsiz Magazine, a new project featuring impressive photographs and exclusive interviews with notable guests. From 2022 to 2023, she also starred in the television series Gecenin Ucunda, taking on a leading role.
4. Personal Life
Neslihan Atagül's personal life has also garnered public attention, particularly her relationship with fellow actor Kadir Doğulu. The couple began dating in October 2013, after meeting as co-stars on the set of Fatih Harbiye. They announced their engagement in November 2015 and married in July 2016.
5. Filmography
Neslihan Atagül has appeared in various film and television projects throughout her career.
5.1. Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2006 | İlk Aşk | Genç Bahar | Supporting role |
2011 | Araf | Zehra | Leading role |
2015 | Senden Bana Kalan | Elif | Leading role |
2023 | Ah Belinda | Dilara | Leading role |
5.2. Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2006-2010 | Yaprak Dökümü | Deniz Başsoy | Supporting role |
2011 | Kalbim Seni Seçti | Melis | Supporting role |
2011 | Canım Babam | Pınar | Leading role |
2011-2012 | Hayat Devam Ediyor | Şirin Bakırcı | Leading role |
2013-2014 | Fatih Harbiye | Neriman Sölmaz | Leading role |
2015-2017 | Kara Sevda | Nihan Sezin | Leading role |
2018 | Dip | Bilge Koral | Leading role |
2019-2021 | Sefirin Kızı | Nare Çelebi Efeoğlu | Leading role |
2022-2023 | Gecenin Ucunda | Macide | Leading role |
6. Awards and Nominations
Neslihan Atagül has received numerous awards and nominations throughout her acting career.
Year | Award Ceremony | Category | Project | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2006 | Golden Boll Film Festival | Hope-giving Young Actress | İlk Aşk | Won |
2007 | Moscow 2morrow Film Festival | Now and Future Best Actress | Araf | Won |
2011 | 19th Golden Cocoon Film Festival | Hope-giving Young Actress | Araf | Won |
2012 | 25th Tokyo International Film Festival | Best Actress | Araf | Won |
2012 | Pune International Film Festival | Best Performance | Araf | Won |
2012 | 45th Cinema Writers Association Awards | Best Actress | Araf | Won |
2013 | 16th Uçan Broom International Women Films Festival | En Young Actress | Araf | Won |
2016 | 16th Magazinci.com Internet Media (Bests) | TV Actress of the Year | Kara Sevda | Won |
2016 | 6th Ayaklı Newspaper TV Stars Awards | Best TV Drama Actress | Kara Sevda | Nominated |
2016 | Seoul International Drama Awards | Best Actress | Kara Sevda | Nominated |
2016 | MGD 22nd Golden Lens Awards | Best Drama Actress | Kara Sevda | Won |
2016 | Golden Butterfly Awards | Best Drama Actress | Kara Sevda | Nominated |
2016 | KTÜ Media Awards | Highest Rated Actress | Kara Sevda | Nominated |
2016 | Ege University 5th Media Awards | Best Actress | Kara Sevda | Nominated |
2017 | 1st Müzikonair Awards | Best TV Actress | Kara Sevda | Won |
2017 | Bilkent TV Awards | Best Actress | Kara Sevda | Nominated |
2017 | Turkish Children's Awards | Best Actress | Kara Sevda | Nominated |
2018 | Footed Newspaper TV Stars Awards | Best TV Actress of the Year | Dip | Won |
2020 | 3rd International Izmir Film Festival Golden Artemis Awards | Best Actress | Sefirin Kızı | Won |
2020 | SE-SAM Award Ceremony for Those Who Carried Turkish Cinema from the Past to the Future | The Name that Carries Turkish Cinema from the Past to the Future | Won | |
2020 | 1st Cinemaport Awards | Best TV Actress | Sefirin Kızı | Won |
2021 | Soap Awards France 2021 | Best International Actress | Kara Sevda | Nominated |
2021 | Distinctive International Arab Festivals Awards | International Actress of the Year | Sefirin Kızı | Won |
7. External links
- [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3744351/ Neslihan Atagül at IMDb]
- [https://www.instagram.com/neslihanatagul/ Neslihan Atagül on Instagram]
- [https://twitter.com/neslihanatagul Neslihan Atagül on Twitter]
- [https://www.facebook.com/NeslihanAtagul Neslihan Atagül on Facebook]