Cüneyt Türel

Cüneyt Türel — Biography

Cüneyt Türel was a Turkish stage actor, director and voice artist, born in Istanbul, where he studied sociology at Istanbul University. He first appeared on stage as a high-school student in an amateur theatre group run by the Green Crescent Society, and turned professional while at university with the Gülriz Sururi-Engin Cezzar Theatre. Joining the Istanbul City Theatres in 1965, he spent close to three decades there as both actor and director, winning Avni Dilligil awards for productions including Vahşi Batı and Tartuffe.

After retiring in 1995 he co-founded the Aksanat Production Theatre with Işıl Kasapoğlu and Tilbe Saran, appearing in nearly every one of its plays until it closed in 2007 and earning further awards for roles including Abélard ve Héloise and Sevilmek. He performed in Robert Wilson's staging of Rumi in Athens, Warsaw and at the Ravenna Festival, and appeared alongside Jeanne Moreau in a production directed by Amos Gitai. On screen he reached wider audiences as Haldun Göksun in the series Doktorlar and through films such as Rina and Çakal, and he was also known as a dubbing voice for actors including Tarık Akan and Kevin Costner, as well as for advertising voice-overs.

Shortly before he was due to receive the Istanbul Theatre Festival's Honorary Award, Türel died of cancer in an Istanbul hospital on 1 May 2012 at the age of 69; a theatre in Beyoğlu was later named after him.