Hazal Kaya

Hazal Kaya — Biography

Leyla Hazal Kaya, daughter of two lawyers, was born on 1 October 1990; after her parents separated she grew up in Istanbul's Balat district, taking violin and ballet lessons as a child. She studied stage and performing arts management at Istanbul Bilgi University. She appeared in a guest role on Acemi Cadı in 2006 and took her first lead the following year in Genco. She gained wide recognition playing Nihal in Aşk-ı Memnu (2008-2010), adapted from the novel by Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil.

Her role as Feriha in Adını Feriha Koydum (2011-2012) won her the Crystal Mouse Award for Best Actress; the series was among the highest-rated Turkish productions of its time. She won a Latina Turkish Award for playing Filiz in Bizim Hikaye (2017-2019), a Turkish adaptation of Shameless, and in 2022 took a dual role in Netflix's Midnight at the Pera Palace. Counted among Turkey's highest-earning actresses, Kaya was the only Turkish name to receive a Lebanon Award in 2015. She married actor Ali Atay in 2019, and the couple have two children.