İlker Kızmaz

İlker Kızmaz — Biography

İlker Kızmaz was born on September 9, 1975, in İzmir; after appearing on stage with private theaters there, he graduated from the Business Faculty of Anadolu University and, moving to İstanbul in 2004, trained as an actor at the Ekol Drama Art House and then at Bahçeşehir University.

He debuted in 2002 with small parts in Aslı ile Kerem, Yeter Anne and Candan Öte, then became known for Nihat Önal in Kanal D's Aşk-ı Memnu (2008-2010), a ratings-record hit. He entered film in 2009 with Levent Semerci's award-winning Nefes: Vatan Sağolsun; in 2012 he played Colonel Mustafa Kemal in Yeşim Sezgin's Çanakkale 1915, and in 2020 portrayed Atatürk again in Ya İstiklal Ya Ölüm. He also appeared with Pelin Akil, Engin Altan Düzyatan, Bensu Soral and Dolunay Soysert in the Kemal Tahir adaptations Kurt Kanunu and Yol Ayrımı.

He played Kenan Hoca in Yedi Güzel Adam and Halil in Benim Adım Gültepe in 2014-2015, then went on to Tatlı İntikam, Umuda Kelepçe Vurulmaz, Saruhan, Payitaht Abdülhamid, Uyanış: Büyük Selçuklu and, in 2024, Sinan in Kalpazan. He married Aslı Türkel, met on set of Nefes: Vatan Sağolsun, in 2014; their daughter Naz was born in 2016. He also enjoys aikido, horseback riding and kite surfing.