Melis Birkan

Melis Birkan — Biography

Melis Birkan, the only child of Selda and Cevdet Birkan, was born in Ankara and moved to Istanbul with her family during her early school years for her father's job. She took ballet lessons at the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University State Conservatory through primary and high school, then completed the modern dance department at the same university. Spotted at a gathering by Özlem Durak, who became her manager, she long resisted acting before easing into cameras by presenting the programme Tarz-ı Hayat on Kanaltürk. She made her screen debut in 2005 in the series Çapkın alongside Okan Yalabık, then appeared in Serdar Akar's Barda, Kartal Tibet's Amerikalılar Karadeniz'de 2, and the series Köprü, based on the life of governor Recep Yazıcıoğlu. She took the lead in Çağan Irmak's Ulak and Issız Adam, winning the Sadri Alışık Best Actress Award for her role as Ada in the latter. Her later credits include Adını Sen Koy, Bu Kalp Seni Unutur mu?, Deli Saraylı, the third season of Leyla ile Mecnun, Büyük Sürgün Kafkasya (about Meskhetian Turks), 46 Yok Olan, Sen Benim Herşeyimsin, the International Emmy-nominated series Söz, and the film Hayat, alongside guest roles in Avrupa Yakası and İşler Güçler. She married fellow actor Aras Aydın in 2022.