Merve Dizdar

Merve Dizdar — Biography

Merve Dizdar was born on 25 June 1986 in İzmir; she graduated in acting from Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University's Faculty of Fine Arts and earned a master's degree in advanced acting from Kadir Has University. She began on stage with Semaver Kumpanya and continued at Craft Theatre, winning the Afife Theatre Award for Most Successful Actress of the Year in 2017 for Yutmak; since 9 January 2025 she has starred in İbrahim Çiçek's production of İnsanlar Mekanlar Nesneler.

She made her television debut in 2010 with Kavak Yelleri, and her lead role in Gupse Özay's Eltilerin Savaşı (2020) became one of the highest-grossing films in Turkish box-office history; the same year she began Masumlar Apartmanı, winning a Golden Butterfly for Best Actress as Gülben, and played an actress juggling multiple in-show characters in the comedy Erşan Kuneri. After winning Best Actress at the Antalya Golden Orange for Snow and the Bear, she became the first Turkish actress to win Best Actress at Cannes in 2023 for About Dry Grasses; dedicating the award to "my sisters" in her speech drew public criticism from a deputy chairman of Turkey's broadcasting regulator. She went on to appear in Ömer, Magarsus and Kral Kaybederse.