Nilüfer Açıkalın

Nilüfer Açıkalın — Biography

Born Nilüfer Küçükçavdar on 29 March 1967 in Istanbul to a family of Macedonian immigrant descent, Açıkalın works as an actress, short-story author and musician. She trained in the theatre department of Mimar Sinan University's State Conservatory, and since 1987 has moved between stage, screen and a spell with the State Theatres; her screen career opened in 1988 when she took the part of Türkan Şoray's daughter in the film Ada.

Her film credits include Harem Suare, Kara Kentin Çocukları, Dansöz, Bekleme Odası and Çekmeceler; the last three brought her best-actress honours -- the 6th Sadri Alışık Award for Kara Kentin Çocukları, the 2003 Orhon Murat Arıburnu prize for Bekleme Odası, and a Turkey-Germany Film Festival award for Çekmeceler. Television audiences later saw her in Büyük Sürgün Kafkasya, Gülcemal and Sakla Beni.

Speaking to press in 2025, she said the screenplays for Hayde Bre and Kara Kentin Çocukları were in fact her own work, credited at the time to director Orhan Oğuz. She has published four short-story collections, most recently Çakır Zamanlar (2025) and Delice (2026), alongside a parallel career recording music.