Oktay Kaynarca

Oktay Kaynarca — Biography

Oktay Kaynarca is the face of two of Turkish television's most talked-about mafia characters: Süleyman Çakır in Kurtlar Vadisi and Hızır Çakırbeyli in Eşkıya Dünyaya Hükümdar Olmaz. An actor, producer and screenwriter, he is also seen today as the host of the quiz show Kim Milyoner Olmak İster.

His career began in his conservatory years, with the TRT 1 series Gençler in 1989, and he moved into film in 1990 with Aşk Filmlerinin Unutulmaz Yönetmeni. The theatre came first: he studied with Müjdat Gezen, graduated from the Istanbul University State Conservatory in 1991, and won the Avni Dilligil award for best supporting actor for the play Derin Bir Soluk Al. In cinema he won best supporting actor at the 31st Golden Orange for Yengeç Sepeti (1994) and at the 39th for Deli Yürek: Bumerang Cehennemi.

Kurtlar Vadisi (2003) was the turning point: after Süleyman Çakır was killed off, fans held a funeral in absentia, placed notices in newspapers and handed out helva for several years afterwards. He followed it with Kuzey Rüzgârı, Adanalı (2008-2010) and Ustura Kemal, and returned to the stage in 2014. From 2015 to 2021 he played Hızır Çakırbeyli in Eşkıya Dünyaya Hükümdar Olmaz, and in 2022 Cezayir Türk in Ben Bu Cihana Sığmazam. He has appeared in more than forty film and television productions.