Merve Dizdar (born 25 June 1986) is a Turkish actress. She is best known for her roles in War of the Eltis (2020), The Innocents (2020–2022), The Life and Movies of Erşan Kuneri (2022–present), and Snow and the Bear (2022). In 2020, she won the Golden Butterfly Award for Best Actress for her role in The Innocents. Dizdar became the first Turkish actress to win the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress for her performance in About Dry Grasses (2023).[1][2]

Merve Dizdar
Dizdar in 2015
Born (1986-06-25) 25 June 1986 (age 38)
OccupationActress
Years active2010–present
Spouse(s)
Gürhan Altundaşar
(m. 2018; div. 2021)

Cihan Ayger
(m. 2024)

Early life and career

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Dizdar was born on 25 June 1986 in İzmir.[3] She is a graduate of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University School of Fine Arts with a degree in acting. She received her master's degree in acting from Kadir Has University.[4]

She started her career on stage by joining Semaver Company and continued it at Craft Theatre.[5] Dizdar made her cinematic debut with Bir Ses Böler Geceyi (2011) alongside Cem Davran and pursued a career in television with recurring roles in the series Kavak Yelleri, Geniş Aile, Bir Yastıkta, Doksanlar, Çılgın Dershane Üniversite, and was first noted with her role in Beş Kardeş.[6] She also worked for TRT Children, presenting the programs Arkadaşım Bıdı and 23 Nisan Şenliğe Doğru.

Dizdar won the Afife Jale Theatre Best Actress Award for her role in the play Yutmak.[7] She then joined the cast of hit series 7 Yüz, Vatanım Sensin, and Mucize Doktor respectively. In 2020, she had a leading role with Uraz Kaygılaroğlu in the Gupse Özay's comedy film Eltilerin Savaşı, which as of April 2021 is the 22nd most-watched movie of all time in Turkey according to Box Office Türkiye.[8] She shared the leading role with Serenay Sarıkaya, Ezgi Mola, Enis Arıkan, Şükrü Özyıldız in a musical adaptation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

In 2020, she began appearing in the series Masumlar Apartmanı and won the Golden Butterfly Awards Best Actress award.[9] She played an actress and her many roles in the Netflix spinoff comedy series Erşan Kuneri.[10] In 2023, she starred in Nuri Bilge Ceylan's Kuru Otlar Üstüne, becoming the first Turkish actress to win at the 76th Cannes Film Festival with the Best Actress award for her portrayal of a teacher.[11]

During her acceptance speech, Dizdar dedicated her award to Turkish women.[12] She stated "all my sisters" who actively engage in strengthening the women's rights movement, displaying resilience and unwavering hope despite the challenges they face''.[13] Ibrahim Uslu, the deputy chairman of the Radio and Television Supreme Council, accused Dizdar of undermining Turkey. The incident sparked reactions and debates within the country.[14]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Original title Role Notes
2011 A Noise in the Night Bir Ses Böler Geceyi Gülizar / Demet
2013 Dairy Philosopher Mandıra Filozofu Secretary
2016 No Way 2 Yok Artık 2 Buket
2017 Organic Love Stories Organik Aşk Hikayeleri Nazlı
The Gulf Körfez Pınar Premiered at the 2017 Venice International Film Festival
2018 My Name Is Batlir, Not Butler Batlır Yudum
2019 One Love Two Lives Bir Aşk İki Hayat Sema Yaşar
2020 War of the Eltis Eltilerin Savaşı Gizem Altundağ
2021 Have You Ever Seen Fireflies? Sen Hiç Ateşböceği Gördün mü? İzzet Netflix film
2022 Snow and the Bear Kar ve Ayı Aslı Premiered at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival
The Garage Tamirhane Aynur
2023 Alice the Musical Alice Müzikali Kedi Disney+ film
About Dry Grasses Kuru Otlar Üstüne Nuray Premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival
TBA Lovers of the Other Side Öte Yer Aşıkları Munise Short film
Year Title Original title Role Platform
2017 Seven Faces 7YÜZ Nihal BluTV
2022–2024 The Life and Movies of Erşan Kuneri Erşan Kuneri Feride Orhun Netflix
2023–present Magarsus Magarsus Tansu BluTV

Television

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Year Title Original title Role Network
2010–2011 Daydreaming Kavak Yelleri Saliha Kanal D
2012 Kingdom of People İnsanlar Alemi Star TV
2013 On a Pillow Bir Yastıkta Yeliz Gelin TRT 1
2013–2014 The Nineties Doksanlar Selin ATV
2014 Çilgin Dersane at the University Çılgın Dersane Üniversitede Özge Show TV
2015 Orphan Flowers Kırgın Çiçekler İrem ATV
Five Brothers Beş Kardeş Fatma Kanal D
New Life Yeni Hayat Sekreter
2015–2016 The Lizard Kertenkele İrem ATV
2017 Face to Face Yüz Yüze Yeşim Show TV
2017–2018 Wounded Love Vatanım Sensin Efsun Kanal D
2020 A Miracle Mucize Doktor Damla Fox
2020–2022 The Innocents Masumlar Apartmanı Gülben Derenoğlu Bilen TRT 1
2021 The Red Room Kırmızı Oda Gülben Derenoğlu Bilen
(guest actress)
TV8
2023–2024 Ömer Ömer Nisa Star TV

Theatre

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Year Title
2010 Çok Yaşa Dünya
2010–2011 Bir Tutam Hayat
2011–2012 Titus Andronicus
2012 Bir Kurşun Deliğine Kaç İnsan Sığar
2013 Bir İnfazın Portresi
2013 Pamuk Prenses ve Yedi Cüceler
2014 The Birds
2017 Yutmak
2019 Alice Müzikali (published in Disney Plus)
2021 Dijital Sahne: On İkinci Gece (published in YouTube)

Awards and nominations

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Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.
Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival 2022 Best Actress – National Competition Snow and the Bear Won [15]
Ayakli Gazete TV Stars Awards 2021 Best Supporting Actress The Innocents Won
Best Theater Actress Herself Nominated
Bosphorus Film Festival 2022 Best Actress – National Competition Snow and the Bear Won
Cannes Film Festival 2023 Best Actress About Dry Grasses Won [16]
Golden Butterfly Awards 2021 Best Actress The Innocents Won
2022 Best Actress in a Comedy Series The Life and Movies of Erşan Kuneri Nominated
Izmir International Festival 2020 Best Supporting Actress – Film One Love Two Lives Nominated
2022 Best Actress – Television The Innocents Nominated
PRODU Awards 2021 Best Actress in a Foreign Series The Innocents Nominated
ReelHeART International Film Festival 2017 Best Ensemble Cast Organic Love Stories Won
Turkish Film Critics Association Awards 2020 Best Actress War of the Eltis Nominated
2023 About Dry Grasses Won

References

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  1. ^ "Turkey's conservatives lash out at actress Merve Dizdar after Cannes win - Al-Monitor: Independent, trusted coverage of the Middle East". www.al-monitor.com. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Merve Dizdar, première Turque prix d'interprétation féminine". Le Matin. 27 May 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  3. ^ "Merve Dizdar website". Archived from the original on 27 July 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  4. ^ "Merve Dizdar kimdir, nereli ve kaç yaşında?". Hürriyet. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Merve Dizdar kimdir? Merve Dizdar kaç yaşında?". Sözcü. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Merve Dizdar kimdir? Kaç yaşında ve nereli?". Milliyet. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  7. ^ Gence, Hakan (29 April 2017). "Güzel değiliz diye oynamayalım mı? Yetenekliyiz sonuçta". Hürriyet. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Türk Filmleri Seyirci Rekoru - İlk 100 (1989'dan günümüze)". Box Office Turkey. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Her şey Altın Kelebek'le başladı". 30 May 2023.
  10. ^ "Erşan Kuneri 2. Sezon ile Dönüyor: İşte İlk Fotoğraf". 14 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Turkey's Merve Dizdar wins best actress at Cannes for About Dry Grasses role". Duvar. 27 May 2023. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  12. ^ Minute, Turkish (31 May 2023). "AKP members target award-winning actress for pro-women's-rights speech". Turkish Minute. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  13. ^ hande (29 May 2023). "76th Cannes Film Festival's Best Performance Award Goes to KHAS Graduate Merve Dizdar - Kadir Has Üniversitesi %". Kadir Has Üniversitesi. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  14. ^ Uyar, Deniz (29 May 2023). "Best actress at Cannes returns to polarised Turkey on runoff day". Reuters. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  15. ^ "59th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival". www.antalyaff.com (in Turkish). Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  16. ^ Debruge, Peter (27 May 2023). "Cannes Awards: 'Anatomy of a Fall' Takes Palme d'Or, 'The Zone of Interest' and 'The Pot au Feu' Among Winners". Variety. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
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