Hazal Kaya

Hazal Kaya — Biography

Hazal Kaya has been one of the most recognized young leads of Turkish television drama since the late 2000s. She made her name as Nihal Ziyagil in Aşk-ı Memnu, then carried Adını Feriha Koydum as Feriha and Bizim Hikaye as Filiz Elibol. More recently she played Esra and Peride in the Netflix series Midnight at the Pera Palace (Pera Palas'ta Gece Yarısı). She is counted among the highest-earning actresses in the country.

She began appearing in commercials while at the Italian High School in Istanbul, and entered television in 2006 with a guest role in Acemi Cadı and a lead in Genco in 2007. Aşk-ı Memnu (2008-2010), a modern adaptation of Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil's novel, set her screen identity. Adını Feriha Koydum followed and became her highest-rated period; she left it after the second season for Son Yaz Balkanlar 1912. Her first film was Çalgı Çengi, and she was seen as Berna in the Behzat Ç. world. A.Ş.K, Maral: En Güzel Hikayem and İtirazım Var followed, and then Bizim Hikaye (2017-2019) and Misafir.

For Adını Feriha Koydum she won best actress at the second Crystal Mouse Media Awards; for Bizim Hikaye she received an award from the Latina Turkish Awards, and in 2015 she was the only Turkish recipient of a Lebanon Award. She has served on juries at the Istanbul Film Festival and the Golden Orange, and was named a UNFPA Turkey goodwill ambassador. She married actor Ali Atay in 2019.