Tuğba Özay

Tuğba Özay — Biography

Nihal Tuğba Özay (born 10 February 1978 in Istanbul) is a Turkish former model, actress and singer. Her father İlhan Özay was an award-winning textbook author and poet from Trabzon, while her mother, a teacher, came from Antalya. After attending Fenerbahçe High School she enrolled in the conservatory of Haliç University. In her youth she swam and sailed, then played professional volleyball for Fenerbahçe for about five years.

She began modelling with a Vakko show in 1994, was named Miss Model of Turkey in 1995 and finished first runner-up at Miss Model of the World the same year; in 1996 she was chosen European Model of the Year. She acted in television series such as Hemşerim, Aynalı Tahir, Çiçek Taksi and Bizim Otel, co-hosted the game show Çarkıfelek with Mehmet Ali Erbil and returned to the stage in plays by Ferhan Şensoy. In 2007-2008 she spent several months in prison and later turned her diaries into the book Bedel (2008).

Her debut album Armoni appeared in 2010, followed by Üç Nokta (2011) and Pes Etme (2016). She married Italian businessman Ludovic Fattizzo in Milan in 2009 and divorced in 2015, the year she also sought a CHP parliamentary candidacy. Her later screen work includes Bordo Bereliler Suriye, Elim Sende, Laz Kit and Elif Ana.