He entered our lives eight years ago and took firm steps forward in his acting career. He does not hesitate to try different fields from drama to comedy, besides his professional success, he speaks out about women’s rights, defends feminist policies, and ponders world problems. We met with Kerem Bürsin, who appeared with two TV series and a commercial this summer, and talked about his new projects, life and love: “I don’t think I’m sexy. I don’t see myself that way, and I don’t want to see it either. Nonsense!”
Talented, handsome, sensitive… He doesn’t like to get into stereotypes, he doesn’t strain himself, he speaks as he feels, “There is no such thing as perfect, nor should it be. It’s beautiful with human flaws,” he says. Last week Kerem Bürsin we met with. He has grown some of his hair for his new drama, it suits him very well. Powder pink socks catch my attention. The fact that he wore a pink suit in the commercial was talked a lot on social media. “I love the pink color. Why shouldn’t I wear what I love? Did we eat? Now we have to get rid of them. Welcome to our conversation with Bürsin, who said “These codes are wrong”…
You just turned 34 years old. What do you wish for your new age?
I like to be thankful and I think it’s important. But right now, the state of the world is making me very sad. Let’s wake up now, that’s my wish. I believe we should protect the earth. Much of what we do does him great harm.
Have things changed in your outlook on life as you get older?
After the age of 30, the years go by so fast. It’s like I was 22 just the other day. But the most important thing is to find inner peace, I understood that.
did you find it?
Yes, it was actually not difficult. What makes this difficult is the life we live and the system imposed on us. But once you understand what is important and unimportant to you in life, you start to change. I will either live my life the way I don’t want or the way I want and am… It has to be chosen.
While you have played characters that look cooler until now, this year you appeared in comedy-oriented works. Unlike many players, you’ve turned into a nonchalant and funny guy. Was it because of what you said?
Ask myself ‘What am I doing? It’s time to try something different, I said. I am actually such a man. But I always felt pressured to be in a mold.
Why is that? Industry push?
A lot of things are being imposed. You do something, they say, “This is wrong.” For who? We need a little more freedom. I am also interested in activist issues. When you read about the patriarchal society, you see the system and what the system does not accept. I don’t want to support it. I want to be myself, stand behind what I believe in.
You are very natural on your social media accounts, you don’t have to worry about “Do I look ugly”. However, nowadays, many players are similar to each other with filters. What do you say to the uniformity of the players?
Wrong in my philosophy. And who is beautiful according to whom and who is ugly according to whom? The important thing is to be natural. Natural is attractive, sincere. There is no such thing as perfect, nor should it be. Beautiful with human flaws.
It’s good to be natural, but you’re also one of the sexiest men in the country. How does it create an ego to be someone who is liked by so many people?
If you stick and focus on it, it creates ego. It’s nice to be liked, but that’s not my focus for my goals. Also, I don’t think I’m sexy, really. I don’t see myself that way, and I don’t want to see myself that way either. Nonsense!
You’ve played characters who have fallen in love or fallen in love with him for years. In the meantime, were you able to resolve the male-female relations?
Balance is important in relationships and in life, I understood it.
Did you solve the love?
I do not know. Don’t let love dissolve!
The last time we spoke to you, you said emphatically, “There is no love”. Then we heard about your relationship with Hande Erçel. What happened?
Sometimes you have to let life take its course.
You act together in the TV series “Sen Çal Kapımı”. What is the effect of playing a role in the same job on the relationship and acting?
We both approach our work with professionalism. According to me, Hande and everyone else in this profession, professionalism comes into play. I don’t bring my private life to work. That Eda character, I’m Serkan… Has anything about the job changed?
It hasn’t changed.
Are you a romantic or a man of logic?
I am a romantic, but I am not a romantic in the stereotypes we are used to.
Why is that?
Because I am an advocate of feminist politics. That stereotypical romance sometimes moves from a very patriarchal place.
You go to America at a young age, you start acting there. Have you ever thought what would happen if you didn’t go?
Would I have the opportunity to act, would I? I am wondering.
You came to Turkey from there at a time when everyone was trying to expand abroad. Have you ever regretted?
I didn’t. I am even grateful. In fact, a bad event that I experienced caused me to come here. I lost my best friend in an accident. How and when will we go; something we don’t know. That incident made me realize that better. I am Turkish and have almost never lived in Turkey. It made me feel a little lacking in my identity and humanity. I came to make up for this deficiency and to get away from there after the loss of my friend.
At first, you were criticized for your Turkish. Have you ever been discouraged?
No, some were fair criticisms. I said “I need to get this together”, I tried. But one day I experienced something. I haven’t done any projects yet. I went to a meeting. I made a sentence and one of them said, “You can’t do anything here with your Turkish.” However, if he said, “You can’t do this role,” I would understand. That comment was weird. People starting from black and white cinema before there was no sound in film, watching and picking up the emotion. Acting is sharing of emotions for me.
Did that person regret later?
We met years later and he apologised. I have nothing to hold grudges. I already believed that I would become an actor.
Do you like to live life with a plan or on a flow?
I like to plan, but I don’t plan everything. I trust the universe even if something I wanted didn’t turn out the way I wanted. The word “Good luck” in Turkish is so beautiful… That mindset relaxes me. Some things are not under your control. The important thing is to love yourself and move on.
What is your red line?
Disrespect. It all starts with respect and empathy.
You wear a pink suit in the commercial, you wore a wedding dress in the TV series “Aynen Aynen”. These were discussed…
I don’t understand, how can a color or an outfit be talked about so much? For example, I’m wearing pink socks right now. I love the pink color.
There are certain codes in society…
Nonsense! Why shouldn’t I wear what I love because of these codes? Did we eat? Now we have to get rid of them. For example, Brad Pitt wore a dress for his first magazine shoot after ‘Fight Club’. So what? The things that define my identity are my heart, my brain, my thoughts… These codes are wrong.
Well, recently, female actors admit the harassment and violence they have been exposed to from their close circles. How does this news make you feel?
I am very sorry. Because it’s so common. 16 million women a year are exposed to violence in this country. Why is this kind of thing going on? I don’t understand why it can’t be blocked. I don’t understand why people can’t speak up any more. Yes, I know there is a patriarchal pressure, but…
Are you a feminist?
Yes, I am a person who advocates feminist politics.
This summer, you are everywhere with your TV series and commercials. It’s like your writing…
This summer is spent working. We had a very good collaboration with Lipton Ice Tea, which created the cold tea category in Turkey. We shot commercials in Bodrum. For those who are wondering, every frame in the commercials was real. I also got into the ice-filled jacuzzi, I actually shared my watermelon with the parrot, but of course, I wasn’t the one who dived into that pool like that in the first commercial. Our ad series will continue in the future. The new season of the ‘Aynen Aynen’ series has also started airing. ‘Sen Cal Kapimi ‘ is already in progress.
‘Sen Cal Kapimi’ was loved, its new season has started. What’s the difference between playing romantic comedy for you? For example, some find romantic jobs too easy or don’t count as acting…
I think every genre has its own challenges. It’s also about the script and the depth of the characters. I see comedy as a bit of a secret weapon. You see this in the history of theater as well; You raise public awareness with comedy and criticize the system.
You started your own production company, Braveborn. What happened? Production shelved?
No, it’s been my dream since college. In fact, our logo was a logo I drew in a notebook at the university. Altan Dönmez is a director that I value very much, he was also involved in the production side. We have an incredible synergy. How Martin Scorsese made many movies with Robert De Niro and Leonardo Di Caprio, I always said to Altan Abi, “You are my Scorsese”. Our companies have merged. Our goal is to do good things. We have accumulated a lot of work and we are getting started.
