Beren Saat First newspaper Interview

In 2006’s Hatirla Sevgili, she entered our lives as an innocent girl.

Then came the sexy and seducing Bihter in Ask-I memnu, and we understood she will never get out of our lives.

In her last role, Fatmagul, she kept us mesmerized in front of our screens.

She became a very big star. Then she decided to take a break from television. She is building a great love with Kenan Dogulu…

We love watching her attitude, her clothes, and every step she makes. And she keeps silent all the time. For a long time I was after her, trying to meet her & I finally got lucky last week. I received a call from Kanal D and I was told “Beren Saat agreed to give you an interview, you will meet her tomorrow at 15:00” . Was it a joke ? It will be the 21st of December ! But even the Mayas could not be able to stop me ! If the world has to end, I want it to happen while I’m next to Beren… I went early to Kuruçeşme Aşk Kafe. Was she very cool ? Was she rigid ? Will she tell me “Let’s get this interview done quickly and leave” ? All these crazy questions were running in my head… And right on time, she was standing in front of me. Dark jeans, white T-shirt , maroon velvet jacket, barely any make-up, and a pure smile. I ordered tea, she delivered me a hello from Kenan. And we started our conversation. She didn’t say one single unnecessary word. Her words were weighted, shaped. In this snowy delightful winter evening, on the shores of the Bosphorus, I was listening to the woman who raises the most curiosity in Turkey. Like never before, she gave answers to the urban legends, about her love, her new series...

You were supposed to leave the screens for a while. What happened ?

A very attractive role was proposed to me. An adaptation of The Count of Monte Kristo. The character's real name is "Derin" (=Deep). In order to avenge the death of her father, she comes back with a false identity and a new name "Yagmur" (=Rain). Which means that inside the character, there is another character. A game inside a game. This double game/double character was too tempting. When I accepted the project, my appetite kept on growing.

Who attracts you the most, Derin or Yagmur ?

I don't know how to distinguish them accurately from one another. Body language wise, when I am Derin I am a little more introverted and masculine; when I'm Yagmur, I'm more extroverted, self-confident and feminine. I am all these contradictions at the same time. Because the common denominator of them all, is loneliness and belonging to somewhere.

"Intikam" is an adaptation. Did this idea trouble you ?

Disney will be the co-producer, and Kanal D will be the internal producer, which means that the quality of the work will be satisfactory. My decision was mostly based on the adapted scenario, and after knowing the Turkish adaptation of the characters and the relationships. I feel that all the decisions made about the people were correct. Changes that were made remained faithful to the main story and to the episodes' stories. But even to those who watched the original version, it will not seem repeated.

Did you watch the foreign version, "Revenge" ?

After the project came, I watched it. Now I reached season 2. I feel we are luckier than those actors.

Why ?

Because when you already know the story, it is easier to establish the characters.

You will be compared to Emily Vancamp, the actress who played the lead in the original version. Are you ready ?

Fatmagul'un suçu ne? and Ask-i memnu also had previous versions. As time and cities were different the characters were different and I played them in a different way. Cinema and series have different practices. Previously and due to conditions, actors didn't give their voices to their own characters, so there was no way to compare. This time it is possible to compare as it is the same period, the same acting style and she is obviously a hard working actress. It will be a more challenging course... But our director Mesude Eraslan has everything under control and makes very correct interventions. Her confidence and her tranquility reflect on the set and gives us peace of mind.

There are really serious fighting scenes. Did you make a research about it?

No...

What will you do then?

I am getting my training with Genco Ülgen and his team. After episode 10, you will see serious fighting scenes and choreography

Will you be able to make someone fall on the ground?

I'm learning to kick and punch on targets. I'm learning techniques and I'm noticing my body getting stronger. I'm learning to perform solo cinematic martial arts choreography, I'm not learning how to beat someone !

Are you a revengeful person in your real life? 

No I'm not angry enough to seek revenge. I only become rigid and react in cold way.

How do you suppress this urge?

I become unresponsive. If one of my beloved or one of my close ones hurt me, I remove him from my life and I cut my relationship with him. If he wants to get back in my life, I keep my distances, I do not let him come close.

You previously said that you do not want to touch your hair or to dye it. Now you dyed it, you bleached it. What has changed?"

A physical change is a must for an actor playing someone who changed his identity. The social class to which your character belongs also requires some changes. In some series taking place in small towns, actresses playing the role of peasants have a fairy-tale hair. I do not approve it. When I was playing Fatmagul, I used to keep my hair exactly the way it was after getting out of the shower. Now for Yagmur, hair color was needed, so I did it.

There is almost no make-up on your face. Don't you like cosmetics?

I'm not at peace with cosmetics, I prefer to use them the less possible in my life.
(love her reply that she prefer to look real instead of doing heavy makeup)

Is that why you made the "Elle" magazine cover without make-up ?

When I look at a lot of magazine covers, I say "is that him/her ?"  I do not recognize faces that are very familiar to me, and it makes me nervous. 7 years ago, they played with my eyebrows and my nose, after that I didn't make any cover. Elle's project was on one hand a make-up free cover concept, and on another hand it was a social project, so I accepted it. Right now, I am wearing the T-shirt that we designed for that cover. It can be found at Network shops for 29 TL. Its sales will raise funds for the Nar Taneleri project of educating and hosting girls between 18 and 24 years.

The attributes of "sexy" and "innocent" would both suit you. Which one would you pick for yourself ?

In each role I play, there must be something different. The things that I explored until now, and the things I will explore in the future. So I say all of these and even more!

What in your opinion is the effect of beauty on your career ?"

Mostly grace; being loved by the camera, delivering feelings that can be accepted, and eyes ... those who have these qualities are lucky.

And you're one of the lucky people?

Yes. Of course beauty is also important. But as I said, a very beautiful person might as well not look nice in front of the camera. So far I like my body, I try to look as good as possible, I'm happy with myself, but I'm not a woman who has an extraordinary beauty.

So beauty is not extremely important?

It is important. Everyone likes to look at beautiful people. I would love to have a child, a very beautiful girl to be looking at!

You've been at the heart of the dizi sector for years. How would you describe it?

I've started working in this field 8 years ago. There is a huge difference between then and now. In my first years, we were lacking of everything on the sets. Now, our sector can compete at an international level. But I have an objection on the way people's labor and time are consumed so cruelly. And sometimes I think that I shouldn't be complaining.

Why?

I was a fan of our cinema stars, and many years later I was able to stand next to them on the sets, we became colleagues, chatting together. We are making good money, and making a profession. It would be shameful to complain a lot.

The kissing scenes of Ask-i memnu, the rape scene of Fatmagul'un suçu ne? ... A single scene of yours can become the talk of the town for days. How does it effect you?

Of course some points are necessary, but I don't like when issues are exaggerated. Now I don't care too much anymore. Sexuality issues are not ordinary in our society.

Could you explain more?

A man getting his nose broken in a street fight is a normal story. But a couple seen kissing in a bus stop is considered a shameful story. The fighting is normal, the other is not. Violence is full of contacts, love is full of much more normal contacts.

Have you ever said I will never play in such scenes?

Compared to what is done all over the world, we are not doing much. These scenes are considered bold only in our country. When I'm working with the right people who behave accordingly, it doesn't cause me a lot of trouble. When we're shooting a story called "Forbidden love", sex is an important issue. I think it would be more bizarre not to have love scenes in a forbidden love story. As long as it doesn't involve a bad use (misuse-abuse) of the woman, I feel comfortable with it.

How do you look at the state's intervention in Muhteşem Yüzyıl and other series?

Do the forces have to be doing this? I don't know. If this country is one day managed with contentment to the law, will we be happy ? we will see. Will we be able to work peacefully? Or many years later, when we look back at our self-censorship choices, will we still be proud of ourselves ? We have to think about it ! Why should we be doing this for a fictional TV series, an editorial column or a caricature ?

How much place do politics have in your life?

When someone is making steps forward and taking decisions, I follow him of course. When I begin receiving very negatives feelings from him, I start stepping back progressively.

Are you content with being an actress in Turkey?

Yes. When I compare myself to other countries, sometimes I say "This is so unfair. If I was doing this job in another country, I would have had a different status". And sometimes i say "If I was born more to the east, and living in other Muslim countries, I wouldn't have been able to make this profession". My thoughts are not a rebellion, they just come as a whimper and remain like that.

You're 28 years old. How did you deal with fame at a young age?

I've never considered myself as being someone important. In addition, I had a lot of fun with myself and the absurdities I've done.

How is that ? you never looked at yourself from an outside point of view?

No. Over time, I was growing up. Little by little, I was feeling my free area shrinking. People began reacting more and more to me. And because of the paparazzi, my hands were a little bit tied. But I continued my life the way I could. Honestly, I do not feel such things from inside.

Didn't you experience emotional changes?

Tremendously. Thank God I am an actress, otherwise these 8 years would have been much more vicious. Acting has enriched me a lot.

You're so much connected to your acting. Did it create you a schizophrenic situation? 

I didn't get an academic training in acting. In order to act a laughing or crying attack, I had to find my own way. My only available material were my emotions. In the early days, chemistry used to confuse me, sometimes made me loose control. But I passed that.

You're making your come back to the screens. One day will your face be aging too? 

In the early years, I heard a lot about facial aging. But I don't pay attention to this anymore. In this sector, we grow up together, along with the viewers. The actors become performance oriented. And they expect remarks like "Let's see will he be changing?"

You always get high ratings. What in your opinion is your secret?

For television, an actor is like the sauce of the meal. He opens the appetite, improves the flavor, but he can't feed all by himself. We can see the balance changing for many actors over the years. You can't always find brilliant projects. This could also happen to me at any time. I'm prepared for it.

Who is your mentor?

In general I take my own decisions, and I follow my feelings to make my choices. First of all I read the scenario, then I sleep the whole night, and the next day I do the way I feel it. But in this specific project, Kenan was by my side, supporting me since the first day.

Did you watch it together?

Yes. And we're still watching it.

Her words : "My thoughts are not a rebellion, they just come as a whimper and remain like that." "I don’t like rankings, but yes I am popular, I became popular. But the word “star” is for others, I wouldn’t use this word for myself yet. I’ve chosen this path to become an actress, not to become a celebrity. That was my childhood dream."

I'm especially impressed! Real Beren answers

Sadia Khan