Defne Kayalar

Defne Kayalar (born May 31, 1975, Ankara, Turkey) is a profound, charismatic, and highly respected Turkish film, theater, and television actress, as well as a producer. She graduated from the Department of Graphic Design at Bilkent University and later worked as an assistant in the Department of Cinema and Television at Istanbul Bilgi University. With a strong background in visual arts, Defne initially entered the entertainment industry behind the scenes as a producer, but later transitioned fully to acting, earning critical acclaim for her unique ability to portray complex psychological characters. Defne gained widespread television popularity with her role as Sedef Kaya in the cult youth drama series "Tide" ("Medcezir", 2013–2015). However, her true international breakthrough and critical pinnacle came with her portrayal of Peri, a psychiatrist, in the hit Netflix drama series "Ethos" ("Bir Başkadır", 2020), which earned her the prestigious Golden Butterfly Award (Altın Kelebek). She has also delivered outstanding performances in other major streaming hits, including "Fi", "The Protector" ("Hakan: Muhafız"), and the gripping media drama "As the Crow Flies" ("Kuş Uçuşu"). Fast Facts: For many years, Defne has successfully balanced her screen career with theater work and is a co-founder of the prominent Istanbul-based theater company "KREK." She is perfectly fluent in English and frequently attends international film festivals. The actress is passionate about contemporary art, photography, and graphic design. Marital Status: Married. In December 2014, she married the renowned Turkish film director Ali Bilgin. The couple has a son named Kaplan.