Works more, becomes more...

 

 

Yazı/Text: CEREN ÜNLÜ

Fotoğraflar/Photos: GÜRCAN ÖZTÜRK

 

Zuhal Olcay, whom we’ve last seen in the “Happy New Year, London” shown during the Istanbul Film Festival, continues acting in TV series and stage productions. We won’t have to wait too long for her newest songs, either: she’s already started working on a new album...

 

 

I discovered a brand-new reason as soon as I saw her, despite having been thinking I knew exactly why I like her. Her far-off, yet sensitive gaze, melancholic, but not in the least bit sad always took centre stage in every play, film and song. Standing as the plainest, clearest reflection of her professional attitude. Lucky us: Currently we are able to watch Zuhal Olcay on stage, on TV and in the cinema. As soon as her work on the latest album is concluded, we’ll be able to listen to her singing new songs as well. She starts by pointing out that this intense tempo is exhausting, yet highly enjoyable. She tells us how it all comes together into a unified whole. Theatre, her first passion, took hold a very long time ago: “I decided to go into the theatre while still at primary school. This was a considered decision; I worked out what to do next, what is the procedure to enter the conservatory and how best to plan it all. This is a remarkably intrepid and precocious life plan for a pupil. Naturally, family support was essential; I’m not sure I could have been this determined if I didn’t have their support. All I know is that I succeeded in doing what I wanted to do.” Zuhal Olcay’s latest film role was in Berkun Oya’s “Happy New Year, London” (also shown at the Istanbul Film festival); she has always taken part in milestones in Turkish cinema.

So, dozens of plays and films; did real life and the fictional ever coincide? “It does happen every once in a while. You have to consult psychiatrists at this point. If you ask a psychiatrist, he might tell you that actors are occasionally overwhelmed by the parts they play. Say, for example, someone gets many powerful and dominant women’s parts; this actress may well find herself acting out of character in real life. There are examples of this happening. I’ve had some small coincidences in my life. There have been times when I experienced similar emotional situations in real life as in the stories I acted in. I’m not certain whether I had a hand in this; I haven’t really dug that deep. It is possible. Our job is slightly schizoid, in any case. You do, occasionally, get into the part to the extent that you do similar things in your real life. You don’t relive the scene exactly, obviously; since one is a part, your job at the end of the day. But certain things happen in your real life that bring that character closer to you. These are quite complicated things actually. Best not to go in too deep. It’s not that easy explaining it all; we’d get sectioned!”