Farah Zeynep Abdullah (born 17 August 1989) is a Turkish actress and singer. She garnered critical acclaim and nationwide recognition for her movies and television series.[1] She is the recipient of two Siyad awards, the most prestigious film awards in Turkey.[2]

Farah Zeynep Abdullah
Born (1989-08-17) 17 August 1989 (age 35)
EducationUniversity of Kent
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active2010–present
Websitefzaofficial.com

Early life

edit

Farah Zeynep Abdullah was born on 17 August 1989, in Beşiktaş, Istanbul.[3] Abdullah has two brothers. Her secondary education was spent at the Lycée Français Saint-Michel in Istanbul until her family moved to London due to her father's job.[4][5] She completed her degree in French and Drama and Media Studies from the University of Kent in 2013.

Career

edit

TV series

edit
 
Abdullah and Birkan Sokullu on the set of Masumlar Apartmanı

In 2010, during her studies at the University of Kent, Abdullah was offered a role in the melodrama Öyle Bir Geçer Zaman ki,[6] for which she completed 2 seasons and 79 episodes. The series also won her a Best Supporting Actress award at the Antalya Television Awards in 2011.

She then worked for the second time alongside Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ in the period drama Kurt Seyit ve Şura.

In late July 2016, rumours of Abdullah joining the hit series Muhteşem Yüzyıl: Kösem ("Magnificent Century: Kösem") surfaced on social media. A few days later, it was confirmed that she had joined the series in the role of Hungarian princess Farya Bethlen.

Abdullah then starred as singer in the series Gülizar.

Between 2020 and 2021, she worked alongside Birkan Sokullu in Masumlar Apartmanı ("Apartment of the Innocents"), which is adapted from a novel by Gülseren Budayıcıoğlu.[7]

Films

edit

In 2013, she appeared in Yılmaz Erdoğan's film Kelebeğin Rüyası ("The Butterfly's Dream"). It was selected by the Minister of Culture and Tourism as Turkey's candidate for the 2014's Academy Awards.[8][9] For the role, Abdullah won the trophy for Best Supporting Actress at the 18th Sadri Alışık Cinema and Theatre Awards and Cinema Writers Association Awards.

In 2014, she appeared in the film Bi Küçük Eylül Meselesi ("A Small September Affair"). Abdullah later starred in director Çağan Irmak's musical romance film Unutursam Fisilda ("Whisper If I Forget"). The role brought her multiple awards as she stunned audiences with her acting and singing skills. It became the 5th most watched film in Turkiye in 2014. The song 'Gel ya da git' performed by Farah for the soundtrack of the film 'Whisper If I Forget' topped the national charts for numeral consecutive weeks.

In 2015, she voiced Princess Courtney in the Turkish version of Barbie in Rock 'N Royals. Later that year Abdullah completed Ekşi Elmalar ("Sour Apples"), her second project with director Yılmaz Erdoğan. The film was released on 28 October 2016 in Turkey and in early November in Europe. Her acting was very well received and praised by critics and viewers alike.

In 2018 she played famous singer Ajda Pekkan in the fantasy comedy film Arif V 216, where she sang Pekkan's songs "Milyonzade" and "Boşvermişim Dünyaya". It was the second most watched film in Turkiye in 2018. Abdullah then starred in the film Bizim İçin: Şampiyon ("For Us: Champion"), which tells the life story of jockey Halis Karataş.[10][11][12] Her role and the movie were widely appreciated by critics.

In 2022, Abdullah starred in the biographical film Bergen which became the 8th highest-grossing film of all time in Turkiye gaining over 160 million tl.[13] It was the most watched and highest grossing film in 2022 in Turkiye.

In 2023, Abdullah starred in the film Bihter, an adaption of the 1900s Ottoman-era novel Aşk-ı Memnu.

Filmography

edit

Television series

edit
Year Title Role Channel Notes Episodes
2010–2012 Öyle Bir Geçer Zaman Ki Aylin Akarsu / Talaşoğlu Kanal D Supporting role 79
2014 Kurt Seyit ve Şura Alexandra "Șura" Verjenskaya Star TV Leading role 21
2016–2017 Muhteşem Yüzyıl: Kösem Princess Farya Bethlen Fox Leading role 22
2018 Gülizar Gülizar Kanal D Leading role 10
2020–2021 Masumlar Apartmanı İnci Özdemir / Derenoğlu TRT 1 Leading role 37
2023 Kızılcık Şerbeti Dilruba Show TV Guest star 2

Film

edit
Year Title Role Director Notes
2013 Kelebeğin Rüyası Mediha Yılmaz Erdoğan Supporting role
2014 Bi Küçük Eylül Meselesi Eylül Kerem Deren Leading role
Unutursam Fısılda Hatice / Ayperi Çağan Irmak Leading role
2015 Barbie in Rock'n Royals Princess Courtney Turkish dubbing
2016 Ekşi Elmalar Muazzez Yılmaz Erdoğan Leading role
2018 Arif V 216 Ajda Pekkan Kıvanç Baruönü Supporting role
Bizim İçin: Şampiyon[14] Begüm Atman / Karataş Ahmet Katıksız Leading role
2022 Bergen Bergen Caner Alper & Mehmet Binay Leading role / Co-producer
2023 Bihter Bihter Yöreoğlu Leading role / Co-producer

Short Film

edit

Discography

edit
Year Title Project
2014
  • Eyvah
  • Nafile
  • Başka Güzel
  • Sevdim
  • Gel Ya Da Git
  • Bir Mazi Bin Hatıra
Unutursam Fısılda (Original Soundtrack)
2017
Rockuba
2018
Arif V 216 (Original Soundtrack)
  • Değişik El
  • Biraz
  • Hüzün Dibi
  • Ben Seçtim Yolumu
Gülizar (Original Soundtrack)
Bu Hangi Masaldı? Single
2019 Sen Unutulacak Kadın Mısın?

(feat. Erol Evgin)

Altın Düetler 2
2020 Eller Eller Bepanthol commercial
2022 Bana Neler Vadettin

Dert Bende Dertman Sende

Kurtar Yarab

Yalan Dünya

Son Bir Defa

Benim İçin Üzülme

Seni Kalbimden Kovdum

Unutma Beni

Bergen (Original Soundtrack)

Awards and nominations

edit
Year Award Category Project Result
2011 2nd Antalya Television Awards Best Supporting Actress Öyle Bir Geçer Zaman Ki Won
2012 3rd Antalya Television Awards Best Supporting Actress Nominated
2013 18th Sadri Alışık Theatre and Cinema Actors Awards Best Actress in a Supporting Role Kelebeğin Rüyası Won
2014 46th Cinema Writers Association Awards Best Supporting Actress
Elle Style Awards Actress of the Year Nominated
2015 13th YTÜ Stars of the Year Awards Best Film Actress Unutursam Fısılda Won
22nd ITU EMOS Success Awards Actress Of The Year Nominated
TurkMSIC Awards Best Actress Won
4th Istanbul Arel University Media and Art Awards Most Praised Actress
9th GSÜ The Bests Awards Best TV/Cinema Actress
47th Cinema Writers Association Awards Best Actress Nominated
10th Uludağ University Marconi Awards Best Film Actress Won
20th Sadri Alışık Theatre and Cinema Actors Awards Best Film Actress Nominated
21st MGD Golden Objective Awards Best Film Actress Won
KAL Fest Changemakers Awards Changemaker Actress
2017 24th ITU EMOS Success Awards TV Actress Of The Year Muhteşem Yüzyıl: Kösem Nominated
3rd Turkey's Youth Awards Best Film Actress Ekşi Elmalar
22nd Sadri Alışık Theatre and Cinema Actors Awards Special Jury Award Won
2019 51st Cinema Writers Association Awards Best Actress Bizim İçin Şampiyon Nominated
5th Turkey's Youth Awards Best Film Actress
2nd Izmir International Film Festival Best Actress
6th Turkey's Youth Awards Best Film Actress
2020 7th Golden Palm Awards Cinema Actress of the Year Won
2022 33rd Ankara Film Festival The Fresh Breath in Cinema Award Honorary Award
12th ITU Social Media Awards Best Actress Bergen Nominated
17th GSU The Bests Awards Best TV/Cinema Actress Won
2023 21st YTU Stars of The Year Awards Most Liked Film Actress of The Year Won
55th Cinema Writers Association Award Best Actress
60th Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival Achievement

Award

Honorary Award Won
5th Izmir Film Festival Best Cinema/ Film Actress Bergen Won

80th Venice Film Festival Best Actress Kurt Seyit ve Şura Won

References

edit
  1. ^ "Farah Zeynep Abdullah". tvseans.com.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Farah Zeynep Abdullah". tvseans.com.[permanent dead link]
  3. ^ "Farah Zeynep Abdullah". tvseans.com.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ Milliyet. "Farah Zeynep Abdullah: Türk sinemasının yeni yıldızı". Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  5. ^ "Farah Zeynep Abdullah".
  6. ^ Avrupa Gaztesi. "Farah Zeynep Abdullah Kimdir". Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  7. ^ "Masumlar Apartmanı'nın İnci'si Farah Zeynep Abdullah'ın değişen imajı şaşkına çevirdi - Son Dakika Magazin Haberleri | AKŞAM". aksam.com.tr. 9 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Film Review: 'The Butterfly's Dream'". Variety. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  9. ^ "TURKEY NOMINATES 'KELEBEĞIN RÜYASı' FOR OSCAR'S FOREIGN FILM CATEGORY". Sabah. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  10. ^ "Ajda'dan Farah'a tam not". www.hurriyet.com.tr. 31 December 2017.
  11. ^ "Gülizar bitti ama Farah Zeynep Abdullah'ın hiç bilinmeyen bir yönü ortaya çıktı!". 25 March 2018.
  12. ^ "Farah Zeynep Abdullah Şampiyon'u anlattı: Senaryo bittiğinde ağlıyordum". www.ntv.com.tr.
  13. ^ "Tüm Filmler Seyirci Rekoru - İlk 100 (1989'dan günümüze) - Tüm Zamanlar".
  14. ^ "Halis Karataş film oldu". Haberturk.com. 8 October 2018. Retrieved 27 January 2019.
edit