Arda Anarat is standing out as Çınar Kaya in the award-winning Turkish Telenovela Yargı: Family Secrets. Check our exclusive interview
Arda Anarat was born in Istanbul, Turkey, and is a young talent between Turkish actors. His career began in 2012, in the series Magnificent Century (Muhteşem Yüzyıl), as Sehzade Mehmet. Despite being very young — Arda was born in 1999 and is 24 years old —, the actor already has a career full of diverse and very successful projects.
Recently, Arda Anarat is standing out as Çınar Kaya in the award-winning Turkish Telenovela Yargı: Family Secrets. Çınar is a young man who has a history marked by trauma and family problems, related to his father and brother, Ilgaz Kaya (Kaan Urgancıoğlu).
Throughout the dizi, the character gets involved in trouble and is accused of murder. It takes him to make constant mistakes. In the three seasons, the actor has been showing the audience his talent and bravery when playing such a character.
In an interview for Entretetizei, Arda Anarat comments on what it’s been like to be in Yargı: “Being an actor in this industry, it’s such a pleasure and a learning experience to be working and sharing scenes with such valued names. Since everyone is so professional, the backstage is always very supportive to each actor”.
+ Yargı: why is the Turkish Telenovela so famous around the world?
Read the full interview, where the actor talks about his career, projects and Yargı:
Entretetizei: Hi Arda, thank you for answering our questions. You started acting at a very young age. Tell us a little about how you became interested in acting and how it changed your life.
Arda Anarat: Thank you for having me, it’s such a pleasure to be doing this interview. My mom started taking me to watch kids theater at a very young age, like 3 to 4 years old. I was so fascinated by the plays and I wanted to be a part of it.
Then my family started taking me to kids acting workshops, I spent a couple years taking those acting classes. When I was in elementary school I was casted in a play for our English drama club. My teacher at that play introduced me to my first ever agent. That’s how my acting career started and I haven’t stopped ever since.
E: You have been in different productions: for streaming, TV and cinema. What were the most memorable projects and why? Which format do you like most?
A: Of course I prefer cinema as an actor, because you can clearly see a character’s arch. In TV shows things are much blurred and unpredictable. Göçebe was definitely the most memorable project because it was my first lead role in a film and the script had so much potential. It was a well thought-out project with great vision.
+ Interview | Özlem Türay shares his experience in Yargı
E: Not Knowing is a movie nominated for awards such as the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival and talks about social lynching. Tell us about your character and the importance of this project.
A: It was my first villain character and it was quite an experience portraying such a bad person. Don’t get me wrong, but for an actor playing a villain is so much fun at times, it adds so much to your acting palette. You have to have a certain confidence to portray a villain.
E: The movie Nefes: Yer Eksi Iki has just been released and we saw that you were very excited about it on social media. What was the experience like and what does the movie bring to society?
A: Being a part of a period piece like Nefes gives you so much space to get into the character. Because they literally create the movies universe around you. I also loved portraying a soldier with so much emotion and loyalty.
E: Yargı is a success inside and outside Türkiye. What has it been like to be in a dizi like that and how did you feel about the International Emmy?
A: The International Emmy Award was a well-deserved applaud to all of our cast and crew. We all worked really hard for this project and everyone did an exceptional job. It is an honor to be appreciated with an Emmy.
E: Çınar has been the center of attention since the first season. What are the main challenges in interpreting Çınar? What greatest teaching did Çınar bring to you?
A: Çınar and I are very different characters. He is really impulsive and reactive. I am more logical and patient compared to him. Creating Çınar was not hard but experiencing the emotions with him was tough. Because we get involved with Çınar at his lowest point in life, he was accused of murdering his lover. And from that point, he kept making mistakes.
E: We would like to talk about the psychological issues surrounding Çınar. How do you see this and how do you deal with the criticism involving your character? Can you understand his wrong decisions or do you side with the audience?
A: I’m not the one dealing with the criticisms. Of course I see the criticism towards the character and take it into account as I’m acting, but those are Çınar’s mistakes. I do side with Çınar because I can understand why he is the way he is. Çınar has father issues and is constantly compared to his older brother. I think that really affected his personality.
E: The entire cast is very loved by fans. What’s it like sharing scenes with them and how are the days like on set?
A: Being an actor in this industry it’s such a pleasure, and a learning experience to be working and sharing scenes with such valued names. Since everyone is so professional, the backstage is always very supportive to each actor. It was also a big pleasure to work with our crew, especially Ali Bilgin, our director. Everyday is learning new things and adding more to your acting plate.
E: Yargı is in its final season. What can we expect from the next episodes? What can you tell us? Will we see a happy ending for Çınar?
A: This project is different from others because the actors don’t know their characters future. They don’t really tell us our arch or the storyline, so it’s a surprise to all of us as we go. So, I don’t really know what’s going to happen with Çınar, but I do wish him well.
E: What was the most impactful and unforgettable scene of all seasons?
A: I think in this season, after his father’s death, Çınar listens to his voice messages. It was a breakdown for Çınar’s character development. As an actor, I felt the breakdown inside me. It was the first time I felt pity for Çınar’s character.
E: Is there a dream project or character you want to play in the future? And who would you like to share the scenes with?
A: I play a lot of video games and I’ve seen that recently the movie adaptations of these games are done very well. So maybe in the future I would love to play a character I was in the video games.
E: What are your hobbies? What do you like to do when you’re not shooting?
A: I like to workout, so I try to be consistent with my workout routines. I play video games to unwind and relax. I’m reading a lot lately. And most nights I rewatch old films or try to watch new ones.
E: How is your relationship with social media? Do you usually check what people are talking or sharing about your work?
A: I don’t really have a relationship with social media. I catch up with the news on X and watch funny videos on Instagram. But I don’t really like posting. But yes, I am interested in what the audience says about my work and acting. I take it as a feedback, with all the goods and the bad.
E: About Brazil: what do you know about our culture? Would you like to know more about Brazil or maybe, visit the country?
A: I’ve never been to Brazil, but I would love to visit both Brazil and all of South America. I’ve read and heard a lot about Brazil’s natural beauty and cultural monuments. I watched a lot of movies about favela culture and the hustle that comes with it. I really respect that. A lot of very good football players, dancers and all kinds of artists come out of Brazil.
E: Tell us three unmissable Turkish productions and three Turkish singers that all Brazilians should watch and listen to one day.
A: Movies: Eşkıya; such a cult drama with immense performances, Hababam Sınıfı Uyanıyor; a good old classic Turkish comedy; and Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da; a pioneer director in Turkish cinema.
Musicians: Birsen Tezer; my favorite. Cem Karaca, he is the father of Anatolian rock. Ezhel, a very talented Turkish musician.
E: Finally, if possible, leave a message for the Brazilian public who follows your work.
A: For the past few years I’ve really felt the growing love from our South American fans. One day I really want to come to Brazil and meet all of you guys. Much love.
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Text proofread by Michelle Morikawa