English Version👇

From Istanbul to Bodrum
Meeting with Engin Akyürek – Part 2

Before our departure, we had so many questions about how this trip to Wonderland, or even the precise moment of our encounter with our hero, would unfold.  And then, suddenly, from total excitement, we are seized with doubts of appalling fear!  Will we really be allowed to enter the enclosure of the filming location and meet him?  Will he have time for us, young French girls and unconditional admirers, or will they rather accuse us of intruding and invading the space at the very moment that Mr. Engin Akyürek needs to concentrate fully on his role?  Shouldn’t we have called ahead of time the production managers of Sefirin Kizi to alert them of our visit?  Were we going to disrupt the shooting scenes by our arrival?  Will he be too tired to agree to meet with us?  As you can see, hundreds of questions such as these kept haunting us.

Tuesday April 20, 2021

It is already late in the evening, and we have just arrived in Bodrum.  I leave it to you to imagine my sleep throughout the night, filled with anxiety, excitement, and above all, happiness.  All these emotions join together as Engin’s movies and series scroll one after the other in my head.  Impossible for me to shut my eyes!

Wednesday April 21, 2021, an unforgettable day!

Risen early, my friend Nurgül and her daughter Rümeysa meet us at the hotel very early.  Once again, it is thanks to Engin Akyürek that we have been able to make so many wonderful acquaintances.  Without wasting a minute, we hit the road in the direction of the filming location, which is the main objective of our journey.  I ride with Nurgül while the girls follow us in a second vehicle.  Throughout the ride, my heart pounds so wildly that I fear it’s going to stop.  I pinch myself, « Am I daydreaming, or will I actually meet Engin Akyürek today? »

• 

• 

As soon as we arrive, a first scene opens up in front of us:  Sancar’s car is parked by the side of the road.  The caravans, standing in single file, also appear as telltale signs that our dream is indeed about to be realized.  My heart begins to sink once again.  We get out of the car, gift packages in hand, and head for the shooting location.  As we near the building, we immediately recognize Nedim, Halise’s handyman from the Sefirin Kizi series.  Nurgül addresses one of the NGM production employees.  She explains that we have come from very far away to meet Mr. Engin Akyürek.  He informs us that due to the shooting duration that day, we most likely will have to wait several hours, that is about four or five hours, before we can expect to see him.  Having traveled thousands of kilometers from France to experience this unique moment, we immediately let him know that we don’t mind waiting, even if it must take the whole day.

• 

• 

• 

• 

To pass the time, we decide to go meet Nedim, who seems to be available.  We inform him that we have come to see Engin Akyürek and ask if he can tell us if he is inside the building.  He responds in a very welcoming tone:  “If you wait, you will be able to see him.  You need only to call his name as soon as he comes out.  Mr. Engin is never opposed and he will surely greet you.”  These words reassure us enormously, at the same time that they fill us with infinite happiness.  Hope finally wins out over doubt.

Suddenly, his eyes fall on me. He nods as a sign of greeting.  I will never forget those few seconds.  His deep gaze makes me lose my bearings.  It’s very hard for me to describe the feeling that comes over me when his eyes are set on me.  Even today, with hindsight, I still have trouble finding the right words.  Then, everything speeds up as he gets nearer me.  Already reduced in my abilities, I feel even more vulnerable.  I manage all the same to utter a few words to him, in a mix of English and Turkish, namely that we came from France, that we belong to the French Club Engin Akyürek France, that we are infinitely honored to be here, and that our visit is as a follow-up to the album which was dedicated to him and which was personally delivered to him in December 2020.  He replies immediately in English: “Oh, yes, album!”, punctuated by a palpable smile through the mask.  I’ve always dreamt of this moment, and here I am living it.  I have dreamt of this unique moment, I have learnt by heart all these things that I have to say to him and that I want him to know, such as my admiration, my passion for his whole being, and so on and so forth.  But panic once again strikes. I feel like I am “locked” from the inside.  The words swarming inside me collides against each other, but I am absolutely unable to utter a single one.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Despite this inner panic, my arms can still function sufficiently to allow me to give him his gifts. Mine is a pen engraved with his first name and a card on which I wrote:  “Memory fades away but words remain.  Thank you for offering your thoughts to all your fans around the world through your tales which are so precious to us. »  

He thanks us and signs a photo for the group as well as a copy of his book Sessizlik for each of us.  

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Finally, we ask him to pose for a short photo session, but the agent, who feels there are too many of us, prefers that we only take one group photo.

Engin then heads for his trailer to continue signing the books that Nurgül graciously brought.  He asks her:  « Who do I sign for? », to which Nurgül responds by giving him the names of the people for whom the initialed books will be intended. While signing the books, he asks Nurgül how we know each other and she tells him that we communicate a lot through Instagram. Once the signatures are completed, I ask if we can take one last picture of Engin.  The agent again is not keen on allowing it, but Engin, who appears on the doorstep of the trailer, announces with a smile, « It’s OK! » » to indicate his agreement for a few more shots. You cannot imagine how enthusiastic I am to witness his extreme friendliness, indulgence, gentleness and understanding. In addition, I am lucky to see him and to be able to take a picture without his mask.  Despite clear signs of tiredness reflected on his face, he fills us with an immense joy with his sparkling smile, and this freezes me once again. This moment will forever be etched in my mind.

Let me tell you that it took me a long time to climb down from my cloud.  This day of April 21, filled with magical moments and pure happiness, will remain in my annals as one of the most extraordinary.

• 

• 

After the photo shoot, followed by warm thanks (çok teşekkür ederim), Engin lets us know that it’s time for him to go and get some rest.  Indeed, his exhaustion is more than obvious.  A great void sets in after he leaves and neither of us wants to depart.  In a way, it’s as if staying a bit longer allowed us to continue to have him close to us.

Today, when asked:  « How was Engin Akyürek? », my response would be that he was rather true to himself, warm and relaxed. One would have thought that Engin, given his highly prized status as an actor – who, moreover, is interrupted between the filming of two scenes – might have shown signs of impatience or even wished not to receive anyone. On the contrary, I would say that he was rather keen on listening to our requests, attentive to our every move, and endowed with incredible kindness, in stark contrast to the production staff who sometimes got in the way.

All I can take away from this encounter is that, in spite of my careful preparation for weeks on end to be finally ready on the day of the meeting, the mere fact of finding myself face-to-face with Engin put me at a loss and left me speechless. Without a doubt, one has to personally live this experience to believe in it.

The most impressive characteristics defining Engin are his simplicity, impeccable demeanor, sincerity and authenticity. He is as captivating as he is enchanting. I would even go so far as to say that he is mesmerizing. His personality, his demeanor, his charisma, all contribute to his uniqueness. When he is in front of you, you forget all of his TV characters. You only see Engine Akyürek, the man with an absolute charm and profound maturity, who is at the same time the embodiment of the perfect human being, i.e., remarkable, attractive, sincere, kind, gentle and welcoming.  He also shows a lot of integrity through his expressions and attitudes. He is extraordinarily attentive and, dare I say, even more handsome than on TV, with truly sparkling caramel color eyes bordered with infinitely striking lashes. Though a bit short, his hair is gorgeous. His aquiline nose complements his face perfectly.  He has long, slender, well-shaped fingers (as you can see from the photo taken in front of his trailer). His stunning figure and impeccable demeanor add a little more to his heart of gold.  He is a humble and modest person, at the same time that he is courteous and infinitely kind. When he smiles at you, it’s all his surroundings that lights up.  Like all the characters he has played, Engin Akyürek is extremely endearing. He knows how to perfectly master the art of his presence and make you feel at ease and respected, which allows for the opportunity to forge deep bonds.

In addition, he carries his name well, as it literally means:  immense pure heart.

After reluctantly leaving him – obviously – we head for the manor.

Once again, luck is on our side because the guardian of the Konak is there, and he pulls the gate wide open for us to enter and visit the inside of this splendid residence, witness of so many memories of the Efeoğlu family in the Sefirin Kizi series. This allows us once again to take some souvenir photos.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

We then drive to the small forest hut, a historic and unique place in its own right, which not only marks many highlights of Sefirin Kizi, but also evokes Melek’s life-size dollhouse or Mavi and Sancar’s first encounter. The NGM Production was able to select excellent filming locations on the outskirts of Muğla, among resplendent landscapes of greenery, exceptional bodies of water, and even impressive, majestic, and captivating rocky mountains, such as can be seen behind Melek’s hut.

• 

• 

The day after this unforgettable day, we visit Bodrum – also known as the Turkish “Saint-Tropez” – a magnificent place with its boats moored in the port, its lively streets and its well-stocked souvenir shops. It’s a superb spot to hang out during the day or sit at a terrace to sip a cup of Turkish tea or coffee, or enjoy a refreshing ice cream.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

We also have the opportunity and the pleasure to visit Özge Cenikli. You will recall that it was Özge who baked Engin’s famous birthday cake during his celebration with Sefirin Kizi’s team on October 12 in front of the forest hut.

Known for her kindness and warmth, Özge has prepared especially for us one of her delicious homemade cake specialties, accompanied by Turkish tea and coffee. It’s a short visit, no doubt, but one so enjoyable that we will never forget it.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Our visit takes us next to Milas, or more precisely to Bogaziçi Köyü, the very site where Kahraman took Müge hostage. The location is a bit remote, but the view around the area is well worth it. We engrave a memory there: “French Fans of Sefirin Kizi”. A big thank you to Carole for this magical idea.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Finally, we return to meet Nedim who, being the incomparable gallant with these ladies, offers to accompany us to the old grain mill, the very place where Sancar sequestered Akin on his return to Turkey. It’s a fantastic site, with an incredible view, and we spend a nice moment there.

• 

• 

• 

Ultimately, our journey was marked by innumerable emotions, multitude of discoveries and surprises, and above all punctuated by very beautiful encounters! I can’t wait to relive those moments!

• 

Our goal is to continue to make him known and to disseminate his talent internationally, i.e., in French and English-speaking countries, but more specifically in France, via the Facebook sites at:

▶https://www.facebook.com/EnginAkyurekfrance
▶https://www.facebook.com/groups/391440485077948

Also, via Instagram at:
▶https://instagram.com/enginakyurekfrance?utm_medium=copy_link

Via Tweeter at:
Engin Akyürek France (@Engin_France):  ▶https://twitter.com/Engin_France?s=07

And our blog where we publish numerous articles and interviews linked to his work in television series and films at: ▶https://enginakyurekfrance.fr

Accueil

where we publish numerous articles and interviews linked to his work in television series and films.

Our dearest wish would be that Mr. Engin Akyürek could find a moment to peruse all these social media websites and realize how much we love and admire him around the world. Our admiration for him is so great that we are always looking forward to seeing him in other projects.

We wish him all the best and we love him forever.

Heartfelt thanks to all my travelling companions: Sandra, Celine, Carole, Özlem, Özge & Nürgul.
Not forgetting: Gülperi, Roselyne & Sentürk.

*****************************************************