From Vogue Turkiye September 2019 Edition
A New Generation Leading Man
By Elif Şevval Yürüten
Translation by Sena Ikizoglu
He is full of surprises.
We call him the ‘new generation’s leading man’ because with his unconventional transformation from science to art, from math to acting, Akin Akinozu is the name that embodies the multifaceted spirit of the era. Akin Akinozu who earned the admiration of millions with Hercai, not only physically transforms in each character he plays, but he also starts a journey to rediscover himself.
The Vogue team met with Akin Akinozu in Kilyos. I wasn’t able to seize the opportunity of doing this interview face to face because I was in another city, but the day after the photoshoot I learned from my teammates that Akin is such a professional in front of the cameras and so sincere, so natural and witty behind –and of course, that he is as gorgeous as he looks on the screen.
Who is this young talent that has attracted an enormous fanbase with Hercai in a such a short time and has 2 million followers on Instagram?
In researching him on the internet before this interview, I could find very limited information. So I asked him the same question directly and he replied: “ I’m a free individual on the road to self-actualization, trying to leave a mark by combining the power I draw from my will and the passion to improve myself.”
Sureyya Akin Akinozu, born in 1990, in Ankara, comes from an artistic family. His mother Ozlem Akinozu, is an actress, his grandfather Sureyya Arin, is one of the first TV presenters on TRT1 channel, and his granduncle is Suha Arin, the great master of Turkish documentaries. However, Akin’s first career choice wasn’t acting. He chose science over the arts and studied applied Mathematics at UC Berkeley.
Before focusing on his transition from science to arts, let’s first have a look at his footsteps in his acting career: Akin’s first project was not the movie Azrail in 2014 as it is known but it was the Muhtesem Yuzyil: Kosem series. Don’t believe the information on the internet sites because he wasn’t a part of that movie. He continued his TV career with the series Arkadaslar Iyidir, Payitaht: Abdulhamit and Aslan Ailem. Lately, he is portraying Miran Aslanbey in Hercai which has made him a brighter star.
If we go back to the matter of transition from science to arts, this choice of Akin stems from the curiosity which shapes his personality. “My curiosity and interest in solving problems motivated me to study mathematics in one of the world’s best universities. What brought me here is that I understood acting is also an art of solving problems.” He says. Akin, who always took an alternative approach to solving problems while he was studying mathematics, says that he adapted his ability to the field of acting. “The good side of acting is that you find the opportunity to solve the problems of the story and the characters in a unique way, by putting your mind, your feelings, your body and soul –frankly everything that makes you human- into it.”
So what did he learn from the character of Miran? Is there any resemblance between him and Miran? “The first resemblance I spotted was his strong will to reach his destination. But Miran taught me something even more valuable in this journey: I can still love like a little child.”
I wonder if there are directors or actors he aspires to work with or a historical or modern day character he wants to play. “Even the thought of Christopher Nolan filming about Fatih Sultan Mehmet with his peculiar touch excites me. I would love to be the actor who portrays Fatih Sultan Mehmet in such a project. Nolan is a director who creates mind-twisting and highly emotional movies by integrating science and the language of cinema. I believe that Fatih Sultan Mehmet is one of those names on the apex of this synthesis.”
For Akin -who says he loves Darwin’s quote ‘It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change’- “change” is the key to his life. Akin, who first discovered the power of change by dropping to 70 kilograms (154 lbs) from 120 (264 lbs), believes that this experience results from will. The factor that made him one of the most successful new generation talents of Turkey in a short time is his interaction with the character of Miran. Akin’s dream about future as an actor, is to make this ‘new generation leading man’ title a permanent mark.
In his Fall schedule the plan that excites him the most is exploring the rich cultural environment of Mardin and vicinity, which he couldn’t properly see because of his busy filming tempo last season.
In his story that reaches out from Ankara to Los Angeles then to Istanbul, he learned a lot from these 3 megacities that he’s lived in: “I’m glad that I lived in Ankara because it gifted me with precious friendships and a strong personality. I’m glad that I lived in Los Angeles because it hosted me with broad vision and made me a world citizen. And I’m glad that I live in Istanbul because it embraced me to make my dreams come true.”
Elif Şevval Yürüten
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Give Akin an English role of an alpha in a werewolf movie or series. I think he would be great. Pass it on whisper this in his ear. He would be great in this role!