From Theatre to Prime-Time Success – Neslihan Yeldan
She went to an audition “just for fun” — and suddenly found herself on stage with Ferhan Şensoy, Münir Özkul, and Erol Günaydın.
At 18, Neslihan Yeldan took her first step onto the stage and began an extraordinary journey through Turkey’s greatest theater masters — from Ortaoyuncular to Kenter, from Dormen to BKM.
She became one of the country’s most recognized faces with projects like “Bir Demet Tiyatro,” “İstanbullu Gelin,” “Sen Çal Kapımı,” and “Kızılcık Şerbeti.”
Today, she continues her life in London — as an actress, a mother, and an entrepreneur.
She founded her own cosmetics brand, returned to the stage with the musical cabaret No Name, and keeps creating across every form of art.
This documentary interview tells the story of a Turkish actress whose passion for the stage, motherhood, and rebirth journey extends from Istanbul to London.
🎬 Chapters:
00:00 The “just for fun” audition and the moment she met the masters – “I found my profession at 18.”
01:08 Childhood in old Istanbul, family and school choices; design dreams and deciding to audition for Ortaoyuncular
03:06 First steps in theater: the scent, the lights, and moving from amateur to professional
04:01 The rise and the Bir Demet Tiyatro opportunity (connection with Yılmaz Erdoğan)
04:36 “I’ll write you as pregnant” – the real-life story written into the show and Aslan’s birth
05:36 The masters’ circle: Kenter, Dormen, and then BKM – “I may be the only actress who worked in all these schools”
06:40 A steady rise – Bir Demet, İstanbullu Gelin, Sen Çal Kapımı, Kızılcık Şerbeti
07:33 No Name: a mix of musical, cabaret, and concert – returning to the stage
08:26 Moving to London for her son – separation, longing, and reunion
09:23 “She lives in London!” – the illusion versus the reality of migration and making a living
10:41 Building her own cosmetics brand – from home production to logistics; balancing two careers
12:15 The “stay strong” mindset: being a Turkish woman and learning to persevere
12:53 The two sides of London – inspiration vs. high costs and safety; parks, museums, fashion, and daily rhythm
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