Yunus Emre Institute's Tirana branch has hosted Oktay Kaynarca at a program aired on social media. In the program, presented by the famous presenter of the Balkans Jusuf Emin, Oktay Kaynarca talked about his career and acting. Emphasizing that Turkish TV series undertake an important mission in promoting Turkish language and culture, Oktay Kaynarca said, “It is a very valuable and important thing for a country that our culture is getting known and internalized by the people around the world. Therefore, the institution that makes this possible is also very valuable and important.” 

Yunus Emre Institute's Tirana branch has organized an unforgettable program on Wednesday, July 1, with the famous actor Oktay Kaynarca as the guest, presented and hosted by the famous presenter of the Balkans Jusuf Emin. Having a large fan base not only in Turkey, but also in many countries around the world, thanks to his parts in famous TV series like "Eşkıya Dünyaya Hükümdar Olmaz" (Bandits) and "Kurtlar Vadisi" (Valley of the Wolves), Kaynarca talked about his acting career. In the program, which took place within the scope of the “Yunus Emre Institute Digital Talks,” Kaynarca also expressed his views on acting, cinema and theater and mentioned acting related tricks of the trade, and offered guiding advice to future actors and actresses.

Answering the questions of his fans from Albania and Kosovo, Kaynarca was surprised by the Azerbaijani painter Elmar Memmedzade in the program. Elmar Memmedzade is the brother of Azerbaijani painter and calligrapher Tünzale Memmedzade, the person who wrote the Qur'an on transparent silk for the first time in the world, and he is known for his shadow painting technique. Azerbaijani painter Elmar Memmedzade brought a visual feast to the viewers when he reflected the portrait of Kaynarca he painted on fine silk on the wall. The program, organized by Yunus Emre Institute's Tirana branch, was broadcast live on the official Facebook page of Albania's famous TV channel Vizion Plus. The program was watched by tens of thousands of people. 

In response to Jusuf Emin's question, "What did you do during the corona pandemic period?" Kaynarca stated that he used this period to improve himself from an artistic point of view. "I watched and read something as much as possible. I attempted to write down something. I dealt with some projects. We had the opportunity to chat a little with friends. We could not communicate well with family and friends. So, we accomplished these during this process," he said. Having finished the "Eşkıya Dünyaya Hükümdar Olmaz" TV series earlier than expected in the quarantine period, Kaynarca said that they never gave trouble to the set staff or behaved them unjustly during the pandemic period. 

BEING AN ACTOR WAS HIS CHILDHOOD DREAM

When Jusuf Emin asked how he decided to become an actor, Oktay Kaynarca said that his present profession was his childhood dream. Kaynarca explained his adventure of starting acting as follows: 

"This is something I've wanted since my childhood. So, it would be more accurate if I tell you how I realized it. Maybe you are too young to understand my words... TV attracted my attention a lot since its early periods, I mean, since the times it has first been watched in Turkey. The existing TV venues at that time attracted my attention so much that I could not leave watching it. Later, I realized that it was TV what led me to act. After that, it further strengthened in high school. I thought about how I could do this, how I could realize it professionally. After due consideration, I decided that I needed to get training on this subject. I started to attend the conservatory.” Kaynarca said he would like to study aviation were it not for acting while people around thought being a doctor would suit him. Kaynarca added, “At that time, my dream was to become an aviator, but acting far outweighed.”
 
THE GOLDEN RULES OF ACTING: EDUCATION, HARD WORK AND DISCIPLINE

Pointing out that education has an important place in acting, Oktay Kaynarca shared the secrets of being a successful actor with his fans. Stating that physical appearance is not enough for acting, Kaynarca expressed the importance of hard work and discipline as follows: 

“I find many of my young friends very successful, I find them very skilled, I find them very talented. I watch and adore many of my friends very much. Still, we have to admit that unfortunately there are some actors who got the lead roles just because of their physical appearance, which is, of course, necessary. These friends, if they are not educated, must take the matter seriously together with their experienced actor friends and educate themselves. Playing the lead role is an important task. Every role is very important. If we cannot acquire this so-called discipline in acting, or rather, integrate it into that system, it will relapse to the whole set and then you cannot do your job again for a long time.

A GOOD PLAYER MUST BE INTELLECTUAL 

In response to Jusuf Emin's question about what he would recommend to the young people who want to be actors, Kaynarca said: 

"If what we mean is a good actor, the development of an actor is as difficult as the development of an astronaut. So acting is a very demanding job. I believe that they should first of all accept it and then, set out. This is a job in which the chance to miss the target is very high. You may struggle all your life, but not be able to get through to where you really dreamed to. Unfortunately, this is a risky business. But, I think that if the people around you guide you right, you can at least get the chance to achieve the level you want to get to. Now what I say to friends is this: I believe an actor has to observe a lot. For one thing, you certainly have to read a lot. You certainly have to watch a lot. Certainly, you have to listen a lot. You have to know a lot. Something that is really nonsensical, such as something that makes you ask yourself why on earth I know this, at a certain time and place happens to be the thing that you need to know. That is because you are getting into and out of many worlds because of your work. Suddenly, the feeling that ‘Oh God! How did I know this, and thank God I knew it?' can carry you to a different place. Your perception needs to be open. You have to be almost a good intellectual. You have to read many things.”

'THEATER IS THE CONTEST ARENA FOR THE ACTOR'

Expressing that he received training in theater, Oktay Kaynarca stated that he, sort of, tumbled down to the world of TV acting. Saying that theater and TV acting are fields that are separate from each other and each is necessary in itself, Kaynarca pointed out that theater is significant in determining the success of an actor:

"Theater is the actor's sharpening place. It is very important to be in contact with the audience and to feel the energy of the hall in person; it is indispensable. You have no chance to make an error in the theater. You have no chance to get sick, everything is momentary and it is a contest arena for an actor."

“As I always say: We have to play in a theater at least once in a while. Theater is the actor's sharpening place. It is where we sharpen ourselves. Being on the stage is a different feeling. It is very important to be in contact with the audience and to feel the energy of the hall in person; it is indispensable. We try to play in a theater play as much as possible, whenever possible. You should try to play in a theater play. There is no chance to make an error in theater. You have no chance to get sick, everything is momentary; and it is a contest arena for an actor. That's why the person who can play in a theater is an important person. It really is a different place; if I really stop the play and call you to the stage and try to make you memorize three sentences, you can even forget your name if you are not interested in this job. It really is such an interesting job, a very exciting job. I have played in more than a hundred plays; and I remember feeling the same excitement at every play, even at the hundredth one.”

ONE WHO DOES NOT KNOW HIS OWN COUNTRY CANNOT BE OPEN TO THE WORLD 

Oktay Kaynarca said that a player must first know himself and his country very well in order to produce world-class pieces of work influential worldwide. Kaynarca said: “You have to be aware of what is going on around the world. Especially, I believe this is very important for us. He who does not know his own country cannot do anything about the world. First, you should know yourself very well. As I call this, from the national to the universal. You have to be national first, then you have to be universal. Therefore, you should know your own country, your own people very well so that you can have a knowledge of how you can show it to the world.”

TURKISH SERIES INCREASING INTEREST IN THE TURKISH LANGUAGE

During his interview to Jusuf Emin, Oktay Kaynarca talked about the contribution of Turkish TV series to the increasing interest in the Turkish language worldwide: “There are many people who watch Turkish TV series and learn Turkish. The person who has nothing to do with Turkish, but learns Turkish only by watching Turkish series makes us so happy; it is very surprising and pleasing."

Jusuf Emin, on the other hand, added that “Indeed, there is such a large audience that learns Turkish by watching Turkish series. They start attending the courses of Yunus Emre Institute out of curiosity. Actually, through these series, you are in a way taking on more of a missionary duty.” In response to these words of Jusuf Emin, Kaynarca talked about the effects of Turkish series around the world. He pointed out that other people and other cultures started to learn the Turkish culture, Turkish language, and features of Turkish customs and traditions thanks to Turkish series. Indicating that US TV series were common in the world for a while, but now Turkish TV series are at the forefront, Kaynarca said: “The advantage of this should be used in a very important way. I think it is a very important responsibility to be watched especially in Balkan countries, Arab countries, Turkish Republics, and even in Brazil and Argentina. About this, I believe that it is necessary to create certainly better activities at all levels.” 

'WORKS CARRIED OUT BY YUNUS EMRE INSTITUTE ARE VERY VALUABLE'

Oktay Kaynarca said that Yunus Emre Institute plays a big role in spreading both our culture and language. Kaynarca spoke about this important task undertaken by the Institute: This is a very important task; this is a very valuable thing. It is also very valuable that this is done by competent people and by the state. Culture is very valuable. The fact that our culture is known to the people and that it is absorbed by the people is a very valuable and important thing for a country. Therefore, the institution that makes this possible is also very valuable and important. So I really congratulate you and thank you very much for your work... I don't prefer to attend live broadcasts a lot. This is part of the reason why we are doing this speech right now.”

His fans from Albania and Kosovo asked questions to Oktay Kaynarca.

A fan of Kaynarca from Albania asked how he was prepared for the role of Süleyman Çakır in the "Kurtlar Vadisi" TV series. Kaynarca explained the preparation process for the characters he played as follows: “To be honest, I did not have a special preparation process... Only if it is a character I do not know, then I work on it and search for what it might be, but what I usually do is this: After looked at the characters in the scenarios that are sent to me, I think about the people I know who is similar to that character, who I have in my life similar to that character, and then I make a mixture of them, mold it together, and then I put the character forward. Frankly, it was also like this.” 

'BALKANS ARE SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN THE WORLD'

Evi Reçi, the presenter of Vizion Plus television channel, which broadcasts in Albania and broadcasts the program live on its official Facebook page, got connected to the live broadcast and asked if Oktay Kaynarca planned to shoot a TV series in Albania. Stating that he really wanted to shoot a TV series in Albania, Kaynarca replied: “I hope so, but I cannot decide this, of course our producer can. Maybe such a story flows to such a place; maybe something like that happens; let's say why not, hopefully. I came to Albania, I traveled around in Tirana, and I liked it very much. It is a very nice country as well. Let me tell you, I sensed the taste of the old Turkey a bit. I've had a bit of nostalgia; there is still the atmosphere of Turkey of 10-15 years ago; the people are very friendly, very real." Oktay Kaynarca replied Jusuf Emin's question, "Would you accept if you are offered to play in a movie that take place in the Balkans?" 

“I hope such a scenario will come. I hope we will think about it. I hope we shoot something beautiful. Especially, it is a good feeling to be there while working; consider this, I will both see around and work at the same time; and also we will be able to do many things together. I traveled around Bulgaria a little. I traveled around Tirana a little; I also went to other places other than Tirana. Already, it is really one of the most beautiful geographies in the world.”

'I HAVE NEVER GIVEN UP'

Ayla Etemi, from Kosovo, asked Oktay Kaynarca, “Have you ever given up on your profession and wanted to withdraw?" and "In which of the characters you played do you think you expressed yourself best?”

Kaynarca said that although he has had to do his work under very difficult conditions up to the present, he has never preferred to give up. Kaynarca said: “To give up is not something for me anyway. For example, if I believe that it will not really be accomplished within the framework of logic, I am one of those who manage to take another position. But it would be correct to say that such a thing did not happen to me. That is because whatever work you do, those disappointments will be there in life. But I think that it should not intimidate you to the extent that it takes you away from your work. I have never given up."

THE ACTOR EXPRESSES HIMSELF THROUGH HIS LIFE, NOT THROUGH HIS ROLE 

In response to Etemi's second question, Mr. Kaynarca gave the following answer: “The expression of an actor is not directly proportional to the role he plays. He expresses himself with his life, expresses himself with his stance... "After all, arts in general start with dreaming first; teaches us how to dream; nothing else happens without our dreams. That's why we have to give importance to our dreams." But the way we express ourselves is not about what we do, because we play other characters. We can play good characters, we can also play bad characters. Our job is to make the audience believe in the character. As for the way of expressing ourselves; no work I've done so far has been a way of expressing Oktay Kaynarca for me. I am one of those who try to express themselves through their own way of life.”