Top 10 Interesting Facts about Tuba Buyukustun

Turkish actress, Tuba Buyukustun. Photo by Yasemin Ozbudun. Wikimedia Commons.

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Tuba Buyukustun

Tuba Buyukustun is one of the top most popular Turkish actresses. She was born on 5 July 1982 in Istanbul, Turkey. She began her acting career in 2003.

She has featured in numerous TV series and films. Her stellar performances have won her several awards and nominations, both locally and internationally.

Her role in the dramatic series 20 Dakika earned her a nomination for the International Emmy Award for Best Actress.

 Tuba has acted alongside several film stars such as Kivanc Tatlitug, in the series ‘Cesur ve Guzel’ (Brave and Beautiful) and Jean-Claude Van Damme in the 2006 movie, Sinav .

Here are the top 10 interesting facts about Tuba Buyukustun.

1. Tuba studied Costume and Design

The Mimar Sinan University of the Fine Arts. View as seen from Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul, Turkey. Photo by Alexxx1979. Wikimedia Commons.

She attended the Mimar Sinan University of the Fine Arts. It is a Turkish state university located in Istanbul, Turkey.

There she majored in set Costume and Design. She graduated in 2004.

While studying, she was involved in commercials and this could have paved her way into TV series and film acting shortly after graduation.

2. She made her TV series debut in 2003

She made her television debut in a series on Turkish Channel D. The series was called Sultan Makami. She portrayed the role of Nesrin.

It was directed by Aydin Bulut. Tuba featured in the last four episodes of the series. Before that, she had featured in TV commercials severally.

After Sultan Makami, Tuba got another series role in 2004, on Cemberimde Gul Oya. She portrayed the character Zarife.

 The series was also broadcast on Channel D. Later in the year, she played Gulizar, in the movie Gulizar.

The role earned her the Best Actress Award at the Republic of Serbia and Montenegro International TV Festival.

3. Tuba got her first leading role in cinema in 2010

In 2010, she starred as Esma in Yuregine Sor by Yusuf Kurcenli. This was her first leading role in cinema.

 In 2012, she starred alongside Ilker Aksum in the family drama series 20 Dakika. Her performance as Melek in the series earned her an Emmy Award nomination.

Tuba went to star in lead roles. In 2016, she was the female lead actress in the series Cesur ve Guzel (Brave and Beautiful). She starred alongside Turkish actor Kivanc Tatlitug.

4. She has played numerous roles in both TV and Film

Tuba Buyukustun as Elif Denizer in the series Kara Para Ask. Photo by Nanavhagopian. Wikimedia Commons.

Tuba has pretty much done it all, having featured in films, telefilms, and TV series.

Some of the films she’s featured in include Babam ve Oglum (2005), Sinav (2006), Orman (20150, Istanbul Kirmizisi, and Daha (2017).

In 2004, she appeared in the telefilm Gulizar. Tuba has starred in several TV series, most of which have been a success.

These include Cemberimde Gul Oya(2004), Asi (2007), Gonulcelen (2010), 20 Dakika (2013) as Melek, and Cesur Ze Guzel (Brave and Beautiful). In 2014, she played the role of Elif Denizer in Kara Para Ask.

5. She starred in the Netflix show Rise of Empires: Ottoman

An illustration of Ottoman Emperor Mehmet II. Photo by Hadilen. Wikimedia Commons.

It’s a 2020 Netflix documentary series, comprising 6 episodes. It revolves around the conquest of Istanbul and the rule of Ottoman Emperor Mehmet II.

Tuba and Cem Yigit Uzumugolu share the leading roles. It was directed by Emmy award-winning Turkish director Emre Sahin.

Tuba portrays Mara Brankovic, who marries Murad II for political reasons and wields great influence over Mehmet the conqueror.

Tuba also stars in the 2022 Netflix series ‘Another Self.’

6. She is the first-ever Emmy Award nominee from Turkey

Tuba played the role of Melek in the critically acclaimed family drama; 20 Dakika (20 minutes).

 Her brilliant performance earned her a nomination for Best Actress at the 42^nd International Emmy Awards.

This made her the first-ever Emmy nominee from Turkey.

7. Tuba is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for Turkey

Children at a school in Ukraine interact with a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Orlando Bloom. UNICEF works to improve the lives of children all over world and offer emergency support. Photo by Georgiev. Wikimedia Commons.

She was appointed goodwill ambassador for Turkey in 2014. UNICEF is a United Nations organization involved in the improvement of children’s lives and advocacy of children’s rights.

Goodwill ambassadors work together with UNICEF to champion this course.

UNICEF’s Turkey representative, Ayman Abulaban, stated that part of Tuba’s mission was to offer support to Syrian child refugees in Turkey, among other activities in raising awareness over the plight of children.

8. She has appeared in many commercials for various brands

Tuba has done endorsements for many brands through TV advertisements.

These brands include Megafon (2^nd largest mobile phone operator in Russia), Pantene (brand of hair care products), and Lamees and Mohannad perfume.

Others include Molfix, Maximum Card, and Kremini.

9. She is a recipient of numerous awards

She won the Best Actress Award at the 14^th International Giuseppe Sciacca Awards held in Vatican City in 2015.

That same year, she won the 4^th Crystal Mouse Awards for Best Actress and was nominated for the Golden Butterfly Awards for Best Actress.

In 2016, she won the 2^nd Turkey Youth Awards for Best Actress.

Her role in 20 Dakika earned her the KARVAK (Black Sea Foundation) Best Actress of the Year Award. She also got nominated for the 42^nd International Emmy Awards.

In 2017, she won the Best Couple Award for Brave and Beautiful in the Distinctive International Arab Festivals Awards.

She also received the Young Turkish Turkey Award for Best Cinema Actress in Rosso Istanbul.

10. Tuba was married to Turkish actor Onur Saylak

Turkish actor and film director Onur Saylak at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in 2017. Photo by Paul Katzenberger. Wikimedia Commons.

Onur was her co-star in Asi and Gonulcelen. He is a filmmaker and director too.

Tuba was the lead star in Asi and the show was nominated for Best Soap Opera at the 51 Monte Carlo Television Festival. Both shows were a success.

Tuba and Onur got married in 2011, in a beautiful ceremony in Paris, France. The two had twin children in 2012, Toprak and Maya Saylak. They however got divorced in 2017.