Cengiz Coskun: the new star of “Kept Women” and the sex symbol of Turkish cinema

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Cengiz Coskun is a popular actor in Turkey and until recently was known for his roles as warriors in historical and fictional dramas. He fell in love with the audience due to the paradoxical combination of brutal appearance, true masculinity and real masculine strength with inner fragility, inexpressible sensuality and bright blue eyes, which is very rare for men in Turkey.

There are many rare things in the fate of Cengiz. Not every actor can say that he started his career… as a basketball player! But given the height of Coskun – 188 cm – this is a logical move. Then followed the transition to the modeling business. And then he became interested in acting.

When the actor turned 40, he decided to discard hammers and balls and explore a more powerful male weapon – the charm of a romantic hero. Our viewer will get acquainted with his hero Hamid in the spin-off of the START series “Kept Women. Reboot”. Previously, he starred in international advertising projects, but in international cinema he first gained experience in Russia.

“Keeped women” – popular provocative series about the wrong side of secular Moscow. First season was released on START in March 2019 and became one of the most discussed events in the Russian film industry. The scene of the first three seasons is Moscow, the new one is St. Petersburg. It was in the cultural capital that Cengiz went to shoot the series.

How are you, Cengiz?

Well, thanks, I’m a little tired, because we were filming all night yesterday, I got to the hotel only at five in the morning, but I managed to sleep only a couple of hours – the white nights in St. Petersburg affect my body. He woke up in bewilderment: since it’s light, you need to stay awake!

Admit it, was it worth it?

Absolutely right! It was amazing to witness such a natural phenomenon as white nights. Even though it disturbed my sleep.

Are you in Russia for the first time?

Yes, I have not been to Moscow yet, perhaps next time. I’m sure there is something to see there too.

How do you like Petersburg?

He impressed me. This is an amazing city. It is well thought out and very clean and the buildings are like art objects. The streets are very wide. It seemed to me that mostly young people live there. In general, from the side of a guest from Turkey, St. Petersburg looks like a great place to live.

Were you able to see the sights?

Only the smallest. I walked along Nevsky Prospekt and along the Neva. I went to Peterhof – a magical place, there is so much gold there, as if I were in a movie.

In which? Can you compare with Russian?

To be honest, when I watch films, I pay attention to the plot, and not to the place of filming and the country of origin. I am sure that I have seen many Russian films, but, unfortunately, I cannot name a single one.

Well, now, after participating in one of them, I’m sure you will remember “Kept Women”. Already looked?

Yes, I didn’t have time for all three seasons, but I saw a couple of episodes. It looks expensive, cool and immediately involves. The plot is solid, doesn’t sag, and the acting is excellent. It was noticeable that the material was of high quality and a good budget was allocated for it.

Is that why you decided to join the project?

Yes. It was very different from anything I had done before. Plus, I really wanted to get international experience. Series with my participation were released on Netflix, but we filmed them in Turkey in Turkish, but here everything is different. In general, I thought: cool script, international experience and a new country. I was extremely pleased with the conversation with director Lamara, and here I am in St. Petersburg!

What else did you think about the plot?

That he is intriguing. Yes, Turkey has a different culture. We have a fantastic cinematography, but we don’t have such serials. All these differences did not push me away, but pushed me towards it. And it is also about the life of the Russian elite. I liked the plot and the fate of my character. I will not hide, I wanted to taste the life of a billionaire, to find out what it is like when you have so much money. I always knew that the billionaire was sleeping in me, just a very deep sleep. (Laughs)

Yes, usually you play a warrior with a sword. What is it like to be unarmed?

You know, I felt so light! (smiling) And so much more comfortable. The main weapon of my hero in The Kept Women is money. He has a multi-billion dollar business, but it is not shallow. Hamid is a complex dramatic character. He is very romantic and sensitive. I can’t reveal the details, but a terrible moment happened in his life, after which depression haunts him. Whether he manages to cope with this, the audience will see.

By the way, about the “Keepers”. Tell us how you work on the site?

I can only say thanks and praise to the entire film crew. They know how to work! There was a friendly atmosphere on the site. I felt like I had known all these people for a long time.

You mentioned the series director Lamara Soghomonyan. How did you work under the guidance of a woman?

This is not the first female director in my life. I think that women are more emotional than men, so they are more attentive to details. I liked Lamar’s style of work. It is a real pleasure to work under her supervision. She is very meticulous, and I love that. I am sure that a good movie is in the details. If you miss something, then the whole picture will not develop. Lamara pays a lot of attention to the smallest details, so not a single bar of gold can hide from her.

An interpreter accompanies you on the set. Are there any problems with the fact that you speak English and the team speaks Russian?

No, everything is very clear. Lamara, the cast and writers speak perfect English. In other cases, my wonderful translator explains everything very quickly and without unnecessary water.

Would you be interested in continuing to act in Russian cinema?

Of course! I really like the experience gained in Russia. I am open to suggestions. Let me share with you: my dream is to become an international actor. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be the next James Bond. (Laughs)

By the way, about internationality. Your parents are from Bulgaria, so you can’t be called 100% Turkish, right?

Actually, you can! My parents are from Turkey, my great-grandfather moved from Anatolia (Turkey) to Bulgaria during the Ottoman Empire. In 1972 my parents moved back from Bulgaria to Turkey, so I was born in Turkey.

How to pronounce your name correctly?

Cengiz. My parents named me after the famous Genghis Khan.

Usually Turks have brown eyes, while yours are blue.

Right! I consider this an advantage. You know, I’m the only one in my family with colored eyes, everyone has brown. Only my great-grandfather had blue ones. So I’m lucky!

Is it true that once the producers did not give you the role of the Sultan in the historical drama “1453 Conquest” because of the color of your eyes?

Yes, it was. Instead, they assigned the role of the enemy of the Sultan. It was an interesting experience. Now there is a different perception, but then it was believed that the villains were people with blue eyes. Fortunately, for me this stereotype is gone, now eye color does not matter, only acting skills are valued. And I like this approach much more.

“Kept Women” are known for their love scenes. Do you have any?

My hero has other ways of artistic self-disclosure.

Do scenes like this conflict with your values?

No, because personally I don’t have too explicit scenes. What the rest of the crew is doing, I don’t care. I only do my job.

Let’s talk about love. What is love – for you and for your hero? Does perception match?

For me personally, love is something you don’t expect. If you love a woman, then you accept her for who she is. From the moment you start appreciating her – you like this trait, but this one annoys you – that’s it, you stopped loving her. Because it’s not love, it’s control. And you’re trying to change it for yourself. So, in my opinion, love is to accept a woman for who she is. Everyone makes mistakes. And love is to forgive them. I believe in unconditional love. And my hero too. I think this brings us together. Maybe that’s why I saw myself in him. Here is another reason why I accepted this role.

Many actors say they learn new things from their characters. Do you also have this?

No, rather the opposite, I teach Hamid, actually I gave him life. (smiling) Before my appearance, he did not exist – I endowed him with flesh and blood. He came out of me. Here is my acting method. I am the teacher of all my heroes. I believe that each of us has many different parts, including me. My job as an actor is to find the right part in myself and use it to create the required character.

We’ve discussed Hamid’s personal life, but we haven’t touched on yours.

I don’t like to talk about it.

Judging by social media, you have a girlfriend, right?

Yes. She is extraordinary! I am very lucky to have her! I am happy that she is in my life. We’ve been together for a very long time. We are not married yet, we will fix it very soon.

Some of your fans compare you to Jason Momoa, what do you think about that?

I don’t see the resemblance, but I like his style. He is very cool! There is something captivating about it.

Cengiz, you are 40 years old. Does age scare you?

No, it’s just a number for me. More important is how you feel. I believe that a person begins to grow old when he quits games. Inside each of us is a child who needs attention and fun. As long as you let him play, you are young. And I never stopped playing. I’ve been playing all my life. That’s why I became an actor. And I will continue this work. This will keep me from aging.

Do you consider yourself a happy person? What is happiness for you?

Yes, I’m happy. And I would like to give happiness to others. I believe that happiness can be found everywhere. The main thing is to know what and where to look for, what is specifically important to you and will make you a little happier. The main thing that makes me happy is that I and my loved ones are healthy. My own success and the opportunity to share it with any people is incredibly gratifying. It fascinates me that I can influence the fate of other people through the screen, this is another reason why I went into acting. The love of fans, their letters from all over the world give indescribable emotions. I hope people watch The Kept Women and become a little happier.

But what about basketball, it doesn’t please you anymore?

Yes! He used to cheer me up, but now, unfortunately, I no longer play – there is not enough time for this. But the grip remained. Basketball is in my blood. Every time I see a ring, I throw the ball and hit it. Even without practice, I’m still good.