Biography
Name: Baran Bölükbaşı
Date of Birth: May 1, 1994
Place of Birth: İskenderun, Hatay Province, Turkey
Height: 5’9″ (1.75 m)
Marital Status: Not married
Instagram: @baranbolukbasii
Early Life
Bölükbaşı was born on May 1, 1994, in İskenderun, a district of Hatay province on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. His mother is a homemaker, and his father works in healthcare. He spent part of his childhood in Adana and part in Antalya before the family later settled in Istanbul.
He wanted to act from a young age. After finishing high school in 2014, he enrolled in the acting program at Beykent University’s conservatory in Istanbul. He also trained at the Antalya Replik Sanat Okulları and at a workshop run by acting coach Cüneyt Sayıl. While still a student, he started auditioning for roles, and in 2016 he began working with talent manager Ufuk Ergin of Socia Entertainment, who still represents him today.
Career
Bölükbaşı made his television debut in 2017, playing Fikret in the Kanal D series Adı Efsane (released internationally as A.K.A. The Legend). Over the next several years, he took on roles in a run of Turkish dramas: Tolga in Sevdanın Bahçesi (“Garden of Love”), Korkmaz in Servet (“Fortune”), Fırat Çağlar in Vuslat, Latif in Öğrenci Evi (“Student House”), Yiğit in Bir Peri Masalı (“A Fairy Tale”), and Emre in Son Nefesime Kadar (“Until My Last Breath”). He also appeared in Kırmızı Oda (“Red Room”) and made his film debut in 15/07: Şafak Vakti, a drama built around Turkey’s 2016 coup attempt.
His profile grew considerably in 2023, when he joined the cast of Yalı Çapkını (released internationally as Golden Boy) as Tarık, a character who becomes infatuated with the show’s female lead, Seyran. By the time the series wrapped up in 2025, it had aired in more than 130 countries and was streaming on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, among other platforms. His run on the show happened in stages: partway through, he left to play Kadir in the Star TV series Sakla Beni (“Hide Me”), stayed with that show through its finale, and then returned to Yalı Çapkını as Tarık for its last two episodes.
From there, he joined the TRT1 drama Kara Ağaç Destanı for its second season, playing a prosecutor, Murat Demir, who investigates corruption tied to the show’s central family. In early 2026, he moved to the new Star TV series Çirkin (“Ugly,” a nickname for the show’s lead character), playing Engin Karataş, the son of a crime boss. Çirkin premiered in March 2026 and wrapped its first season that May after eight episodes; strong ratings earned it a second-season renewal, due to premiere in September 2026. He has also recently appeared in the 2025 romantic comedy Gelin Takımı 2 and the 2026 comedy Başıbozuklar.
Personal Life
Bölükbaşı has kept his personal life mostly private. Turkish entertainment outlets have reported that he was previously in a relationship with actress Özgü Kaya, known for playing Türkan in Üç Kız Kardeş, though the two are reported to have split some time ago. He isn’t married and doesn’t have children, and there’s no confirmed information about who, if anyone, he’s currently dating.
Interesting Facts
- He plays guitar, drums, and the bağlama (a traditional Turkish string instrument also known as the saz), and produces original music with his brother, Saygun, through their studio, 28 Records.
- He’s a trained boxer and speaks English well.
- In Çirkin, he plays the son of a character portrayed by Çetin Tekindor, who previously acted alongside him in Yalı Çapkını — the two are now reunited playing father and son.
- His breakout role, Tarık in Yalı Çapkını (Golden Boy), came in two separate stints: he left the show partway through for Sakla Beni before returning to finish out its final two episodes.
Photo Gallery
