Yavuz Bingöl

Early life

Bingöl was born in Istanbul, Turkey in 1964 to teacher Yılmaz Bingöl and folk singer Senem Akkaş (better known with her stage name Şahsenem Bacı), both hailing from Sarıkamış district.

Music career

Bingöl enrolled at the Ankara State Conservatory in 1977 under influence from his mother but following his parents' divorce, he left the Conservatory in 1979 and moved to İzmir where his mother settled and started to work in menial jobs to support his family. He could return to music only by 1983 and founded with his friend Nihat Aydın the protest music band Atmacalar in 1989. The band changed its name to Umuda Ezgi in 1991. Bingöl left the band in 1995 and released his first solo album Sen Türkülerini Söyle the same year.

Acting career

Bingöl was in several miniseries on Turkish TV, including Bayanlar Baylar, Ah Be İstanbul and Yanık Koza. He also did the romance series Zerda and the sitcom Eşref Saati. His 2008 films made both great success: Three Monkeys premiered in competition at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, where its director Nuri Bilge Ceylan won the Award for Best Director. Bingöl's another film, released into English, He's in the Army Now was nominated for best Turkish film at the Istanbul International Film Festival.

Personal life

Bingöl announced his fourth marriage with pop music singer Öykü Gürman (b. 1982) in 2014 and the couple married on 4 August 2015.

Bingöl has a daughter named Türkü Sinem (b. 1988) from his first marriage. She is studying in the United States and working as a fashion model.

Discography