Filiz Akın

Filiz Akın (born Suna Akın, 2 January 1943 – 21 March 2025) was a Turkish actress, writer and television presenter. Known as Yeşilçam Turkish cinema's "noble, modern, urban and elegant face", Filiz Akın had a large fan base in Turkey. She was an official ambassador, due to her third husband Sönmez Köksal being Turkey's Ambassador to France.

Life and career Early life and education Filiz Akın was born on 2 January 1943 in Ankara. Her mother, Habibe Leman Şaşırmaz, was a tailor from Ankara, and her father, Bekir Sami Akın, was a judge from Afyonkarahisar. Her mother was of Albanian descent on her paternal side, while her father was of Circassian descent on his maternal side. Her grandmother, Halime Hanım's father was a clerk of Atatürk, and her stepfather was Atatürk's executive assistant and would ask Halime Hanım's help in Atatürk's attire for state occasions. At the age of five, she started attending primary school. Her parents divorced when she was seven years old.

Filiz Akın continued her education at TED Ankara College Foundation Schools through boarding and scholarship. She received various awards at the school with her paintings and compositions. She passed all the classes successfully, and was chosen as an ideal student by her teachers. In June 1960, she graduated from college. After finishing her studies, she started working at the Ankara branch of American Export-Isbrandtsen Lines. After working at the company for two years, she became the head of its marine branch. From May 1962 to September 1972, she starred in more than 105 films. Together with actors Türkan Şoray, Hülya Koçyiğit and Fatma Girik, she left a mark on Turkish cinema and was accepted as one of the four influential actresses of her time.

In 1965, her son İlker from her first marriage to Türker İnanoğlu was born. During this period the family resided at Şişli. In 1974, the couple divorced after 10 years of marriage.

1975–1982 After ending her cinema career, she played in Istanbul Bank's commercials and in 1977 she presented the music program Podyum Show on TRT.

In 1979, she performed as a headliner at the İzmir International Fair.

In September 1979 she was stabbed in the leg by an attacker while entering the İzmir Efes Hotel. The attacker who was captured immediately, said to the prosecutor that he was in love with Filiz Akın but after she refused his advances, he decided to stab her. He later changed his confession and said that he was asked by mafia boss Mehmet Nabi İnciler to perform this act. Filiz Akın survived the attack with a slight wound and at the same night appeared on stage.

1982–2002 For 11 years, Akın lived in Neuilly and Bougival in Paris, and then moved to the Turkish embassy in Paris for the next four years, making her stay in France 15 years.

In 1989, she played in series "Geçmiş Bahar Mimozaları".

In May 1994, she married chief of the National Intelligence Organization Sönmez Köksal in Ankara. After marriage, the couple settled in Ankara. and for four years they lived at the Turkish embassy in Paris. influenced the French by Turkish culture.

In 1991, her father, Sami Akın, died in İzmir.

2002–2025 In 2002, she learned that she had cancer of the nose and mouth (nasopharynx). and her cancer was cured.

From 2004 to 2007, she worked as a columnist for Sabah.

In 2005, for the benefit of Turkey Breast Foundation and to support the "yellow bracelets against cancer," she launched a campaign, and more than 1 million bracelets were sold. In 2005, she supported the promotion of the "blue bracelet" campaign organized for the benefit of the Hacettepe University Hope House project, organized to raise awareness of cancer in the community. From 2007, she was a supporter of "Türkiye'de İşitmeyen Kalmasın", a project initiated by The Starkey Hearing Foundation's and Turkey EMÖV Foundation.

The grave of Filiz Akın at Aşiyan Asri Cemetery in Istanbul. In 2006, the street where she lived until she was 3 years old, was named as "Filiz Akın Sokak" by the city council in Beypazarı. In 2008, she presented the program "Filiz Akın'la Sohbetler" on Kanal 1. In 2009, she presented "Filiz Akın'la Hafta Sonu Sohbetleri" on Habertürk TV.

In November 2013, she met her fans for her third book, Lezzete Merhaba'''s signature day at the 32nd Tüyap Istanbul Book Fair. Filiz Akın was a member of the Board of Trustees of TED University.

Akın died at a hospital in Istanbul on 21 March 2025, at the age of 82. She was interred at Aşiyan Asri Cemetery.

Awards

1971 International Antalya Film Festival, Best Actress, Ankara Ekspresi 1972 School of Journalists, Best Female Artist in Cinema 2001 Golden Orange Culture and Art Foundation, Lifetime Honorary Award 2004 Contemporary Cinema Actors Association, Acting Award of 2004 2005 74th İzmir International Fair, "Sinema Burada Festival"'s Lifetime Honorary Award, 2005 Magazine Journalists Association, 12th Golden Objective Awards, Honorary Award 2006 Isparta Süleyman Demirel University, honorary doctor degree 2009 16th International Adana Film Festival, Lifetime Honorary Award 2010 Yeşilçam Awards, Culture and Art Service Award 2010 21st Ankara International Film Festival, Aziz Nesin Labor Award 2010 Beykent University, Turkish Cinema Day of Love, Honorary Award 2011 6th International Dadaş Film Festival, Honorary Award 2012 Magazine Journalists Association, 18th Golden Objective Awards, Honorary Award 2012 Datça Golden Almond Cinema and Culture Festival, Honorary Award 2013 4th Malatya International Film Festival, Honorary Award 2014 Turkish Thai Friendship Award 2014 Magazine Journalists' Association, 20th Golden Objective Awards, Lifetime Profession Honorary Award 2015 Red Tulip Film Festival, Lifetime Achievement Award 2015 15th Frankfurt Turkish Film Festival, Honorary Award 2015 1st Çanakkale Short Film Festival, Honorary Award

Books "Güzelliklere Merhaba", Altın Kitaplar Yayınevi, 1992

"Filiz Akın ile Güzellik, Zayıflama ve Genç Kalma Üzerine" (2006) "Lezzete Merhaba" (2013)

Books about her

Akın's portraits have appeared in Atıf Yılmaz 's "Hayallerim, Aşkım ve Sinema" (1990), Türker İnanoğlu's "Bay Sinema" (2004), and Agâh Özgüç's "Türk Sineması’nın Kadınları''" (2008).

Filmography

Year Film Role NotesRef 1962 Akasyalar Açarken Filiz Debut role Şehvet Uçurumu Filiz Battı Balık Sahte Nikah Aşk Merdiveni 1963 Bekarlık Sultanlıktır Nurşen Beyoğlu Piliçleri Oya Kızlar Büyüdü Ölüm Bizi Ayıramaz Beyaz Güvercin Ölüme Çeyrek Var Bana Annemi Anlat İki Gemi Yanyana Zoraki Milyoner Arka Sokaklar Elif Genç Kızların Sevgilisi 1964 Yankesici Kız Mehtap / Hacer Dual role Gurbet Kuşları Ayla Şoför Nebahat ve Kızı Hülya Kadın Berberi Lale Meyhaneci Can Düşmanı Sema Uçurumdaki Kadın Kardeş Kanı On Güzel Bacak Matmazel Nadya İstanbul Sokaklarında Cüppeli Gelin Filinta Kadri Prangasız Mahkumlar Paylaşılmayan Sevgili Korkunç Şüphe Asfalt Rıza Tığ Gibi Delikanlı 1965 Yankesicinin Aşkı (Yankesici Kızın Aşkı) Hacer Tamirci Parçası Oya Babasına Bak Oğlunu Al Filiz Fakir Gencin Romanı Filiz Ölüme Kadar Mirasyedi Filiz Oğlum Oğlum Asuman Sevinç Gözyaşları Şakayla Karışık 1966 Çıtkırıldım Filiz Affedilmeyen Esin Nevin Seden Kolejli Kızın Aşkı Filiz Vur Emri Gül Kaderin Cilvesi Papatya Efkarlıyım Abiler Fatoş / Meral Bar Kızı Deniz Erkek Severse Affet Sevgilim Acı Tesadüf Günahkar Kadın 1967 Silahlı Paşazade Nilüfer Ayrılık Saati Deniz Sözde Kızlar Mebrure Bekar Odası İffet Affet Beni Paşa Kızı Nilgün Hindistan Cevizi Cici Gelin Yıkılan Yuva Serseriler Kralı Sefiller 1968 Arkadaşımın Aşkısın Kan Kardeşim Selma Kader Elif Hırsız Kız Mehtap / Yıldız Dual role; Bilingual film Sabah Yıldızı Nevin Efkarlı Sosyetede Selma Aşka Tövbe Şehbal Yuvana Dön Baba Gül ve Şeker Filiz Ömrümün Tek Gecesi Benim de Kalbim Var Selma İstanbul Tatili Nilgün Aşkım Günahımdır Selma Sav 1969 Son Mektup Selma Cilveli Kız Kiraz Karlı Dağdaki Ateş Binnur Lekeli Melek Yaralı Kalp Hüzünlü Aşk Sevgi Dağlar Kızı Reyhan Reyhan Yumurcak Selma 1970 Yuvasız Kuşlar Nermin Yumurcak Köprüaltı Çocuğu Selma Fadime Fadime aka Fadik Bilingual film Ankara Ekspresi Hilda Yarım Kalan Saadet Fatoş İşportacı Kız Gül / Jale Dual role; Bilingual film Aşktan da Üstün Selma Güzel Şoför Fatma Bilingual film Beyaz Güller 1971 Küçük Sevgilim Lale Umutsuzlar Çiğdem Emine Ömrümce Unutamadım Oyun Bitti Zeynep Fadime Cambazhane Gülü Fadime Seni Sevmek Kaderim Lale Yumurcağın Tatlı Rüyaları Selma İki Esir Zeynep Bilingual film Saadet Şehri / Mah-pishooni Bilingual film 1972 Utanç Bahar Ayrılık Yumurcak Küçük Şahit Bilingual film Tatlı Dillim Emine 1973 Kareteci Kiz Zeynep Soyguncular Selma / Belma Dual role Acı Hayat Zambaklar Açarken Perran Ağlıyorum Dual role 1974 Yumurcak / Veda Selma Almanyalı Yarim Maria aka Meral Memleketim Leyla 1975 Tatlı Cadının Maceraları Selma Babaların Babası Nermin Yumurcak Belalı Tatil Zeynep Bilingual film 1989 Geçmiş Bahar Mimozaları Hümeyra TV series 2011 Gün Akşam Oldu TV series