Farah Zeynep Abdullah (born 17 August 1989) is a Turkish actress and singer. She garnered critical acclaim and nationwide recognition for her movies and television series.[1] She is the recipient of two Siyad awards, the most prestigious film awards in Turkey.[2]
Farah Zeynep Abdullah was born on 17 August 1989, in Beşiktaş, Istanbul.[3] Abdullah has two brothers. Her secondary education was spent at the Lycée Français Saint-Michel in Istanbul until her family moved to London due to her father's job.[4][5] She completed her degree in French and Drama and Media Studies from the University of Kent in 2013.
In 2010, during her studies at the University of Kent, Abdullah was offered a role in the melodrama Öyle Bir Geçer Zaman ki,[6] for which she completed 2 seasons and 79 episodes. The series also won her a Best Supporting Actress award at the Antalya Television Awards in 2011.
She then worked for the second time alongside Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ in the period drama Kurt Seyit ve Şura.
In late July 2016, rumours of Abdullah joining the hit series Muhteşem Yüzyıl: Kösem ("Magnificent Century: Kösem") surfaced on social media. A few days later, it was confirmed that she had joined the series in the role of Hungarian princess Farya Bethlen.
Abdullah then starred as singer in the series Gülizar.
Between 2020 and 2021, she worked alongside Birkan Sokullu in Masumlar Apartmanı ("Apartment of the Innocents"), which is adapted from a novel by Gülseren Budayıcıoğlu.[7]
In 2013, she appeared in Yılmaz Erdoğan's film Kelebeğin Rüyası ("The Butterfly's Dream"). It was selected by the Minister of Culture and Tourism as Turkey's candidate for the 2014's Academy Awards.[8][9] For the role, Abdullah won the trophy for Best Supporting Actress at the 18th Sadri Alışık Cinema and Theatre Awards and Cinema Writers Association Awards.
In 2014, she appeared in the film Bi Küçük Eylül Meselesi ("A Small September Affair"). Abdullah later starred in director Çağan Irmak's musical romance film Unutursam Fisilda ("Whisper If I Forget"). The role brought her multiple awards as she stunned audiences with her acting and singing skills. It became the 5th most watched film in Turkiye in 2014. The song 'Gel ya da git' performed by Farah for the soundtrack of the film 'Whisper If I Forget' topped the national charts for numeral consecutive weeks.
In 2015, she voiced Princess Courtney in the Turkish version of Barbie in Rock 'N Royals. Later that year Abdullah completed Ekşi Elmalar ("Sour Apples"), her second project with director Yılmaz Erdoğan. The film was released on 28 October 2016 in Turkey and in early November in Europe. Her acting was very well received and praised by critics and viewers alike.
In 2018 she played famous singer Ajda Pekkan in the fantasy comedy film Arif V 216, where she sang Pekkan's songs "Milyonzade" and "Boşvermişim Dünyaya". It was the second most watched film in Turkiye in 2018. Abdullah then starred in the film Bizim İçin: Şampiyon ("For Us: Champion"), which tells the life story of jockey Halis Karataş.[10][11][12] Her role and the movie were widely appreciated by critics.
In 2022, Abdullah starred in the biographical film Bergen which became the 8th highest-grossing film of all time in Turkiye gaining over 160 million tl.[13] It was the most watched and highest grossing film in 2022 in Turkiye.
In 2023, Abdullah starred in the film Bihter, an adaption of the 1900s Ottoman-era novel Aşk-ı Memnu.
80th Venice Film Festival Best Actress Kurt Seyit ve Şura Won