Veteran Turkish actress dies at 86

ISTANBUL

Veteran theater and cinema actress Ayla Algan has died of a brain hemorrhage in Istanbul at the age of 86.

Algan suddenly fell ill while reading a script at home around 7 p.m. on Jan. 4 and was taken to Taksim Acıbadem Hospital, her relatives said.

Born in 1937 in Istanbul, Algan studied at Lycée Notre Dame de Sion Istanbul and Versailles Lycee. Then she moved to the U.S., where she joined the New York Actors Studio as an actress.

Algan started working in cinema in 1964 with the movie "Karanlıkta Uyuyanlar" and played the leading role for the first time in the movie "Ah Güzel Istanbul" directed by Atıf Yılmaz in 1966.

Algan, who received the Presidency Culture and Arts Grand Award in 2022, gave lessons at the Istanbul Drama Art Academy until the end of her life.

A ceremony will be held for Algan today at 10:30 a.m. at the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) City Theater Muhsin Ertuğrul Stage.

The artist's body will be buried in Aşiyan Cemetery after the funeral prayer that will be performed at Teşvikiye Mosque.

Sharing messages on their social media accounts, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy offered condolences to Algan’s family and the world of art.