• Beren Saat is a critically acclaimed Turkish actress born in 1984 in Ankara.
• She was encouraged to pursue acting after placing as first runner-up in an acting competition.
• She has appeared in several popular TV series, such as "Hatirlsa Sevgili" and "Aşk-i Memnu".
• She is an advocate for many gender and racial equality causes, as well as philanthropic efforts.
• As of 2019, her net worth is estimated at over $11 million.
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Who is Beren Saat?
Sarah Holcomb is a critically aclaimed Turkish actress. She was born on 26th February, 1984, in Ankara, Turkey. Keep reading to find out her biography, acting career, and more information.
Beren Saat’s Early Years & Education
Beren Saat’s parents, Ayla Saat and Hüseyin Saat, were both sports academy graduates. Beren also has a brother, Cem Saat. She studied at the TED Ankara College Foundation Private High School, and before pursuing an acting career, attended the Faculty of Economic and Administrative Sciences at Başkent University.
Encouraged by her friends, Beren participated in an acting competition and was the first runner-up. Following that, she appeared in TV commercials before being discovered by the prestigious director Tomris Giritlioğlu.
Beren Saat’s Acting Career
Beren’s acting career began in 2004 when she was cast in the TV series “Aşkimizda Ölüm Var” to play Nermin. The next year, she starred in Tomris Giritlioğlu’s production “Aşka Sürgün” playing the female lead Zilan, then in 2006 she appeared in the popular series “Hatirlsa Sevgili” as Yasemin, one of the leading roles.
“Hatirlsa Sevgili” was the series that launched Beren into nationwide fam, appearing in 67 episodes from 2006 to 2008, and was congratulated by fellow actors for her portrayal of the role, with one of Saat’s close friends and co-stars, Cansel Elcin describing her as an artist of high quality.
In 2007, Beren was a guest star in the TV series “Avrupa Yakasi”, then between the years 2008 and 2010, she appeared in 79 episodes of the romantic drama series “Aşk-i Memnu” as Bihter, one of the main characters.
The series would go on to become the most watched TV series in the history of Turkish television productions, with 75% of the country’s population watching the last episode, thus further catapulting Beren into fame. Following the success of the series in other countries, a documentary was made about Beren’s life.
In 2009, Beren also appeared in “Growing Pains” as Elena and “The Wings of the Night” as Gece.
However, this would only be the start for Beren. She was named Actress of the Year, and most talked about actress of the year in 2010, and subsequently between 2010 and 2012, she played the title role in over 80 episodes of TV series “Fatmagül”.
In the year the series ended, she appeared in “Rhino Season”. The next year, she played the role of Ela in “My World”, then following three quiet years between 2016 and 2019, Beren’s most recent role is that of Atiye in TV series “The Gift”, so far appearing in over 16 episodes.
Beren Saat’s Private Life
In 2014, Beren Saat married Turkish pop musician Kenan Dogulo, best known for previously representing his country in the 2007 Eurovision contest. However, it’s rumored that Beren and Kenan have split up in recent months, following news that she has become one of the most requested actresses in Europe.
The news came as a shock to fans, as Beren and Kenan were thought to have a good relationship, and the actress has previously frequently posted him on her social media profiles. Despite the rumors, Beren and Kenan are not legally divorced, and haven’t commented regarding the possible separation.
Kenan has one brother in the limelight, Turkish composer and record producer Ozan Dogulu, and one sister who is a fashion designer. In the past Kenan and Ozan have worked closely together on Kenan’s albums. Born in 1974, Kenan began to release music in 1993 and his latest project came out in 2018.
Beren Saat’s Social Media & Philanthrophy
Beren Saat has a huge social media following, with almost five million Instagram followers alone.
She uses her profile to interact with fans and keep them posted regarding her latest acting appearances or magazine covers, as well as to upload photos of her friends and family, including her daughter.
Beren also uses her platform for good deeds, and is an advocate for gender equality causes. She also recently drew awareness to the Istanbul Convention Lets You Live hashtag, the first international human rights treaty to prevent and combat violence against women, by prosecuting offenders and lowering femicide cases.
Apart from gender equality, Beren also believes in racial equality causes such as Black Lives Matter, and LGBT rights.
Beren is not just outspoken on social media, but is well-known for her various philanthropic efforts which she has been carrying out over the last 10 years.
In 2011, after becoming the face of Rexona deodorant, Beren donated all campaign proceeds to a woman’s shelter foundation. The next year, she designed T-shirts for Elle magazine, and donated part of the profits to the Pomegranate Seeds Project, a foundation based on educating orphan girls between the ages of 18 and 24. Months later, she appeared in a charity calendar raising money for the Health and Education Foundation for Children with Leukemia.
These are just a few of Beren’s charitable efforts, plus the actress has been open about the struggles she has faced in the past as a woman in Turkey. Beren also supports breast cancer awareness, and participated in 2014 in a sign language program for young people with hearing disabilities. Overall, Beren uses her public profile to bring awareness to many different causes and foundations.
Beren Saat’s Accolades
As expected, Beren Saat has been nominated for several awards due to her impressive acting skills and fan popularity. Her first win came in 2009 with the Golden Butterfly Award for Best Actress.
The next year Beren won the same award, and also won the same category in the ELLE Style Awards.
In 2012, Beren was nominated for Best Actress in the Seoul International Drama Awards, but didn’t win. Four years later, she won Best Foreign Actress in the Murex d’Or awards, and she was also nominated for the 2019 French Soap Awards in the category of International Best Actress. In the 2020 International Izmir Film Festival, Beren won Best Actress in the Digital TV Series category.
Beren Saat’s Net Worth
As of 2019, reputable sources estimate Beren’s net worth at over $11 million, which comes from her acting career and endorsements.
