Hulya Kocyigit

Background

She grew up in Istanbul and finished her secondary education in Ankara, where she attended Atatürk High School for Girls.

Career

Altogether, she has acted in some 180 films. Koçyiğit"s father is a Muhajir from Bulgaria. She joined Istanbul City Theatre during her middle education.

She then enrolled in Ankara Academy of State Art"s ballet department for education in the arts

Koçyiğit decided to venture into cinema in 1963 after she was the runner-up in a beauty contest organized by the magazine Ses (literally: Sound). This honor was the first of its kind ever bestowed upon a Turkish movie.

Derman, a film she starred in was the first Turkish film that played in five continents. Kurbağalar, another of her famous films was the first Turkish movie that was sold to international televisions.

She received the distinction of "Turkish state artist" in 1991.

Lütfü Akad, Atıf Yılmaz, Şerif Gören, Metin Erksan, Orhan Aksoy, Memduh Ün, Ertem Eğilmez, Osman F. Seden, Halit Refiğ are some of the famous directors who have worked with Koçyiğlieutenant Her movies between 1965 and 1974, her golden period, constantly captivated movie audiences. She was recognizable in many countries like Algeria, Greece, Iran, Lebanon.

In 2009, she starred in the Turkish television adaptation of the famous American series, The Golden Girls.

Koçyiğit played the role originated by Bea Arthur. The couple has a daughter named Gülşah.

Achievements

• Best Actress of the Year, Turkish Ministry of Tourism (1964) Woman of the Year, Turkish Women"s Union (1964) Golden Orange (Antalya) for Cemile (1969) Golden Boll (Adana) for Zehra (1972) Golden Orange (Antalya) for Diyet (1975) Golden Orange (Antalya) for Derman (1984) Golden Orange (Antalya) for Karılar Koğuşu (1990) Golden Orange, Lifetime Achievement Award Golden Boll, Lifetime Achievement Award Çasot, Lifetime Achievement Award Istanbul Film Festival, Honorary Award Ankara Film Festival, Honorary Award Uçan Süpürge Film Festival, Honorary Award Siyad, Honorary Award Most Successful Actress Award for Kurbağalar, Nantes Film Festival (1987) Best Actress Award for Bez Bebek, Amiens Film Festival (1988) London Film Festival, for Derman Berlin Film Festival, for Susuz Yaz Mexico Film Festival, for Susuz Yaz Tehran Film Festival, for Gelin Tashkent Film Festival, for Almanya Acı Vatan Susuz Yaz Berlin Film Festival, Mexico Film Festival Gelin Tehran Film Festival Derman Karlovy Film Festival, Venice Film Festival, London Film Festival, Nantes Film Festival, Damascus Film Festival (She holds the greatest award), Tashkent Film Festival Kurbağalar Nantes Film Festival, Best Actress Award Yalan Dunya Antalya Film Festival.