Career
In 2005 and 2006, Ergenç acted in the films Babam ve Oğlum directed by Çağan Irmak, The Net 2.0, Tramway and İlk Aşk. Beginning in 2006, he starred as Onur Aksal in the hit series Binbir Gece which was on air until 2009. During this period he also had roles in the films Devrim Arabaları and Acı Aşk.
Ergenç also starred as Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in the film Dersimiz Atatürk.
In 2011 he starred as Suleiman the Magnificent in the hit series Muhteşem Yüzyıl until 2014. Ergenç was involved in the Gezi protests of 2013, appearing in newspaper photos wearing a Bob Marley t-shirt and surgical mask for protection against tear gas.
His presence made for interesting copy, since he at once played the role of one of the Ottoman Empire"s foremost leader in the show Muhteşem Yüzyıl, and at the same time he was protesting the actions of a government very much invested in celebrating Ottoman glory. Ergenç was subsequently summoned with other cultural leaders to a meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdoğan, and Erdoğan apparently quizzed Ergenç on Ottoman words used by Suleiman, the character whom Ergenç played in Muhteşem Yüzyıl.