November 16, 2020
By: Tuba Kalgi
Sabah.com/tr
The life of Kenan İmirzalıoğlu presenter of 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire ', and his wife Sinem Kobal changed after their daughter Lalin was born.
Kenan İmirzalıoğlu spoke to Sabah Günaydin!
Kenan İmirzalıoğlu , who became a father recently, spoke to GÜNAYDIN. The famous actor talked about his changed life with his daughter, Lalin. He said, “Fatherhood… I am in a place where what I can say becomes 'It is not felt, it is lived'. It is not easy to explain this with the words I know. So far, I can say that a completely new life has begun. This is of course an exciting time for me. You feel yourself renewed, completed, a little more refined, a little closer to all human children.” Married to Sinem Kobal, he said their interest in art nourishes their marriage. "We are happy to have the advantages of being a couple who are also colleagues."
Here are special comments from Kenan İmirzalıoğlu about his wife Sinem Kobal, his daughter Lalin, and his life.
Kenan İmirzalıoğlu, host of Atv's legendary competition "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire " spoke to GÜNAYDIN . İmirzalıoğlu, who took his daughter Lalin in her arms last month, talked about fatherhood, marriage, acting, Turkey's health system, and made friendly remarks about the Turkish Telekom commercials.
What was the biggest turning point in your acting career?
After I was selected as the Best Model of the World in 1997, I was offered four series at that time, even though I didn't think much of acting. Among those works, the story of “Deli Yürek” (“Crazy Heart”) caught my attention. However, of course I had the chance to get to know director Osman Sinav. I think both the beginning and the turning point of my career was to choose 'Crazy Heart' and start this journey with Osman Sinav.
Is the reason you stopped TV series because their duration is too long?
When I take a responsibility, I try to fulfill my duty in the best way possible. I am worried about doing quality work that will meet the expectations of the audience with the length of the series. That's why I am picky. If it is a project I believe we can tackle, I will accept it.
I think there is a special bond between you and the audience.
The bond you are talking about is not a connection established with consciousness and strategy. It is a result of years. I have no clear idea how this happened. I always try to be sincere with my life and myself while choosing my jobs. This is an extra responsibility when choosing a job. I take care to choose works that will not frustrate both my and the audience's expectations, but will also excite them. While we have found such a response, it is in our hands to make it continuous and to make it bigger.
You recently became a father. What do you feel?
I think I am in the place where the sentence 'It is not felt, it is lived' are my words. It is not easy to explain this with the words I know so far. A completely new life has started.
Experienced fathers say that this is the beginning and the dosage will increase in the future. This is an exciting wait. There are very good feelings. It is difficult to describe them. You feel renewed, complete, a little more refined, a little closer to all human children.
How did you go through the quarantine process? What kind of a test did our country give in this process?
We did not interrupt our program during the quarantine period. We continued our shootings and broadcasts by increasing our measures so that people can watch new content on the screen, even if they are stressed. First of all, I would like to thank our healthcare professionals who worked disregarding their own lives during the pandemic period. I would like to express my gratitude. The biggest reason for not falling into the situation of many Western countries is undoubtedly the great investments made in the field of health in time and in our equipment. In this field, we are better than other countries. I hope this trouble will be withdrawn from our country and the world, and we will all take a sigh of relief.
Kenan: Due to our investments in health,
we have not fallen into the state of some Western countries.
You have become the advertising face of Türk Telekom. Do you prefer not to play in the ads of products you have not tried?
Sincerity and truth are important. This was my criteria when the offer came. I cannot be the face of a brand I don't believe in. It has been an exciting way to set out with a local and national brand that has taken technology as a social issue and, made investments in this field as a mission, and has served our country for 180 years.
You shot a commercial that tells about Türk Telekom's power of attraction.
Türk Telekom renewed its infrastructure in the last two years with intensive efforts to increase its selling points. Our film “We renewed for Turkey” says we aim to explain all the investments made by Türk Telekom for Turkey. I think we convey this well with a hot movie. Our advertisement describes a very important success. Great labor involving thousands of people and big investments is at stake.
Kenan: I have not felt a competitive environment.
My race is always within myself.
You have a very good dialogue with your colleagues. How does this competitive environment affect you?
Since “Deli Yürek”, I have wanted to work in jobs that meet my dreams and excite me. I try to do my best and even better in my next job. I have always said that my focus is on myself and always moving myself forward. So, if there is a race, it is within me. As you said, I have never felt a competitive environment with my colleagues. I think that since we experience very similar feelings, there is nothing more natural than understanding each other and establishing good dialogue.
You have been presenting the 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' contest at ATV for a long time. This is a serious responsibility. How does it feel to present such a popular competition?
The opening announcement of the program is "The world's most watched and most profitable knowledge and culture competition." It is a program that has been broadcasted in over 100 countries since 1998. It is a serious responsibility to be the host of a program that is known and watched all over the world. That is how I approach it. This contest consists of a presenter asking questions and a contestant answering in front of the screen. However, while hosting a contestant in that seat, there are many details that require countless details. Such as how you can calm their excitement, help them express what they want to say more easily, how you can share their dreams, and how you can stay at a certain distance while doing all of these things.
Osman Sinav has said, "Every time I talk to Kenan, there is a feeling of loyalty in his voice."
I think the feeling of loyalty is the whole relationship that a person establishes with life. I was born in a village. I grew up with nature. I was a shepherd and worked in the field. While doing all these things, I had the chance to learn about the soil, the sweat and most importantly the values from my family and my environment that make me human. I am grateful to them and for all of that. I came to Istanbul for university. Thanks to my teachers and my social environment, I have acquired a different vision and I always have this feeling of gratitude. Today I am the whole of everything that makes me me. An uncle who greeted me on the road, my admirer who took a photo with me, my teacher who teaches reading and writing, my friend who brought water while working in the field, the shepherd dog accompanying me while herding sheep, the producer who thought I could overcome a role, the audience watching my series, my mother and my father.
You are very sensitive to social events. For example, you made a very special speech in the democracy square on July 15.
Of course, as a democratic Turkish citizen, I know that it is my duty to be against all kinds of coups that affect our future, our democracy. We should not cross the places we step on as soil, we should know.
You have a very good marriage with Sinem Kobal. What are the positive and negative aspects of being a colleague with your spouse?
Whether it is advantageous or disadvantageous to be in the same profession with your spouse depends entirely on your spouse. Because of Sinem's personality and because he has been working in this profession for many years, we can share the burden of the difficult sides of acting. Our stressful moments, our late working days, our tired days. On the other hand, we help each other while choosing or working on a job. Sometimes we motivate each other. Sometimes we can criticize more than anyone else. We feed off each other with our interest in art.
Kenan: Our interest in art feeds our marriage.
The success of our series abroad has increased interest in our country. What do you think?
The interest shown to me in countries where I travel as a tourist from Argentina to Australia, from Spain to Paris, and other Turkish series I am asked about makes me proud. I am sure all of our players are proud. This is a situation that makes me happy for the sector. Many of our friends see this interest, this kindness, and this love abroad. I hope we can continue the strategy and planning that will maintain this energy and this power of attraction for the next generations. While we have found such response in the world, it is up to us to make it continue and to grow it even more.
Enjoy a video collage of Kenan in recent days.
Source: Sabah.com/tr; https://bit.ly/3kK1fAB.
Note: This interview has been edited to clarify the Turkish to English translation.