Kerem Bürsin: Limits make us more creative.

Kerem Bürsin assures that it is the similarities between the cultures that make Turkish soap operas so attractive to the Hispanic audience because the values in common outweigh the differences for the public that prefers productions like the ones he has starred in

DIARIO LAS AMERICAS spoke with the Turkish actor, who visited Miami for the first time to attend a gala held by Turkish Airlines to promote the country's tourist attractions.

The star of Love is in the Air, one of the most popular series on Turkish television commented on what he believes could be improved in terms of the format of productions.

In addition, the 35-year-old actor revealed that he decided to step away from the cameras to fully dedicate himself to a new facet, which includes doing independent projects.

-What do you think is the reason why Turkish soap operas have been so successful in the Hispanic market?

What I have noticed is that our cultures are very similar. Only the languages are very different, but our cultures are very similar. We are very passionate. And I think that's why the stories we tell in our country transcend into the Hispanic culture.

-What are some of those similarities that stand out between the two cultures?

I think our family values are very similar. The connection we have with our family, our culture, with our friends and with our country. And these are the themes that we showcase in our shows. When we see those similarities, we get hooked because we see something we can relate to. That's what I've noticed.

-What is your favorite typical dish?

That's a tough question (laughs). I would have to say there's one dish, there are just so many, but I'm a fan of a very popular one that I remember because I didn't live in Turkey when I was a kid. And every time we went to Turkey it was the first thing I ate. It's Iskender Kebab. It contains a thick piece of meat on a skewer, which comes mounted on a pita bread, with tomato sauce and butter on top. It's really good.

-Where did you live as a child?

I lived in many places because of my father's job. Every two or three years we moved countries. I lived in Scotland, Norway, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates, and Texas. Then I went to college in Boston, then I moved to Los Angeles before returning to Turkey.

-What would you say are some of the reasons to visit Turkey?

For its people. I think Istanbul is very popular, but it's a very small part of Turkey, because there are places like Cappadocia, like Trabzon, with incredible nature. There is a lot of history in Turkey. We all know that so many things happened in Turkey because of the different empires. And so we do see a clash of different cultures, that is present. There is a lot to see and do. In the south are the beaches, which I would say are among the best in the world, plus the food. Turkey is a wonderful place.

-One of the most popular novels in Turkey, Love is in the air, tell me a little bit about your character Serkan Bolat, are you in any way similar to him?

I hope not. When you meet him at first he seems horrible, but he's okay. We have some similarities, of course.

-Do you consider yourself a workaholic?

Unfortunately yes. I really enjoy what I do and if I'm not working, I'm doing something to do with work. I love working, but I think with age you realize that there are other important things in life, that experiences and love are very important.

And what I take away from that is that Serkan missed out on a lot of things, on love. And he didn't know what love was, because he thought his real passion was work until he met Eda. So, I'm trying not to be such a workaholic (laughs).

-How do you spend your free time when you're not acting?

I love rock climbing, and boxing, I'm an avid reader and I love to write. I've been writing a lot lately.

-Is it a script for a TV series?

Yes, I've been writing creative stuff, which hopefully will be useful one day.

-From a screenwriter's point of view, what would you say could change in terms of the way television is made in Turkey?

I think I'm not in the place to say what should or shouldn't change, but I do think they (the series) are long. The episodes are very long. And I think that has advantages and disadvantages. We're getting to the point where the disadvantages are outweighing the advantages. I'm someone who believes that less is more and that you can do a lot more with less. So, I think we'll take that up soon.

-What do you think about love stories and what the scenes don't show?

I think there's a lot of content from different parts of the world and there are a lot of scenes like that. And the interesting thing is that of course we have limitations in terms of what we can and can't show. And that's because these shows are on public television in Turkey. But I strongly believe that the limits allow us to be more creative.

Maybe that's not a good thing, but if you have a limit, you have to find another way to show something. And if that means not showing sex scenes or kissing and still expressing what you want, I think that opens a door to creativity.

So, I'm not a big fan of those limits, but I'm not really against them either. It is what it is. And you have to do your best with what you have. And I think we do a good job.

-How did 2022 treat you professionally?

It was a year when I decided to step away from the cameras to focus on my production company and focus on new projects that we are developing. Projects that we want to do and that I have had in mind for some time now.

-What's coming up again this year?

There are a few projects coming. I can't talk too much about it, but hopefully, they will be a big surprise for everyone.