Ibrahim Çelikkol: 'My greatest discovery was fatherhood' (full interview for Hürriyet Pazar)

Actor Ibrahim Çelikkol has been a part of our lives for 15 years, portraying different characters. "I love my job very much. Creating a character, thinking in their place, bringing them to life with their gestures and expressions is a great pleasure," he says. He is also known for his love of nature. We see him fearlessly helping in the field during the natural disasters we experience. Regarding his presence in the field as a celebrity, he says, "I do it not as a celebrity, but as a human being. In those situations, you can't even remember that you're famous." We meet with Ibrahim Çelikkol; we talk about his new projects, his life that has changed in recent years, acting, and becoming a father: "My greatest discovery was fatherhood. I have not experienced another emotion that can affect a person's life so much."

We last interviewed Ibrahim Çelikkol during the pandemic. Nowadays, he is running around both for his upcoming jobs and because of the advertising campaign he is involved in. We meet in the studio for the shoot, early in the day. As always, he is very handsome. He is one of those who can look very cute with a smile and stern with a glance. He was sharing his workout videos on social media recently. He is really very fit, he has built quite a lot of muscle, "When I start the day with exercise, my eating habits also change, as does my energy... Of course, I need to take good care of my body for my profession, but health comes first," he says. We start the conversation...

* It's been 3 years since our last interview. During this time, many things happened in the world, in Turkey. We all changed. What has changed in you?

There is change in life at every moment. I think this is beneficial. Change means development for me. Looking at my last 3 years, my most valuable gain was my son Ali. He is my most precious. It's been a long time since we talked. Pandemic, the earthquake that broke our hearts... We experienced many things that we could not ignore.

* Certain ages in life appear as turning points. Like the 20s, 30s... You are now in your 40s. Have you had confrontations with life and yourself, new discoveries about yourself?

My greatest discovery was fatherhood. I have not experienced another emotion that can affect a person's life so much.

* So, what was the biggest lesson you learned from life during this period?

Every experience is an experience, and experiences develop and transform people. If you don't learn, you keep making the same mistakes. I strive to learn and transform.

* Are you happy these days? What kind of Ibrahim is there?

How do I look from there (laughs)? I don't know what you see, but generally, I am a happy man.

* Today is Father's Day. Your son Ali is 3.5 years old. We talked when Ali just came into the world with you. At that time, you described the feelings when you first held him in your arms, "The thing that his tiny body made me feel was very deep." Now years have passed. How is fatherhood going? If I ask again what Ali makes you feel now, what would you say?

It's very different, every age is very valuable... He is growing up, and as he grows, he teaches me a lot. The biggest difference from then to now is the increase in our sharing... We love going on father-son vacations. We go alone for 2-3 days whenever we get the chance. It's amazing for your child to become an individual, to share his desires and feelings with you.

* We last watched you in a digital job, a kind of ambition story... What is the place of ambition in your life?

I can say that the 40s are the years when I got rid of ambitions. I can have small ambitions related to my job. A character that can affect me a lot can increase my appetite. Whatever I do, I want to do it well. I work for it, I strive; if we call this ambition, I am ambitious.

* In the same project; we watch people who fight for their career, who see almost everything permissible for success. How valid is this for you?

Not valid at all. That world is very far from me.

*What's your relationship with social media?

I share when I'm working out or with my son Ali, but I don't follow it much.

*Do you have a fake account?

I didn't think about what a fake account is (laughs).

*To that extent...

These things are not for me.

*Still, social media is at the center of our lives. How much do you live with social media truths? Or how much do you get stuck with the criticisms there?

I don't care at all, I don't follow. I like to receive criticism from my surroundings and I listen. On social media, I can only take into account the comments of people I know.

Ibrahim Çelikkol: 'My greatest discovery was fatherhood'

Ibrahim Çelikkol says about his 3.5-year-old son, "We love going on father-son vacations. Whenever we get the chance, we go alone for 2-3 days. It's amazing for your child to become an individual, to share his desires and feelings with you."

*You've been acting for 15 years... What is the biggest lesson your profession has taught you?

It was so foreign to me when I first started. Now, I think it has added a lot to me. Being someone else, being able to empathize with personalities you will never live, I love my job very much. Creating another character, thinking in their place, creating them with their gestures and expressions is a great pleasure. But the most exciting part is probably the "3-2-1 recording" part. The moment all your thoughts turn into action.

*What has changed in the industry and acting in 15 years; positive and negative?

The industry is constantly changing. Especially since digitals entered our lives, everything has accelerated. Making a job for the digital platform is nice in terms of mastering the development of the story, the character, but I miss being on the screen.

*Acting is equated with rapidly gained popularity, fame, and a lot of earnings in recent years. As someone who has been doing this job for years, tell me, is everything that beautiful and easy?

Nothing is as easy as it seems. Every job has its difficulties. I can tell you about the difficulties for hours. We need to do a separate interview just for this topic.

*Acting equals visual perception has been debated all over the world for years. What do you think?

We are doing a visual job, true, but if we evaluate visuality only on physical features, we would be wrong. Al Pacino, for example, can you say he's the most handsome man in the world? But he has such a light and talent that he shines on the screen with the character he portrays. There are many examples of this in the world. I think they have already figured out the formula, the debates continue in vain.

*What is your view on situations such as getting a role and being placed in the lead role due to the number of social media followers?

It can vary from situation to situation, of course. If he has a lot of followers but no talent, he won't get a response from the audience. If he does, along with the followers, he has a talent to show to people. I'm not that ruthless about this. Actually, what we need to think about is that there is also an actor with few followers but amazing talent.

*If you were to change one thing in the industry, what would it be?

Television screen times. We are shooting a series as long as a cinema film every week. The times go up to 150 minutes. I would like to be able to change this on behalf of all stakeholders in the industry. The best working teams, actors work 12 hours a day. Both to meet under more reasonable conditions and considering the fact that Turkish series rule the world, to be able to catch the opportunity to do better...

*What are your new projects?

Most recently, we shot a very enjoyable commercial film for the coffee brand The Whirl, for which I have taken on the role of brand ambassador. It offers viewers a slice of my real life. During the project phase, I really liked that the script reflected a person who consumes coffee many times a day and showed the meaning of coffee in our lives.

*You said "it offers a slice of my real life". What is the place of coffee in your life?

Like many others, coffee accompanies many moments of my day. In the morning, before leaving home, at noon when going to the kite, or when I come home in the evening... In short, I'm a serious coffee lover.

*Sport has a big place in your life. You've also built quite a lot of muscle. How many days a week, how many hours a day do you exercise?

Always. Sometimes I train three times a day. Depending on my work time, it can also be once. But I always try to exercise every day. Sport is a part of my life.

*Are you one of those who do sports for health or to look good?

First of all, sport disciplines your life. When I start the day with exercise, my eating habits also change, as does my energy. Of course, I need to take good care of my body for my profession, but health comes first.

*Naturally, you are also found very sexy and attractive. Do you find yourself sexy?

Thank you!

*Since we've known you, the adjective 'handsome' has always been at the beginning of your name... How does it feel to be called handsome and liked for years? Does it make an ego?

Of course, it's nice. It makes you happy when people say nice things about you. But I don't have such an ego.

*We experienced a very big earthquake disaster. I was caught in the 99 earthquakes in Yalova. You were also in Izmit during that earthquake. First of all, what did you experience during that period? Did you have any losses?

It was very hard. I felt like I aged 30 years in one night. A huge responsibility falls on your shoulders, even staying alive feels like a burden.

*What was the first thing you felt when you heard this earthquake news?

You know because you experienced the 99 earthquake at the center. I knew how big it was. Everything that happened and could happen there passed before my eyes. I took all the aid materials that came to my mind and hit the road. It wasn't planned. I decided what to do on the road. I just wanted to get there as soon as possible.

* You were one of the names working in the field in the earthquake zone... What did you experience, what did you see?

* I also know about your interest in nature. You also helped the fire brigade teams wholeheartedly during the forest fires. There are those who are surprised that a celebrity does such things. What do you say about this?

I do it not as a celebrity, but as a human. You can't even remember that you're famous in those situations. I just want to do something, to be able to do something.

* Do you think the steps taken by celebrities like this change anything?

I had many colleagues who worked tirelessly throughout the process. As I just said, if we can provide some benefit to someone by doing our best as humans, that's great.

There is still a group of people we couldn't convince that we are friends

* We watch you together in series with Birce Akalay. If a woman and a man are friends, immediate matches are made. It was done to you too. But you have become one of the best examples of male-female friendship. What would you say about such prejudices?

What can I say? I'm already living this normal. But no matter what I say, people think whatever they want to think. I was seeing News until two months ago, for example. There is still a group of people we couldn't convince that we are friends.

* What does friendship mean to you in general?

I have very valuable friends. I know they will be by my side with one phone call, and I will run to them with one phone call... This is a reassuring feeling for a person.

* You've been in a new relationship for a while, you're with Natali Yarcan. How is your relationship going?

She is my precious.

Source: Hurriyet