Can Yaman Opens Up About Alessandro Preziosi: We Instantly Clicked.

Can Yaman talks about the challenge of Sandokan, thanks his fans, and opens up about the friendship that blossomed on set with Alessandro Preziosi.

Turkish actor Can Yaman steps into the iconic role of Sandokan in the new TV adaptation of Emilio Salgari’s classic adventure novels. As the show prepares to premiere on Rai 1, Yaman shares his excitement about the project and reflects on the instant connection he felt with co-star Alessandro Preziosi, who plays Yanez de Gomera.

 

Sandokan: Can Yaman and His Bond with Italy

Sandokan will finally arrive on Rai 1 this fall, bringing to life once again the legendary saga made famous in the 1970s by Kabir Bedi. For this ambitious project, Can Yaman made a major life decision—leaving Turkey five years ago to move to Italy. Unfortunately, the pandemic delayed filming for years, a setback that hit the actor hard, especially since he felt ready to take on the role.

In an interview with TV Sorrisi e Canzoni, Yaman opened up about his move to Italy and the fans who have stood by him through thick and thin.

“I love Italy. I feel Italian now. I’ve been living here for five years. My biggest blessing was attending the Italian scientific high school in Istanbul. And then, at 30, I came here to shoot this series.

My fans have always felt like family to me, especially during the hardest moments when I felt most alone. Knowing there was an audience supporting me gave me so much strength.”

Yaman also revealed the toughest challenge before filming: losing ten kilos while keeping his muscle mass, so that he could embody a quick, agile warrior for all the action and fight scenes. But what does Yaman think of The Tiger of Malaysia?

 

Can Yaman on Working with Alessandro Preziosi

Because of his full-time commitment to Sandokan—which has already been renewed for two more seasons—Can Yaman had to bow out of Viola Come il Mare 3, and his replacement has already been announced. Still, Yaman is proud to portray such a selfless character, one he believes everyone should look up to.

The set of Sandokan brought together an international cast and a script in English, giving Yaman the chance to connect deeply with his castmates—especially Alessandro Preziosi, who plays Yanez.

“We clicked right away. Alessandro gave me amazing cues.

We both knew that every scene made us better actors, and that made everything even more fun.”

In short, a strong friendship was born between Can and Alessandro, one that will likely continue if they reunite for the next two seasons of Sandokan. Yaman, however, joked that he’s not getting ahead of himself—if too many years go by between seasons, he might be too old to play the role!