Hande Erçel Speaks Out!

Beloved actress Hande Erçel has opened up about the impact of the hateful comments and criticism she has faced throughout her career. She revealed that the harshest remarks were about her appearance and acting, even recalling a past incident when she filed a lawsuit over being compared to "bazlama" (a flatbread).

During a recent appearance on a talk show, Erçel was asked:

“What’s the most hurtful thing anyone has ever said to you—something you’ve never forgotten?”

She responded:

“Back then, people said really harsh things to me. They called me ‘bazlama.’ So many heavy things were said about my body, my face, my acting… I was judged a lot. I was exhausted. People said such cruel things. There were so many that I can’t even count them all. I can’t name just one. Imagine a group of people picking someone and doing everything they can to hurt that person. They don’t act alone—they move as a group. Sadly, this kind of cruelty takes its toll over time.”

“I Could Have Become a Bad Person”

When the host asked, “How did you manage to break out of that vicious cycle?” Erçel described her personal journey:

“There was something much bigger that I was dealing with. I was in my own bubble; it was a different place. I was focusing on my life. I had reached a point where I was saying, ‘Just leave me alone.’ That’s how I was able to get out of it. If I hadn’t gone through all that pain, if I had been someone who hadn’t experienced it, I could’ve fallen into that hole and done things very differently. I might’ve even turned into a bad person… But instead, I chose to stay calm and stay on this path.”

“Love Encompasses Everything”

Erçel also answered the question, “What does love mean to you?” by sharing her heartfelt thoughts:

“I’m someone who falls in love deeply. Like, I’m very much in love with Mavi. I have three dogs—I’m completely in love with them too. I’m very much in love with my friends. And I’m deeply in love with the person I’m in a relationship with. Love, to me, feels like the highest emotion you can experience. It encompasses everything. It’s beyond all other emotions—it’s the most fulfilling feeling, the one that makes my chest swell and my heart grow.”