Rabia Soytürk Responds to Backlash Over Wearing Makeup to Co-Star İbrahim Yıldız’s Funeral

After a grueling six-month battle for his life, 27-year-old actor İbrahim Yıldız—who was severely injured when a tree fell on him—tragically passed away and was laid to rest on Saturday. Now, his former co-star Rabia Soytürk is speaking out against the harsh public backlash she received for attending his funeral wearing makeup and for a subsequent social media post.

DEVRİLEN AĞACIN ALTINDA KALAN GENÇ OYUNCU YAŞAM SAVAŞI VERİYOR
📌Duy Beni, Muhteşem Yüzyıl Kösem gibi projelerde yer alan 27 yaşındaki #İbrahimYıldız, Kartal'da devrilen ağacın altında feci şekilde yaralandı, genç oyuncu komada yaşam savaşı veriyor 👇https://t.co/OXYSRin4YS pic.twitter.com/WUApfGFZcL

— birsenaltuntas (@birsenaltuntas1) August 17, 2025

The 27-year-old actor, who sustained severe injuries after being crushed by a falling tree during gale-force winds in Istanbul last August, spent the last six months fighting for his life in intensive care before succumbing to his injuries. Yıldız was sent off on his final journey following funeral prayers held at the Kartal Soğanlık Safa Mosque.

Cast members from the hit series Duy Beni (Hear Me) gathered to mourn their former co-star. However, it was Rabia Soytürk who drew the most attention. The actress faced fierce public scrutiny for arriving at the somber service wearing makeup, and the outrage only intensified when a photo of her smiling was posted to her social media the very next day.

Spotted by the press the other day, Soytürk finally addressed the swirling controversy with a candid response:

"Some pretty nasty things have been written and said. Yes, I went to the funeral; he was my co-star and a very dear friend of mine. Of course, we are grieving, but 'the fire burns where it falls' (a Turkish idiom meaning grief is felt most deeply by those closest to the tragedy). Obviously, we cannot fully comprehend the depth of sorrow his family is experiencing—that is an entirely different level. But we are hurting too." She continued, expressing her frustration with the online policing of her appearance and schedule:

"The comments saying, 'Oh, she went with makeup on,' and so forth—it’s incredibly frustrating. I rushed to that funeral in an absolute panic during a 30-minute break from my filming set. Furthermore, just because a photo was posted that day doesn't mean I am solely managing my social media. We earn our living through that platform. Just as we can't magically change a show's broadcast day, we are contractually obligated to make certain posts for work."

Soytürk concluded her statement by calling out the unfair judgment regarding her grieving process:

"Getting criticized for 'smiling' in a photo that was actually taken 10 days prior is just aggravating. No one has the right or the authority to judge someone else's threshold for pain or how they process grief. This whole situation is starting to become deeply upsetting and exhausting. I really don't think there is anything left to say on the matter."