Halit Ergench is a magnificent Turkish actor who literally blew up world cinema with the role of the Lord of the World, the incomparable Sultan Suleiman. But in the biography of the charismatic actor there were many trials and difficulties before he conquered the heights of stardom.
According to Ergench, he owes everything he has achieved to love. After all, it is this feeling that is the driving force for a creative person. And Halit Ergench’s personal life is closely intertwined with his professional activities.
Star actor Halit Ergenc
Life of Halit Ergench before fame
Halit Ergench was born in the Turkish capital in 1970 in the family of the popular composer, poet, and actor Sait Ergench in his homeland. It is not surprising that the future actor absorbed a love of art from childhood. Already as a child, Halit danced, sang and loved music, especially jazz.
Halit Ergench in childhood
After graduating from the prestigious Istanbul school Besiktas Ataturk, at the call of his heart, young Ergench followed romance and entered the University at the Faculty of Maritime Affairs. However, multi-volume textbooks on technology and shipbuilding completely killed the desire to conquer the waters. Just a few months later, Khalit successfully passed the entrance exams to the conservatory, where he shone on stage both as a vocalist and as a master of choreography.
To cover his expenses, the student got a part-time job and tried several professions: from a marketer to an operator.
I hoped that a bright streak in life was about to come. Only after graduating from the conservatory, they were in no hurry to invite a certified actor to enviable roles. For a long time Ergench had to be content with advertising contracts and theatrical enterprises.
Young Halit Ergench
His career took off after the release of the series “Black Angel,” which became the debut of the handsome brunette. It was then that he decided that it was worth trying his luck overseas and worked in America on Broadway for a year and a half. Having gained experience, Halit returned to Turkey with a fixed idea in his head: to stage his own musical.
Halit Ergench in his youth
With the advent of the millennium, the actor’s life changed. In parallel with his own projects, Halit Ergench starred in one after another series and full-length projects: “First Love”, “Father and Son”, “Handwriting of Death”.
The moment came when the actor’s personal life began to interest fans around the world. They wanted to know everything about their favorite: who the artist’s parents are, what Halit Ergench’s wife looks like, whether he has children, sons or daughters.
And the actor gave them the opportunity to glimpse behind the veil of the private territory of the star person.
Talent will pave the way
When on April 30, 1970, a tiny son was added to the family of the versatile artist Sait Ergench, a famous poet and composer, acquaintances had no doubt that his father would grow into a worthy continuation in the acting field. Although Khalit himself, having barely matured, did not even think about becoming an actor. He was a romantic at heart, and all his thoughts came down to one thing: the sea and long voyages. Although growing up in a creative family could not help but affect the boy: he loved to dance, sing, listen to rock and jazz.
After a local high school, the young man began to realize his dream by entering Istanbul Technical University in 1989. However, Khalit never graduated from the Faculty of Maritime Affairs. Having learned that love for the sea and courage are not enough, memorizing thousands of terms and other documentation is much more important, the guy gave up on his dream, so a year later his documents were transferred to the State Conservatory at the Istanbul Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts. Here he studied vocals, dancing and opera singing. Allah Himself ordered the talented student to take up the acting profession.
There was a moment in the actor’s biography when he, as a show business star, a lover of dancing since childhood, could not resist and became a participant in the corresponding program on Turkish television.
As Ergench himself later recalled, at that time his schedule was scheduled minute by minute. It was necessary to have money for food, so the future performer tried out everything: a marketer and cameraman, a singer and a dancer. There was plenty of reason for the young specialist to be upset: after graduating from the Conservatory, a future in cinema was simply not visible. The only thing available was participation in a theatrical musical and commercials.
First wife of Halit Ergench
Halit's first wife was the beautiful Gizem Sosaildi. The couple had a magnificent wedding in 2007, but after a year and a half the marriage broke up. The young student wife was ready for the role of housewife and mother of Halit Ergench’s children.
Halit Ergench with his first wife
Fortunately, scandals during the divorce were avoided, but the artist had a hard time going through this period. In addition, he was forced to pay off his ex-wife with a tidy sum. Despite the outward decency, the news that Gizem had lost her and Halit’s child due to divorce caused a storm of indignation among the public. The actor’s “fame” as a villain was firmly established for a long time, the echoes of which he still feels today. Fortunately, the now ex-wife arranged her fate with another man, and the story began to be forgotten.
Despite the ups and downs in the personal life of Halit Ergench, the career of a charming and brutal man at the same time developed rapidly. But the artist became truly recognizable after the role of Onur Aksal in the film “A Thousand and One Nights,” for which Ergench was awarded the high “Golden Butterfly” award.
Along with popularity, Halit also found love.
The story of how the couple met
Ergench and Korel met quite by accident in a restaurant. But this fleeting meeting was enough to understand that they were made for each other. After meeting, they crossed paths again during the filming of the series “A Thousand and One Nights.” Here, on the set, their romance gained momentum every day, they could not hide their feelings.
Photo: litanons
Within a few months, the couple was together everywhere, they could not live for a minute without each other. The loving couple did not hide their feelings from the press. They attended various events together and were not afraid to answer tricky questions from journalists about the intricacies of family life.
Photo: zarubezhom
The one and only Berguzar Korel
There were rumors that it was Berguzar who became the reason for Ergench’s divorce from his first wife. After all, the couple formalized their relationship literally immediately after the actor received divorce papers in 2009.
Second wedding of Halit Ergench
Halit Ergench knew his second wife long before the relationship began. They met one day in a restaurant, but then the story did not continue. And having met again on the set of One Thousand and One Nights, passion flared up again, despite the fact that the man was 12 years older than his beloved.
Korel is not only the wife of Halit Ergench. She is his inspired muse, loyal friend and chief critic.
Their collaboration in the military melodrama “My Homeland is You” was highly appreciated by viewers and film critics. During the filming of the series, under the contract, the couple was not allowed to appear together at public events. And even at the premiere of the film, the actors appeared separately, provoking rumors about discord in the family of Halit Ergench and Berguzar Korel. Only in 2021 did the couple refute these speculations, commenting on the situation with just a couple of phrases:
“We are together and we are happy!”
And he even posted on Instagram a declaration of love and devotion to his wife.
Halit Ergench with his wife
First and current wife
The actor was married twice. The first wife, Gizem Soysaldy, was a university student at the time of marriage, so she was not ready for family life, everyday difficulties and the birth of children. Therefore, unfortunately, their marriage did not last long, only a year and a half. The couple divorced in 2008, but the divorce was very difficult and painful. Ergench paid his ex-wife 180 thousand dollars.
Photo: muzh-zhena
Important: There have been rumors in the media for a long time about the couple’s divorce. Namely, that they broke up not because Gizem was unprepared for family life, but because of her beloved’s betrayal.
After the divorce, the girl still found her happiness and arranged her personal life. Her chosen one was screenwriter Hussein Karabey.
Photo: day
The second chosen one of the famous actor was actress Korel Berguzar. Despite the fact that the girl is 12 years younger than Ergench, mutual understanding and harmony reign in their relationship. The young couple had a magnificent wedding a long time ago, 10 years ago, in 1999. The solemn event was held according to all national traditions, and as many as 350 people were invited to it. The final and memorable note of the holiday was the launching of white and pink balloons into the sky.
Photo: biografii
Despite the fact that Korel is also an actress, she is the complete opposite of Gurrem. The spouse contains qualities that are important for Halit, without which it is impossible to build a relationship - honesty, sincerity and balance.
Finest hour
2011 was a time of achievements and breakthroughs in the biography of the handsome Turkish actor. Halit Ergench is confirmed for the role of Sultan Suleiman in the grandiose project “The Magnificent Century”, which has become a worldwide sensation.
As Sultan Suleiman, "The Magnificent Century"
The actor spent a long time and seriously getting used to the character, carefully studying historical documents and fiction.
“Sultan Suleiman is the wisest man. And to play him, you need to think like him!”
It was the talentedly embodied image of the Sultan of the World that brought Halit Ergench fame in Russia.
Children of Halit Ergench
The most important thing in a celebrity’s life is his family: his beloved wife and children. Halit and Berguzar are wonderful parents who surrounded their sons with love, care and attention.
Halit Ergench's family has two wonderful children, Ali (2009) and Khan (2020).
The relationship between parents and children is built on emotions and mutual trust. Of course, baby Khan is still completely helpless and cannot cope without his mother or father. But the eldest son Ali, according to his parents, is a real helper and an excellent teacher.
Ergench's eldest son Ali
Halit, being an active user of social networks, often posts photos of his older son. Fans, looking with interest at the boy in the photo, note that the boy is growing up as a dark-haired, brown-eyed handsome man with a smart look. They just complain that they can’t figure out who he looks more like.
Ali Ergench with his parents
However, the paparazzi have repeatedly caught Ali acting out and hysterical in shopping centers and other public places. But Ergench Sr., as a truly strict and fair father, always showed miracles of education to calm his son.
Family holiday of Halit Ergench
Ali goes to school and goes swimming and participates in several other educational clubs. By the way, it is the star dad who takes care of his leisure time.
Youngest son of Halit Ergench Khan
The public learned about the birth of the second heir, Halit Ergench, from the Internet during a global pandemic. And although the actor himself has repeatedly emphasized that he is persuading his wife to have another child, the news about Khan’s birth was unexpected.
Khan is the youngest son of the actor
The couple plans to create a big family, and Halit secretly dreams of a daughter who will be very similar to his beloved wife, and whom he will pamper like a princess.
