Hande Erçel is a Turkish actress and model born November 24, 1993, in Bandırma. She gained international fame through TV series like Sen Çal Kapımı and Aşk Laftan Anlamaz. With 32 million Instagram followers, she’s Turkey’s most followed actress and a prominent figure in global Turkish entertainment.
Early Life and Education
Born in Bandırma, Balıkesir Province, Hande Erçel spent much of her childhood with her grandparents. Her father, Kaya Erçel, worked in electronic equipment sales, while her mother, Aylin Erçel, raised Hande alongside her older sister, Gamze Erçel. The family environment nurtured her early interest in the arts.
Hande enrolled at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University in Istanbul, studying Traditional Turkish Arts. Her passion extended beyond acting—she loved painting, sketching, and theatre work. During school, she assisted in several theatre productions and even considered becoming a curator. Her father pushed her toward medicine, but her heart belonged to creative fields.
When television opportunities emerged during her university years, Hande faced a choice. The demands of an acting career made balancing both impossible. She left university to pursue entertainment full-time, a decision that would reshape Turkish television.
Breaking Into Entertainment
Miss Turkey and Modeling Career
Hande’s first public recognition came in 2012 at age 19. She entered the Miss Civilization of Turkey beauty pageant and won first place. That victory sent her to Azerbaijan for the Miss Civilization of the World contest, where she placed second.
The pageant’s success opened doors immediately. Modeling agencies noticed her 175 cm (5’9″) height and photogenic features. She began working with Turkish fashion brands and appeared in print campaigns. Her modeling work included partnerships with established names like DeFacto and Atasay Jewelry.
These early years built her public profile. She learned how cameras worked, how to present herself professionally, and how the entertainment industry operated. The pageant-to-modeling pipeline became her launchpad into television.
Television Career and Breakthrough Roles
Early TV Appearances (2013-2015)
Hande made her television debut in 2013 with a small role in Çalıkuşu. She followed with minor appearances in Tatar Ramazan and Çılgın Dersane Üniversitede in 2014. These weren’t glamorous parts, but they gave her on-camera experience and industry connections.
Her first substantial role came in 2015 with Güneşin Kızları (Daughters of the Sun) on Kanal D. She played Selin Yılmaz Mertoğlu across 39 episodes from 2015 to 2016. The youth-oriented series gave her regular screen time and a chance to develop a character over multiple episodes. Audiences started recognizing her face.
Rise to Stardom: Aşk Laftan Anlamaz (2016-2017)
Everything changed with Aşk Laftan Anlamaz (Love Doesn’t Understand Words) on Show TV. Hande played Hayat Uzun opposite Burak Deniz in this romantic comedy series. The show ran from 2016 to 2017 and became a massive hit across Turkey and the Middle East.
Her performance earned her the Golden Butterfly Award for Best Female Comedy Actress in 2017. The award mattered—Golden Butterfly represents Turkish television’s highest honor, voted by audiences through magazine ballots. Winning it meant viewers saw her as a legitimate leading actress, not just another pretty face.
The show also proved her range. Hayat required comedic timing, emotional depth, and chemistry with her co-star. Turkish audiences responded enthusiastically. The series aired in multiple countries under different titles, including Pyaar Lafzon Mein Kahan in India.
International Fame: Sen Çal Kapımı (2020-2021)
Sen Çal Kapımı (You Knock on My Door) took Hande from regional star to international phenomenon. She played Eda Yıldız, a landscape architect who enters a fake relationship with wealthy businessman Serkan Bolat, portrayed by Kerem Bürsin.
The romantic comedy premiered in July 2020 on Fox TV during the COVID-19 pandemic. With people worldwide stuck at home and seeking escapist entertainment, the show exploded across social media. It became the most-discussed series on Twitter, surpassing even Game of Thrones at its peak.
The show aired in over 85 countries. Spanish-speaking audiences discovered it on platforms like Divinity in Spain, and Channel 5 in the UK picked it up. Fans created subtitle translations in dozens of languages, spreading it to territories where it hadn’t officially aired.
Hande’s chemistry with Kerem Bürsin drove much of the success. Their off-screen romance, confirmed during a 2021 Maldives vacation, blurred the line between fiction and reality. Fans obsessed over every social media post. The show ran for two seasons before ending in 2021, cementing Hande’s status as Turkish television royalty.
Recent Projects and Current Work
After Sen Çal Kapımı wrapped, Hande chose her next projects carefully. She appeared in Bambaşka Biri (Another Love) in 2023, playing Leyla Gediz. The series earned a Rose d’Or award in 2023, one of international television’s most prestigious honors.
In 2024, she starred in the film Mest-i Aşk (Intoxicated by Love), a Turkish-Iranian co-production directed by Hassan Fathi. She played Kimia Khatun in this historical drama, her first major film role. The movie allowed her to explore period drama and work in cinema rather than television.
Her 2025 project, Chasing the Wind, pairs her with actor Barış Arduç. She plays Asli Mansoy in this drama series. She’s also working on Ask ve Gozyasi (Love and Tears), though production details remain limited.
In October 2024, Hande received recognition from the American Turkish Society Gala in New York. The organization honored her substantial global impact on Turkish television and cinema. This marked a growing American acknowledgment of Turkish entertainment’s international reach.
Personal Life and Relationships
Hande experienced profound personal loss in January 2019 when her mother, Aylin Erçel, died after a long battle with cancer. The loss devastated her. She took time away from work to grieve with her family.
Since 2019, she’s volunteered with the Cancer Free Life Association (Kansersiz Yaşam Derneği), supporting cancer research and patient care. She rarely discusses this work publicly, preferring action over publicity.
Her romantic relationships have attracted intense media scrutiny. She dated Turkish singer-songwriter Murat Dalkılıç, and they became engaged in February 2020. The engagement ended by June 2020, with both deleting a couple of photos from Instagram.
Her relationship with Kerem Bürsin, her Sen Çal Kapımı co-star, lasted from 2020 to early 2022. Their breakup disappointed fans who’d invested in their romance.
Most recently, she dated businessman Hakan Sabancı, a member of Turkey’s prominent Sabancı family. They were together for approximately three years before splitting in 2024. The breakup generated tabloid speculation about family disagreements and infidelity, claims neither party addressed publicly.
Hande maintains strict boundaries around her personal life now. She tells reporters she has “no intention” of discussing relationships, preferring to keep focus on her professional work.
Social Media Influence and Brand Power
Hande’s Instagram account (@handemiyy) has grown to 32 million followers as of early 2025, making her the most-followed Turkish actress on the platform. She posts regularly—fashion shots, behind-the-scenes content, pet photos, and lifestyle updates.
Her social media presence translates directly into commercial value. She’s the Turkish brand ambassador for L’Oréal Paris, appearing in their haircare and cosmetics campaigns. DeFacto, a Turkish clothing retailer, uses her in their advertising. Other partnerships include Atasay Jewelry and Signal White Now.
She’s become a fashion week fixture. In 2024, she attended both Milan and Paris Fashion Weeks, photographed by international fashion media. In November 2024, she wore a look from Elie Saab’s Spring Couture 2003 collection to the designer’s “1001 Seasons” celebration in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
At the Fashion Trust Arabia 2024 awards in Marrakesh, Morocco, she became the first Turkish celebrity to carry Balmain’s RE25 perfume clutch bag. These fashion moments get covered by Turkish and international media, expanding her influence beyond acting.
Her style resonates with younger Turkish women who see her as aspirational yet achievable. She mixes high-end designer pieces with accessible Turkish brands, making fashion feel attainable rather than exclusive.
Awards and Recognition
Hande has collected numerous awards throughout her career:
- Golden Butterfly Awards (2017): Best Female Comedy Actress for Aşk Laftan Anlamaz
- Turkey’s Youth Awards (2016): Recognition for emerging talent
- KTU Media Awards (2016, 2021): Multiple wins across different years
- Istanbul Fashion Guide Awards (2017): Fashion icon recognition
- Rose d’Or (2023): International honor for Bambaşka Biri
- Elle Style Awards (2022, 2024): Multiple years honored for style influence
Beyond industry awards, she’s received beauty recognition. In 2020, Top Beauty World named her the Most Beautiful Woman in the World based on recommendations from Los Angeles cosmetic surgeons. In 2022, Nubia Magazine’s global poll named her the Most Beautiful Turkish Actress.
The American Turkish Society Gala award in October 2024 represented a different kind of validation—acknowledgment of her role in Turkish cultural diplomacy and soft power.
What’s Next for Hande Erçel
Hande stands at a career crossroads. At 31, she’s established herself as Turkish television’s biggest female star. Her next move will likely determine whether she remains a regional icon or breaks into Hollywood.
The Turkish drama industry has proven itself internationally competitive. Shows stream globally on platforms like Netflix. Several Turkish actors have moved into American and European productions. Hande has the name recognition and Instagram following to make that jump if she chooses.
Her recent film work suggests interest in expanding beyond television. Cinema offers different creative opportunities, and international film festivals provide global exposure that Turkish TV series, despite their popularity, don’t always deliver.
She’s also shown interest in production and creative control. Many Turkish actresses have launched production companies or taken producer credits on their projects. Hande has the industry connections and financial resources to pursue this path.
Whatever direction she chooses, she’s already secured her legacy in Turkish entertainment. She helped bring Turkish dramas to global audiences during a period when streaming platforms made that possible. Her social media savvy showed how actresses could build direct fan relationships without traditional media gatekeepers.
The next chapter of Hande Erçel’s career will reveal whether she becomes Turkey’s first true crossover star or continues dominating the Turkish market she knows so well. Either way, her impact on Turkish television’s golden age remains undeniable.