The 18 Biggest Breakout Stars of 2022

Mert Ramazan Demir is high on top of our list of actors that are a delight to watch on-screen. Previously seen in Ogretmen, Mert truly got his shine on this year appearing in Star TV's record-breaking series, Yalı Çapkını, his most prominent role to date. 

Pulling off a multi-layered character like Ferit, with few-if any-admirable traits, takes a certain level of skill, and Mert proved up to the task, charming his way into our hearts with every tepid smirk and seductive smile.

Some stars are made while others are born. In the case of Mert Ramazan Demir, he was born a talent, destined to be a star. 

Rabia has been on our radar since starring in TRT1's Benim Adım Melek, but she took 2022 by storm, literally, bringing to life the character Ekim in Star TV's beloved youth drama series, Duy Beni. Playing a bullied high school student, Rabia stretched her emotional acting chops, delivering scene-stealing performances episode after episode.

Fresh off her groundbreaking role in Duy Beni, Rabia was of course a hot ticket, receiving multiple offers to star in different projects. In the end, she landed yet another lead role in an upcoming Kanal D drama, tentatively titled "Veda Mektubu." We anticipate yet another slay from Rabia when the show premieres, as in preparation for her role in the series, we hear she's been taking dance lessons. 

Azra Aksu may be the youngest talent on our list but her acting skills stand out by far.

With very little to nothing said in her role in ATV's Bir Küçük Gün Işığı as a young kid who lost her voice due to traumatic childhood experiences, Azra Aksu's performance reveals depths of emotion and nuance far beyond her years. In literally every scene shared with her equally talented costars Berk Oktay and Seray Kaya, Azra Aksu portrayal of Güneş, which is mostly comprised of mere glances and gestures, leaves us in awe, tugging a few heartstrings along the way.

Azra Aksu earned herself the "Best Child Actor" award at this year's Pantene Altın Kelebek awards, the first of many awards to come as her very promising career progresses.

At a time when it is arguably never been tougher to break into the dizi industry, going from having no TV projects under your belt to landing a lead role is no easy feat. So, when it was announced in the summer of 2022 that Kaan Miraç Sezen would embody the character Ali in FOX's Tozluyaka, the bar was set pretty high. A few moments into the first episode of the series, 'nuff was said as Kaan's on-stage talents quickly established him as a major on-screen talent to watch.

Tozluyaka may have concluded its successful run, but Kaan Miraç Sezen is sure to become a mainstay household name in the coming years.

In 2023, we will be referring to Ms. Aydoğan as Sümeyye "Booked and Busy" Aydoğan.

Having made a name for herself in Star TV's Duy Beni, Sümeyye adds not one but at least two highly-anticipated projects to her résumé in the new year: Blu TV's Magarsus and FOX's Taçsız Prenses.

Aydoğan shows confidence and talent beyond her years, as seen in Duy Beni, and as she continues to climb up the stardom totem pole in the next couple of years, remember you heard it here first! 

If you use social media, it is extremely likely you have seen the name "Sıla Türkoğlu" trending at least once (or twice!). After serving up an electric performance as Seher in Kanal 7's "Emanet," Sıla amassed quite the following of dedicated fans, in Türkiye and beyond –– far beyond. 

Following her much-buzzed-about departure from Emanet, Sıla landed the lead role as Doğa in Show TV's Kızılcık Şerbeti, a role she has made her own week after week.

If told what to do, anyone can put on an acting performance but it takes an incredibly talented actor to navigate the emotions of complex characters and that is where Sıla really shines. Thus far, Sila has shown versatility as an actor and that sets her apart in the best possible way.

Discovering new talent is like opening up a gift for the first time. You don't exactly know what's in it but the more you unravel it, the more exciting it gets. That is how we felt watching Fatih Berk Şahin for the first time this year in ATV's Hakim.

The lifespan of the series, a remake of the award-winning "Your Honour" series," was unfortunately cut short but in the 10 episodes that did air, Fatih Berk Şahin delivered a poignant, tour-de-force performance like no other.

In Hakim, Şahin stars Ozan Derman, the son of a respectable judge, whose life turns upside down after a hit-and-run accident, which resulted in the death of the son of a very powerful crime boss.

As the consequences of his actions begin to dawn on him, Ozan turns into an emotionally-wrecked shadow of himself, boasting a career-defining role from Şahin.

While he may not currently have many previous credits to his name, Şahin is an actor with a maddening level of potential and you certainly want to keep an eye out for him

Despite Helin Kandemir’s newly found fame courtesy of Star TV's Duy Beni, the young actress has been showing up and showing out for years. 

We quickly tapped Kandemir as one to watch in 2019, following her top-tier performance in the critically acclaimed movie Kiz Kardesler, and ever since, she has managed to exceed our expectations for the better.

While she has had nothing to prove in front of the camera from the jump, Kandemir role as Leyla in Duy Beni is a testament to her strengths as an actress.

If her career continues on the same trajectory, Helin Kandemir is poised to do even greater things in the near future. 

Hello, heartthrob alert! Star TV's Duy Beni truly did us a solid this year, introducing us to a slew of fresh talents like Caner Topçu. Like his co-stars that came before him, Caner's likable presence on screen catapulted him to well-earned stardom in 2022, with his social media following going from just under five thousand to millions in a span of a few months. 

Prior to getting his big break in Duy Beni, Topçu's credits include Blu TV's Hiç and TRT1's high-budget series Barbaroslar: Akdeniz'in Kılıcı, where he also brought his A game, starring alongside big names like Engin Altan Düzyatan and Ulaş Tuna Astepe.

It is not yet clear what is up next for this brewing talent, but one thing's for certain: Topçu's star is on the rise and it won't be letting up any time soon. 

There is no shortage of young talent in ATV's Kardeşlerim and each and every one of them has contributed to the show's success from the jump. 

As the drama series is primarily set in a high school, there is a revolving door of awesome supporting characters, so in other to truly stand out, you must bring something extra to the table and this year, Lizge Cömert did just that.

Starring as Süsen, 1/2 of the beloved #SüsOm duo, Cömert possesses a sweet and sunny demeanor that makes us wish we were friends with her character. She is charismatic and commanding in her role, elevating every scene she is featured into its ultimate success.

Having starred in not one but two critically-acclaimed series – Bizim Hikaye and Vuslat – Serra Pirinç is not a total newcomer but her career elevated skyward with the debut of FOX's Tozluyaka. 

Pirinç plays Zeyno, a true badass in every sense of the word and as the character slowly comes into its own, her charming persona is a natural draw to viewers.

The authenticity of Pirinç's incredible performance as Zeyno shines through, boxing her into the "innit for the long haul" category and with that, we are thrilled to see what she does next! 

While we would like Emre Bey to stay our little secret for a little while longer, the young actor's impressive onscreen presence in the past year has set him up for success.

Quite frankly, Bey has always had the whole package but as with every industry, one needs to pay their dues at some point and he got a chance to do so in shows like Sol Yanım and Elimi Birakma. 2022, however, awarded him the opportunity to show what he is really made of and he did not take it lightly. While the short-lived Son Nefesime Kadar and Balkan Ninnisi are two completely different projects, Bey's masterful approach to his characters in both shows is worthy of high praise.

Watch out world, here comes Emre Bey! 

Some may recognize Taro Emir Tekin as the offspring of one of Türkiye's finest, but Taro Emir has since made a name for himself, starring in Kanal D's top-rated drama Sadakatsiz and FOX's 2022 drama series, Bir Peri Masalı.

In the prematurely canceled series, he stars as Onur, a product of a broken family, unable to trust anyone, having grown up without love. Tekin poignantly conveys the range of emotions felt by his character, bringing a sense of wonder to what would have otherwise been just another TV character. 

While the series' onscreen journey was cut short, bright things are most definitely in Taro Emir Tekin's future.

Beril Pozam is proof that if a person with a desire to succeed is given a fair chance to excel at what they do best, they will do that and then some.

Earlier this year, Beril Pozam was cast in Show TV's Baba, an Ay Yapım production starring Haluk Bilginer and Tolga Sarıtaş. As the show progressed, the number of episodes she appeared in decreased, and eventually, her character Sevil was nowhere to be found. 

But as a wise person once said, everything happens for a reason, and later in the year, Beril landed the role of Suna in the season's highest-rated drama series, Star TV's Yalı Çapkını.

In her sincere portrayal of the embattled Suna, it is evident Ms. Pozam has taken time to further perfect her craft, as in every scene, she encapsulates just the right amount of emotions, showcasing her talents with ease. 

Daily dramas have always been a great stepping stone for actors looking to elevate to their higher calling. As we previously reported, 2022 had an unprecedented number of daily dramas on air at the same time and in the midst of making our way through them, we stumbled upon a star-in-the-making named Osman Aydın.

Aydın stars as one of the titular characters in Star TV's daily drama, 'Toprak ile Fidan,' and gives a subtle yet brilliant performance as a man trying to navigate life after an unexpected accident left him with amnesia.  

In his first role as a lead, Aydın boosts magnetic appeal that almost certainly guarantees we will be seeing his name up in lights in no time.

Buse Meral was a late addition to the cast of Show TV's Baba and boy, was that an excellent decision. Meral let her talent speak for itself as soon as she appeared in the second season of the Ay Yapım drama, certifying her as one of our favorite discoveries this year, hands down.

It is easy to fall into the background in the midst of such an immaculate cast ensemble as Baba's but with every line delivery, Meral gave her all to her character Firuze, delivering a standout performance as though she has been in the game for ages.

Long story short, between her performance in Baba and ATV's Destan, Buse Meral is not a name we will be forgetting anytime soon. 

ATV's Aldatmak ranks high as one of the Best Turkish Dramas of 2022 in part because of its terrific ensemble cast, which includes the young but gifted Feyza Sevil Güngör. 

In the drama series, Feyza stars as Oylum, the daughter of a respectable family court judge whose "perfect family" picture is nothing but a facade. 

Feyza is a natural in the role, fitting right in with some of the Turkish greats like Vahide Perçin and Mustafa Uğurlu.

While she may just have a few on-screen credits to her name at the moment, Feyza Sevil Güngör shows a mesmerizing acting ability that will surely stand the test of time.

TRT1's Kara Tahta is undoubtedly one of the most underrated Turkish dramas of 2022 but its underrated status is also what made it a favorite of ours. That, and discovering the incredibly charismatic Kerem Arslanoğlu for the first time. 

Arslanoğlu delivers a nuanced performance as Bekir, a high-school-bully-turned-prominent-hometown-figure used to always getting his way in all things, until his high school crush Irmak (Miray Daner) turns him down. An obsessive, villainous character is then born out of Bekir as he attempts to win over Irmak, a character marvelously embodied by Arslanoğlu through the series's 20 episodes.