Birol Ünel (18 August 1961 – 3 September 2020) was a

Turkish-German Turks in Germany, also referred to as German Turks and Turkish Germans ( or ''Deutschtürken''; , also known as ''Gurbetçiler'' or ''Almancılar''), are ethnic Turkish people living in Germany. These terms are also used to refer to German-born ...

actor who played in

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

and Turkish films, television, and theatrical productions. He was perhaps best known for his role as the alcoholic Cahit Tomruk in

Fatih Akin Fatih Akin (, born 25 August 1973) is a Turkish-German film director, screenwriter and producer. His films have won numerous awards and accolades, including the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for his film '' Head-On'' (2004), Best Scre ...

's 2004 drama film '' Head-On'', for which he received the German film prize for Best Actor.

Life and career

Ünel was born in

Silifke Silifke is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district of Mersin Province, Mersin Province, Turkey. Its area is 2,692 km2, and its population is 132,665 (2022). It is west of the city of Mersin, on the west end of the Çukurova plain. ...

Mersin Mersin () is a large city and port on the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coast of Mediterranean Region, Turkey, southern Turkey. It is the provincial capital of the Mersin Province (formerly İçel). It is made up of four district governorates ...

, in southern Turkey. In 1968, his family moved to

Brinkum Brinkum is a Municipalities of Germany, municipality in the Leer (district), district of Leer, in Lower Saxony, Germany. References

Towns and villages in East Frisia Leer (district) {{Leer-geo-stub ...

near

Bremen Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (, ), is the capital of the States of Germany, German state of the Bremen (state), Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (), a two-city-state consisting of the c ...

in Germany. He studied acting at the

Musikhochschule Hannover A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...

. Ünel began as a theatre actor at the Berlin Tacheles where he played the lead and also directed the play ''Caligula''. Ünel made his film debut in 1988's '' The Passenger''. He played a private detective in the film ' which he followed up with a role in

's '' In July''. He then portrayed the alcoholic Cahit Tomruk in Akin's '' Head-On'' (''Gegen die Wand''), which won the

Golden Bear The Golden Bear () is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival and is, along with the Palme d'Or and the Golden Lion, the most important international film festival award. The bear is the heraldic an ...

at the Berlinale 2004 and brought him international recognition. Ünel also won the German film prize for Best Actor for this performance. In 2005 Ünel acted in the hit Turkish film ''Hırsız var!''; his later films included ''

Transylvania Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...

'' (2006), ''Seven Heroes'' and '' Soul Kitchen'' (2009). His career declined after struggles with alcohol and he was also in the news with minor criminal charges and homelessness. Ünel died at a hospital in Berlin on 3 September 2020, aged 59, after suffering from

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving Cell growth#Disorders, abnormal cell growth with the potential to Invasion (cancer), invade or Metastasis, spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Po ...

. He also suffered from

alcoholism Alcoholism is the continued drinking of alcohol despite it causing problems. Some definitions require evidence of dependence and withdrawal. Problematic use of alcohol has been mentioned in the earliest historical records. The World He ...

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Unel, Birol 1961 births 2020 deaths People from Silifke Turkish emigrants to West Germany German male film actors German male stage actors German male television actors Turkish male film actors Turkish male stage actors Turkish male television actors German people of Turkish descent German Film Award winners Deaths from cancer in Germany People from Leer (district) Male actors from Lower Saxony