ALBAWABA - The trailer for Ay Yapım's TV series 'El Turco', starring Can Yaman, has been published.
The English-filmed sitcom will soon make its debut on GAIN.
Yaman stars in a musical based on a historical tale of an Ottoman Janissary who seeks safety in an Italian town called Moena during the Battle of Vienna in 1683. Nursed back to health by a local witch, he gradually persuades the peasants to fight for their rights.
"The pandemic postponed 'Sandokan,' which I was supposed to do in Italy," he said of his unusual acting career. Ed Westwick and John Hannah will join him on the broadcast. Meanwhile, Yaman acted in "Viola Come il Mare."
"It was an excellent opportunity for me since I had learned Italian throughout my youth. My mother encouraged me to study English and Italian with the goal of becoming an international lawyer. When this chance presented itself and I traveled to Italy, my mother was overjoyed," he chuckled. Later, they cast him in "El Turco," his first English-language role.
"Even though Moena is now a ski resort, many people still identify as Turkish." During a Turkish week, Turkish flags and a monument honoring a hero are displayed. When you see it, you are truly amazed. The event took place in Italy, where I was residing, and it featured a hero from the Ottoman Empire... When I first read the script, I was very excited."
Kerem Deren and Çişil Hazal Tenim wrote the six-episode historical drama, which Uluç Bayraktar directed. Yaman is accompanied by Will Kemp, Kieran O'Reilly, Veronica Ferres, and Greta Ferro, with Kerem Çatay producing for Ay Yapım.
"The project perfectly aligned with my aspirations as it encompassed a global scope. I eagerly anticipated achieving this," Yaman stated, further detailing the arduous filming process in Hungary.
"You must possess the qualities of an athlete." I enjoy having a drink of whiskey or a cigar, but it's not something I can sustain for eight months or a year. It was a physical challenge." I was training for hours, and then I worked out on my own in the gym," he recalled, remembering the hard workout.
"Hungarian crews are quite rigorous. In Turkey, we are considerably more relaxed. But once we finished, I was pleased that we had filmed 'El Turco' in Hungary. I had a fantastic stunt director who taught me everything about horses. I learned a lot about their mentality before I rode them. In three months, I learned exactly how to behave with them."
According to Kerem Çatay, Hungarian workers are well-versed in American productions. But it was quite chilly! I was fine with it; I was inside the office, while Can was outside. It's a wonderful, real tale. I said, 'Let's go big.' The problems started immediately, but we made an effort to continue," he laughed.
Madd's managing director, Ateş İnce, believes "El Turco" would surprise viewers who often identify Turkish productions with cheap budgets. The corporation is now preparing a worldwide release, which "will take place simultaneously in many countries in early 2025."
"Everyone wants it, but we need to ensure we have the correct broadcaster in each region, which is what we're working on." The trailer alone reveals that this is not your typical film. Additionally, it is Kerem's passion project."
"Even though it wasn't the simplest of sets and we had several hiccups, the overall impression was that it was a breakthrough for everyone involved. Everyone believed it was their best work to date, and Yaman concurred.
