Since its debut in 1985, BBC's flagship soap EastEnders has seen a plethora of characters grace Albert Square. However, only a select few have gone on to achieve national fame, let alone international success.
Among those who've managed to secure minor roles in Hollywood blockbusters are familiar faces like Ben Hardy (Peter Beale) and Michelle Ryan (Zoe Slater). But there's one former EastEnders star whose career skyrocketed after leaving Walford in 1989, yet his success remains largely unrecognised in the UK.
Haluk Bilginer was an early addition to the EastEnders cast, portraying Mehmet Osman from 1985 to 1989. His character, the brother of Ali Osman (played by Nejdet Salih), was introduced by soap writers Tony Holland and Julia Smith to represent London's burgeoning Turkish Cypriot community.
However, their characters were abruptly written out when the writers exited the show.
![Mehmet, EastEnders](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/tv/article33228769.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/0_screenshot-2024-07-03-at-122520.png)
One of Haluk's most unforgettable moments in Albert Square was undoubtedly his duet with Nejdet at The Queen Vic pub, where they performed the lively Turkish song Oy Oy Emine, according to MyLondon. In another scene at the Vic, he was struck by Mary the punk after he attempted to kiss her, reports OK!.
While Nejdet's acting career seemed to stagnate after leaving EastEnders, Haluk's continued to ascend. In 1992, Haluk and his then-wife Zuhal Olcay secured roles in the Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.
After moving back to his native Turkey and starring in numerous films there, Haluk Bilginer and his wife Zuhal even set up their own theatre. Despite a hiatus from English-language films, Haluk made a comeback in 2009 with the American thriller The International, where he portrayed high-tech missile guidance system dealer Ahmet Sunay.
Haluk also featured as Dr Ranbir Sartain, the new psychiatrist of Michael Myers, in the 2018 horror sequel Halloween. In 2014, he clinched the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival for his role in Winter Sleep, and in 2018, he bagged an Emmy for Best Performance by an Actor for his depiction of Agah Beyoglu in the Turkish crime drama Sahsiyet (Persona).
![Haluk Bilginer's career reached some great heights after he left the set of Albert Square](https://i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk/tv/article33228768.ece/ALTERNATES/s615b/1_gettyimages-1184738353-2048x2048.jpg)
Now, he's set to appear as Detective Cetin Ikmen in a new BBC2 series starting on Sunday, 7 July. He's taking on the lead role in The Turkish Detective, alongside Yasemin Allen, who plays Cetin's female counterpart, Detective Ayse Farsakoglu.
Sporting a bushy grey beard, Haluk looks vastly different from his EastEnders days.
The series, produced by American film company Miramax, is based on English author Barbara Nadel's The Cetin Ikmen Crime Novels. While Nadel's version spans across 24 novels, the story has been condensed into eight episodes for viewers.
Ethan Kai, famed for his role as Kasim in Emmerdale from 2016 to 2017 and his stint in BBC's spy thriller Killing Eve, is also set to join the cast. The series will be directed by Niels Arden Oplev, the mastermind behind the Swedish version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo.