Can Yaman: True Daydreamer
In less than a year, Can Yaman has turned into one of the biggest rising stars of the international showbusiness. His appearance in public draws huge crowds of loving fans all over the world. The Turkish actor’s innate charisma, great sense of humor, laid-back character and sharp intelligence would immediately turn you into a fan of his, even if you have no idea who he is.
I had a chance to meet the man in person during his promotional tour of Cannes for his hit series Daydreamer. I mean tour because even before his arrival his fans had occupied the Nice Airport and all key locations in Cannes in the hope of seeing him live. On social media you could see old ladies nearly fainting when the Turkish star stood next to them. It felt like Cannes Film Festival and not an industry event like MIPCOM. So, I tried to avoid the topic of business as much as possible in this short, but special interview.
I had a chance to meet the man in person during his promotional tour of Cannes for his hit series Daydreamer. I mean tour because even before his arrival his fans had occupied the Nice Airport and all key locations in Cannes in the hope of seeing him live. On social media you could see old ladies nearly fainting when the Turkish star stood next to them. It felt like Cannes Film Festival and not an industry event like MIPCOM. So, I tried to avoid the topic of business as much as possible in this short, but special interview.
Can, it has been a fantastic year for you and Daydreamer. You have become an international superstar, congratulations! Why do you think this story appeals to viewers around the world?
Nowadays on Netflix or the other services, there is no rom com at all in the United States or in the world. But there are series like Ozark or Lucifer or I don’t know Dark or Stranger Things or Black Mirror or House of Cards. Different kind of series right now. Rom com is still very precious, but nobody does that at all. Old rom coms are like - the guy is ugly, the lady is beautiful. The guy chases her. But here it’s different. The guy is something else and the girl is something else. They’re all handsome and beautiful and they’re all hilarious. They improvise. In general, comedy is done by the support cast. It’s like a pure, true down to earth love story. The love story is adorable there, and the comedy is adorable. There’s love and the characters are all questioning who they are.
Your screen partner is Demet Özdemir. You play her boss and you fall in love with her. Was it challenging to work together?
It wasn’t challenging it was like more liberating stuff, because for the first time in my life I played with an actress that I was so calm, I was so confident with, because she was very talented, and she was very much into improvisation, which I liked a lot as well, but sometimes it is risky - your partner can’t improvise sometimes. But Demet is so talented. We were like 60% sometimes improvising in the series, we were changing the script and we were just rolling. You know what I mean?
A great chemistry…
Extraordinary chemistry between her and me. That’s why Daydreamer has been one of the greatest rom coms because you can feel the improvisation there and the characters are so original. For example, my character has been this style icon with the way he dresses, and all these accessories are being worn right now in Turkey and all over. I was like one particularly hell of a rom com thanks to this harmony, chemistry between the actors.
I love how passionate you are when you talk about this!
It’s like my kid, this show, I love it!
Another thing: we all know you as a star actor, but you are also a lawyer. How did that happen?
Well, being an actor is like a dream, but when it comes down to studying something - I was into reading a lot. I studied in an Italian high school and I was into languages. I have a real good memory. I can remember words easily, and I was reading well, and I was a successful student. Also, I’m а social person and I was into convincing people you know, not just in Turkish but in other languages as well. So, I decided to study law and I liked a lot learning stuff, solving problems in law. But then when I was an intern, I figured out that the practice is a lot different from theory. Especially in Turkey, there is a lot of corruption going on. I started at PwC as an attorney. But there they were all into their computers and all, and I was hyperactive, and I was going crazy and I just wanted to go out.
How about TV? What are your favorite shows?
I watch a lot. I try to watch all kinds of series and movies. I like old stuff of all the American series like Californication, How I Met Your Mother, Friends, House, Prison Break. The new US series are more into fiction, fantasy, technology. Different stuff right now. All of it, all the Netflix series are really different, but I’m more into this old stuff, down to earth stuff. What are the characters like? Like House or like the guy in Prison Break who is very smart. I’m more into watching characters instead of the show. If I adore the character, if I relate to the character, I watch the series, or I watch the movie.
Nowadays on Netflix or the other services, there is no rom com at all in the United States or in the world. But there are series like Ozark or Lucifer or I don’t know Dark or Stranger Things or Black Mirror or House of Cards. Different kind of series right now. Rom com is still very precious, but nobody does that at all. Old rom coms are like - the guy is ugly, the lady is beautiful. The guy chases her. But here it’s different. The guy is something else and the girl is something else. They’re all handsome and beautiful and they’re all hilarious. They improvise. In general, comedy is done by the support cast. It’s like a pure, true down to earth love story. The love story is adorable there, and the comedy is adorable. There’s love and the characters are all questioning who they are.
Your screen partner is Demet Özdemir. You play her boss and you fall in love with her. Was it challenging to work together?
It wasn’t challenging it was like more liberating stuff, because for the first time in my life I played with an actress that I was so calm, I was so confident with, because she was very talented, and she was very much into improvisation, which I liked a lot as well, but sometimes it is risky - your partner can’t improvise sometimes. But Demet is so talented. We were like 60% sometimes improvising in the series, we were changing the script and we were just rolling. You know what I mean?
A great chemistry…
Extraordinary chemistry between her and me. That’s why Daydreamer has been one of the greatest rom coms because you can feel the improvisation there and the characters are so original. For example, my character has been this style icon with the way he dresses, and all these accessories are being worn right now in Turkey and all over. I was like one particularly hell of a rom com thanks to this harmony, chemistry between the actors.
I love how passionate you are when you talk about this!
It’s like my kid, this show, I love it!
Another thing: we all know you as a star actor, but you are also a lawyer. How did that happen?
Well, being an actor is like a dream, but when it comes down to studying something - I was into reading a lot. I studied in an Italian high school and I was into languages. I have a real good memory. I can remember words easily, and I was reading well, and I was a successful student. Also, I’m а social person and I was into convincing people you know, not just in Turkish but in other languages as well. So, I decided to study law and I liked a lot learning stuff, solving problems in law. But then when I was an intern, I figured out that the practice is a lot different from theory. Especially in Turkey, there is a lot of corruption going on. I started at PwC as an attorney. But there they were all into their computers and all, and I was hyperactive, and I was going crazy and I just wanted to go out.
How about TV? What are your favorite shows?
I watch a lot. I try to watch all kinds of series and movies. I like old stuff of all the American series like Californication, How I Met Your Mother, Friends, House, Prison Break. The new US series are more into fiction, fantasy, technology. Different stuff right now. All of it, all the Netflix series are really different, but I’m more into this old stuff, down to earth stuff. What are the characters like? Like House or like the guy in Prison Break who is very smart. I’m more into watching characters instead of the show. If I adore the character, if I relate to the character, I watch the series, or I watch the movie.
