Zeynep Değirmencioğlu reappears in public after years away from cinema

Zeynep Değirmencioğlu, the former child star famous for the ‘Ayşecik’ film series in Turkish cinema, has recently been seen in public in Istanbul after a long period of isolation from the spotlight.

Born in 1954 to screenwriter Hamdi Değirmencioğlu, she began her career as a toddler and starred in 15 films within the ‘Ayşecik’ series over an 11-year period. The series, which included films directed by Atıf Yılmaz, was a significant part of the Yeşilçam era.

Değirmencioğlu made the decision to leave acting at the age of 20 to focus on her private life and marriage to former footballer Serkan Acar. Now 72, she has spent many years working in the real estate sector and stated in a recent interview that she has no regrets about leaving the film industry.