Zeynep Özder

Zeynep Özder — Biography

Before becoming a Turkish television and film actress, Zeynep Özder trained as a cellist. She is best known for historical roles: Fatma Pesend Hanım in Payitaht: Abdülhamid and Begim Şehver Sultan in Alparslan: Büyük Selçuklu. In 2025 she joined the cast of the NOW series Ben Onun Annesiyim.

She made her screen debut in 2009 as Eda in the series Samanyolu. Her first film was Bir Avuç Deniz in 2011, in which she played Dilek Hanoğlu; in 2012 she played Pelin in Sen Kimsin? and Mercan in Koyu Kırmızı. In the same period she took recurring roles in series such as Dila Hanım, İntikam and 4N1K İlk Aşk. She played Berrin in the 2017 film Sonsuz Aşk, and Benim Adım Melek is among her other credits. Her real breakthrough came with Payitaht: Abdülhamid and then Alparslan: Büyük Selçuklu.

Özder began piano and cello lessons at a young age. After Ankara Anadolu Güzel Sanatlar Lisesi she studied music and performing arts at Bilkent University, graduating in 2004, and later completed a master's degree and a doctorate in music at Gazi University. She played cello in the Gazi University Academic Chamber Orchestra and worked as a contract artist with the Presidential Symphony Orchestra from 2005 to 2007. In 2011 she took acting classes at the Stella Adler Studio in New York.