Directors criticize rising Turkish actor salaries as threat to industry
Kivanc Tatlitug (left) and Demet Evgar (right) are among the top-paid actors in Türkiye, amid the growing concern over Turkish actor salaries. (Created with Canva)
Film and TV producers are voicing concerns over Turkish actor salaries that have soared to unsustainable levels.
Director Ahmet Sonmez commented, “This imbalance is no longer tolerable. We’ve seen a drop in both the quality and number of Turkish TV series. Türkiye, once second in the world for TV series exports, has now slipped to fourth place. I fear we’re heading for even worse.”
Turkish actor salaries strain production budgets
The issue of high actor fees is becoming a significant problem in Türkiye’s entertainment industry. Major actors, whose presence is believed to attract audiences, are reportedly earning up to $58,700 per episode, with some surpassing $88,000. For films, these actors are said to earn double, along with a share of the box office revenue.
Producers and directors, like Ahmet Sonmez, argue that these fees are out of proportion with the overall production budgets. “Actor salaries are now over 50% of production costs,” Sonmez explained. “Our technical teams, equipment, and other production expenses are fixed, but actor fees are causing a huge imbalance. Even the producer of one of Türkiye’s highest-budget films admits to losing money because of these costs.”
Although Turkish actor salaries are lower than those in Hollywood, Sonmez believes they should reflect the lower production budgets in Türkiye.
“There’s a wide gap between what we can afford and what actors demand here. Internationally, actors typically take around 30% of the total budget. In Türkiye, this figure exceeds 50%,” he pointed out.
| Turkish actor | Salary (USD) |
|---|---|
| Halit Ergenc | 58,700 |
| Kivanc Tatlitug | 51,000 |
| Serenay Sarikaya | 44,000 |
| Cagatay Ulusoy | 51,400 |
| Aras Bulut Iynemli | 44,000 |
| Demet Evgar | 36,700 |
| Afra Saracoglu | 30,000 |
Türkiye drops to fourth place in TV series exports
Sonmez also noted that the focus on actor salaries is affecting the quality of productions. “We’re so caught up dealing with Turkish actor salaries that we’re not focusing on the content of the shows. There’s a clear decline in both the quality and the number of series being produced. Some channels are even airing fewer shows each week,” he said.
Sonmez further warned, “Although it hasn’t been officially announced, Türkiye, once second in TV drama exports, has now fallen to fourth place globally. I feel like we’re going to hit rock bottom soon.
Unregulated salaries of Turkish actors fuels crisis
Director Murat Ceri echoed these concerns, pointing to the lack of control over Turkish actor salaries. “In Türkiye, even the price of bread can be set without regulation. It’s no different for actor salaries. There’s no limit to what can be charged for actors who are seen as essential to drawing audiences,” Ceri remarked.
He also noted that digital platforms, which began offering inflated fees to actors without giving them any real work two years ago, have made the situation worse. “There’s no way to compete with that,” Ceri added.
The growing frustration within Türkiye’s film and TV industry reflects the urgent need to address the disparity between actor salaries and production budgets.
