Actor Tarık Ünlüoğlu remembered on the 5th anniversary of his passing

The artist, whose real name was Reşat Tarık Ünlüoğlu, was born in İzmir on November 16, 1957. After graduating from İzmir Namık Kemal High School, he entered the Ankara State Conservatory, where he studied opera for one year before transferring to the theater department. 

After serving for more than 20 years at the Ankara State Theater, he was transferred to the Istanbul State Theater. In addition to the theater stage, he frequently made a name for himself in the worlds of television and cinema. He brought to life unforgettable characters such as "Testere Necmi" in the series "Kurtlar Vadisi" and "Ünal Bey" in "Eşkıya Dünyaya Hükümdar Olmaz." Furthermore, he took part in many productions such as "Avrupa Avrupa," "Benim Annem Bir Melek," the "Eyyvah Eyvah" series, and "Berlin Kaplanı."

In addition to acting, Ünlüoğlu was also a voice actor, bringing many characters to life with his distinctive voice. In a program he attended in 2011, he emphasized his identity as a comedian, stating, "I consider myself a comedian. A comedian is someone who plays both drama and comedy. I try to play whatever role is given to me in the best way possible."

The artist, who had a daughter named Zeynep from his first marriage, married Gülenay Kalkan, with whom he had been together for 25 years, on February 14, 2013. Ünlüoğlu passed away on October 1, 2019, while undergoing treatment for lung cancer. Following the artist's death, his wife Gülenay Kalkan remembered him with emotional words, saying, "A part of me went with Tarık. A 30-year relationship... He would always say to me, 'How will I ever repay you?'"