Biography
Birol Ünel (18 August 1961 – 3 September 2020) was a Turkish-German actor who appeared in German and Turkish films, television and theatre. Born in Silifke, Mersin, Turkey, his family moved to Germany in 1968. He studied acting at the Musikhochschule Hannover.
Ünel began his career in theatre, including at the Berliner Tacheles, where he played the lead and directed Caligula. His film debut was in The Passenger (1988). He gained recognition for roles in Fatih Akın’s films, including In July (2000) and Soul Kitchen (2009). He is best known for portraying Cahit Tomruk in Head-On (2004), for which he received the Deutscher Filmpreis for Best Actor. Other credits include Enemy at the Gates (2001) and Transylvania (2006).
Ünel died in Berlin in 2020.
