Skip to content
MovieCove
Haluk Bilginer

Haluk Bilginer

Actor · Born June 5, 1954 (72) · İzmir, Turkey

Nihat Haluk Bilginer (born 5 June 1954) is a Turkish actor. In addition to his acting career in Turkey, he has also worked in the United Kingdom and remains best known for his role as Mehmet Osman in the television soap opera EastEnders during the 1980s. He has also starred in Hollywood movies as a minor actor. He played a villainous guerrilla leader in the 1987 comedy film Ishtar and a Turkish Mafioso in the 2001 dark comedy film Buffalo Soldiers. In 2018, he played Doctor Sartain in Halloween and in 2023 he starred as the lead in the TV series The Turkish Detective. For his role in Şahsiyet (2018), Bilginer won the Best Actor award at the 47th International Emmy Awards.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
June 5, 1954 (72)
From
İzmir, Turkey
Works as
Actor
Titles
31 on MovieCove · 99 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 15% in 30 days

What are Haluk Bilginer's films like?

Across their 20 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Drama9 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Comedy3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 40th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Action2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 27th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Biography2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 64th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
33%
Bonds
24%
Power
14%
Survival
12%
Morality
9%
Society
7%
Identity6 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themePower4 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship3 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds4 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 18 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 1 · Serious 8 · Dark 9

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 7 · Stylized 8 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 10 · Intense 7

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 7 · Shifting 10 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 14 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 8 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 12 · Full focus 4

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 1 · Affecting 8 · Heavy 9

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 8 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

14 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 6 of 14 analyzed roles.

Shadow
6 of 14
Ally
3 of 14
Mentor
2 of 14
Herald
1 of 14
Trickster
1 of 14
Hero
1 of 14
Show the 14 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
14
Melancholic
8
Contemplative
7
Bittersweet
5
Romantic
3
Other
16

How their films linger

Thought-provoking11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous7

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Haluk Bilginer's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 20 of their 31 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (7).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Haluk Bilginer's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

99 credits, 31 with a MovieCove page.

  • The Eighth Family(2025)

    Show 8 episodes · Actor

    Midcredits score: 10th percentile of all shows

  • Yan Yana(2025)

    as Refik

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Lovers & Liars (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 22 episodes · as Kadir

  • Maria(2024)

    as Aristotle Onassis

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all films

  • The Veil(2024)

    Show 1 episode · as Mr. Demir

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • The Turkish Detective (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 8 episodes · as Çetin İkmen

  • Hot Skull(2022)

    Show 4 episodes · as Haluk

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all shows

  • Wild Abandon(2022)

    Show 8 episodes · as Berhudar

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Baba (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 30 episodes · as Emin Saruhanlı

  • Stuck Apart(2021)

    as Erbil

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Şeref Bey (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 10 episodes · as Şeref

  • Leyla Everlasting(2020)

    as Adem

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Alex Rider(2020)

    Show 7 episodes · as Dr. Greif

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows

  • Noah Land (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Ibrahim

  • Halloween(2018)

    as Dr. Sartain

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Persona (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    Show 22 episodes · as Agâh Beyoğlu

  • Forget About Nick (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Nick

  • Shelter(2017)

    as Ahmet

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • Cingöz Recai(2017)

    as Başkomiser Mehmet Rıza

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Trendy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Hasan

  • The Bank of Broken Hearts (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Yusuf Yağmur

  • Black Letter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 6 episodes · as Oğuz Karahan

  • The Ottoman Lieutenant(2017)

    as Khalil Bey

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • The Last Schnitzel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as The President

  • Innocent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Show 8 episodes · as Cevdet Bayrakçı

  • Ben-Hur(2016)

    as Simonides

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Komedi Türkiye (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 13 episodes · Actor

  • A Long Cold Winter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Actor

  • Evliya Çelebi ve Ölümsüzlük Suyu (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Evliya Çelebi (voice)

  • Rosewater(2014)

    as Baba Akbar

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • Winter Sleep(2014)

    as Aydın

    Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films

  • Kaçak (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    Show 18 episodes · as Faysal Mengen

  • The Reluctant Fundamentalist(2012)

    as Nazmi Kemal

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Hayatımın Rolü (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 19 episodes · as Müşfik/Yaşar

  • Acayip Hikayeler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Sinan (Gecenin Avcısı)

  • Öldürme Üzerine - Acayip Hikayeler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Sinan

  • Antonius and Cleopatra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Antonius

  • W.E.(2011)

    as Al Fayed

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • İstanbul'un Altınları (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 16 episodes · as Reşat Altın

  • 7 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Translator · Actor

  • Çanakkale Çocukları (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Kasim

  • Cuma'ya Kalsa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 12 episodes · as Cuma

  • Act of Vengeance(2010)

    as Hacı

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • 7 Husbands for Hurmuz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    as Cebrail

  • The Watercolor-Suluboya (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Actor

  • Ezel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 38 episodes · as Kenan Birkan

  • Sıkı Dostlar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 23 episodes · as Hikmet

  • The International(2009)

    as Ahmet Sunay

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • A Son of the Sun (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Alper Canan

  • Cars of the Revolution(2008)

    as Necip

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films

  • Nerede Kalmıştık (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 13 episodes · as Ateş

  • Sevgili Dünürüm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 21 episodes · as Ahmet

  • Police (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Musa Rami

  • 15 Minutes Over Low Heat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Muhtar

  • Killing the Shadows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Karagöz

  • Yine de Aşığım (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 12 episodes · as Ali

  • Robbery Alla Turca (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Seçkin Doruk

  • Yes, Minister (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 14 episodes · as Samim Bayraktar

  • Disappeared (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Inspector Yilmaz

  • Where's Firuze? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Hayri Kalıpçı

  • The Hittites(2003)

    as King Hattuþili III

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Buffalo Soldiers(2001)

    as The Turk

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • MI-5(2002)

    Show 1 episode · as Emre Celenk

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • Sweet Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 106 episodes · as İhsan Yıldırım

  • Cesur Kuşku (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 6 episodes · as Cesur

  • Running in the Dark (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 10 episodes · as Ali

  • Elephants and Grass (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Sabit Üzücü

  • Beans (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Bilge Dede

  • Eyvah Kızım Büyüdü (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 34 episodes · as Sedat Çolak

  • YANLIŞ İÇERİK (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Güle Güle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Zinnur

  • Harem Suare(1999)

    as Abdülhamit II

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Daredevils of the Desert (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Col. Ismet Bay

  • Eyvah Babam (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 39 episodes · as Sedat Çolak

  • Innocence(1997)

    as Bekir

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Nihavend Mucize (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Erol

  • Sawdust Tales (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Aaron

  • Istanbul Beneath My Wings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Evliya Çelebi

  • The 80th Step (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    as Savcı

  • Gülşen Abi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 115 episodes · as Abidin Özbidin / Gülşen Abla

  • Amerikalı (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Actor

  • Sıcağı Sıcağına (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 32 episodes · as Sunucu

  • Borsa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 11 episodes · as Reha Çalık

  • Son Söz Sevginin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Iki Kadin(1992)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Laf Lafı Açıyor (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Cloud in Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as Atila

  • Time of Death (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Ömer

  • Gecenin Öteki Yüzü (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • Ishtar(1987)

    as Guerrilla leader

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Ateşten Günler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Show 4 episodes · as Ahmet Rıfkı

  • Half Moon Street(1986)

    as First Arab

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Murder of a Moderate Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 5 episodes · Actor

  • EastEnders(1985)

    Show 511 episodes · as Mehmet Osman

    Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all shows

  • The Bill (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Bergerac(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Ahmed

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all shows

  • Beneath the Hagia Sophia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Narrator

  • Güneye Giderken (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Turgay

  • The Strange Tale of Gustav Maier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 99 titles, 96 of them dated from 1981 to 2025; peak year 2007.

Biggest box office

Halloween (2018)

$260M worldwide

Highest rated

Winter Sleep (2014)

Midcredits 98th

Most popular right now

Halloween (2018)

Film career

19812025

Peak 2007 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 9 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting99 of 99: 98 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score49thOther crew1 of 99: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

By decade

1980s8 · acting1990s17 · acting2000s28 · acting2010s30 · 30 acting · 1 crew2020s13 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 34% of 29 roles
860111

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Haluk Bilginer's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 56th percentile, the median of all 23; across their 18 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 58th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

58thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Reach · how many have seen their films

80thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 18

Midcredits score across 31 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up7
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th9
  • Below 25th7

Shape of the crowd

13 of their 31 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Loved with Detractors1
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser10
  • Mixed13

Most divisive · actor

EastEnders (1985)

92nd percentile spread · 40% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Winter Sleep (2014)

Midcredits 98th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the acting 72/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles; fans 80, detractors 47. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Haluk Bilginer's work okay for kids?

Across up to 9 MovieCove titles with content scores, alcohol & drugs runs heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore6 titles21–71 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity9 titles23–48 · median 41 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 55 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs5 titles37–81 · median 61 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense4 titlesmedian 25 · mildMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Haluk Bilginer work with?

People who share at least 2 of Haluk Bilginer's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Tolga Örnek shares the most, 2.

Directors

Actors

Cinematographers and editors

Producers