Ahmet Yenilmez is a prominent figure whose artistic career has spanned acting, screenwriting, directing, and producing. Since the late 1990s, the artist has appeared in numerous long-running television series, particularly known for his portrayals of historical and socially significant characters. He also founded the Yenilmez Art Center and institutionalized his profession.

Television and Film Career

Actor in cinema, television, and theater, Ahmet Yenilmez began his television career in 1998 with a three-episode performance in the series Sıcak Saatler. He portrayed the character Hasan Cin in 59 episodes of the series Acı Hayat between 2005 and 2007. In 2008, he played Marangoz Ali in Dur Yolcu (13 episodes); in 2010, he portrayed Veysel in İhanet (7 episodes) and Çaycı Kömür in Halil İbrahim Sofrası (1 episode). ^【1】

Ahmet Yenilmez (Anadolu Ajans)

Between 2013 and 2015, he appeared in 63 episodes of Nizama Adanmış Ruhlar as Aslan Çınar Reis, and in 2015 he portrayed Karaca Ahmet in 10 episodes of Kurtlar Vadisi: Pusu. In 2016, he played Tayfun in five episodes of O Hayat Benim. Between 2020 and 2022, he appeared in 71 episodes of the series Kuruluş: Osman as Demirci Davud. In 2023, he portrayed Çelebi Usta in Al Sancak (19 episodes), and in 2024, he appeared as Rıza Dayı in Bir Sevdadır (3 episodes). In cinema, he played Bekçi in Hür Adam: Bediüzzaman Said Nursi (2011) and Mahir in Sevdam Gözlerinde Kaldı (2016). Other productions in which he appeared include Göç Yolu (Elveda Balkanlar) (2018), Geleceğin Rotası (2023), and Yeniden Başlamak (2024). ^【2】

Theater Activities and Stage Works

Ahmet Yenilmez wrote and staged the one-man theater play titled Korkma, which draws on episodes from the life of Mehmet Akif Ersoy and the epic of Çanakkale. This play has been performed over 500 times, reaching a total audience of 170,000, including 150,000 within Türkiye and 20,000 abroad.  ^【3】His theater work Usta, which portrays the life of Sultan II. Abdülhamid through the lens of a father-daughter relationship, has been staged in 81 provinces and 100 different venues over a period of more than two years. ^【4】As part of the commemorations for the 109th anniversary of the 18 March Çanakkale Naval Victory, Yenilmez performed a mobile theater piece themed Çanakkale aboard the high-speed train between Ankara and Istanbul, with actor performances conducted separately in each carriage of the train. ^【5】

Producing and Directing Activities

Ahmet Yenilmez (Anadolu Ajansı)

Ahmet Yenilmez, who founded the Yenilmez Art Center and produces projects under its umbrella, also works as a producer and director alongside his acting career. ^【6】In 2015, he served as director for the production Başkan Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu. Alongside his play Usta, he has initiated efforts to establish a permanent stage and repertory theater in Istanbul. ^【7】

Documentary Cinema and Historical Representations

Ahmet Yenilmez brings to stage and screen the lives of historical figures through research-based portrayals, including the approach of II. Abdülhamid toward theater and the arts. He has highlighted historical facts such as the first modern theater hall established by II. Abdülhamid in Yıldız Sarayı and the theatrical works he commissioned to critique bureaucratic inefficiencies. ^【8】

Special Screening of the Documentary Poem Written for Freedom(Anadolu Ajansı)

The documentary Poem Written for Freedom, produced by the Yenilmez Art Center, was completed after approximately four years of research. Spanning a total of 108 minutes and planned for release in three parts on YouTube, the work covers the historical period from the deposition of II. Abdülhamid through the Balkan Wars, World War I, and the proclamation of the Republic, concluding with the death of Mehmet Akif Ersoy. ^【9】