Necati Şaşmaz is a Turkish actor, producer, and entrepreneur best known for his portrayal of Polat Alemdar in the long-running television series Kurtlar Vadisi (Valley of the Wolves), which left a lasting mark on Turkish television in the early 2000s. His career in acting began by chance but later expanded to include producing, screenwriting, and real estate investments. In addition to his enduring television presence, Şaşmaz has gained attention through his poetry and public commentary on social issues.

Life and Education

His full name is Muhammed Necati Şaşmaz. He was born on 15 December 1971 in Harput, Elazığ, Türkiye, to Abdulkadir and Sahil Şaşmaz. He has two brothers, Raci and Zübeyr. After completing primary and secondary education in Türkiye, he pursued higher education in Canada and lived in the United States for six years. Before his acting career, he ran a travel agency and worked in the tourism sector.

In 2001, while visiting his family in Türkiye, the 9/11 attacks led to flight cancellations, and following his family’s encouragement, he decided to stay in Türkiye permanently.

Career

Necati Şaşmaz's acting career began unexpectedly in 2000 during a meeting with director Osman Sınav. Initially considered for the writing team, he was offered the lead role in a new TV series instead. After a month of deliberation, he accepted and debuted as Polat Alemdar in Kurtlar Vadisi in 2003. The role became iconic and he continued to portray the character in all follow-up productions.

His subsequent works include Kurtlar Vadisi Irak (2006), Kurtlar Vadisi Terör (2007), Kurtlar Vadisi Pusu (2007–2016), Kurtlar Vadisi Filistin (2011), and Kurtlar Vadisi Vatan (2017). In 2012, he portrayed Enver Pasha in Kurt Kanunu, a historical series aired on TRT. He also had a guest role in Halil İbrahim Sofrası (2010). In later years, he expanded into production, overseeing content through Pana Film and Pana Holding.

Literary Activities and Social Involvement

Şaşmaz began writing poetry during his youth in Ankara. His spiritual and personal reflections are collected in the poetry book titled Akş, where themes of divine love are predominant.

Personal Life

He married Nagehan Kaşıkçı on December 12, 2012. The couple had two sons, Ali Nadir (b. 2013) and Yusuf Emir (b. 2017), before beginning divorce proceedings in 2019. In 2014, he was involved in a traffic accident during filming and required surgery for a broken jaw. In 2022, he underwent a coronary angiography and was temporarily hospitalized in intensive care.

Filmography

TV Series

• 2003–2005 – Kurtlar Vadisi (Polat Alemdar)
• 2004 – Ekmek Teknesi (Guest appearance)
• 2006 – Mavi Rüya (Guest appearance)
• 2007 – Kurtlar Vadisi Terör (Polat Alemdar)
• 2007–2016 – Kurtlar Vadisi Pusu (Polat Alemdar)
• 2010 – Halil İbrahim Sofrası (Guest appearance)
• 2012 – Kurt Kanunu (Enver Pasha)
• 2015 – Kara Kutu (Producer)
• 2019 – Nöbet (Producer, screenwriter)

Films

• 2006 – Kurtlar Vadisi Irak (Polat Alemdar)
• 2011 – Kurtlar Vadisi Filistin (Polat Alemdar)
• 2017 – Kurtlar Vadisi Vatan (Polat Alemdar, producer, screenwriter)