Birol Unel

Birol Ünel was a Turkish-German actor who played in various German and Turkish films, television shows, and theatrical productions. He was perhaps best known for his role as the alcoholic Cahit Tomruk in Fatih Akin's 2004 drama film Head-On, for which he received the German film prize for Best Actor. He also appeared in other films by Akin, such as In July and Soul Kitchen, as well as in Enemy at the Gates, Transylvania, and Seven Heroes. He began his career as a theatre actor and director at the Berlin Tacheles, where he performed in a production of Caligula. He made his film debut in 1988's The Passenger. He was born in Silifke, Mersin, in southern Turkey, and moved to Germany with his family in 1968. He studied acting at the Musikhochschule Hannover. He died at a hospital in Berlin on 3 September 2020, aged 59, after suffering from cancer. He also struggled with alcoholism and homelessness in his later years. He was remembered by his friends and colleagues as a unique and talented actor who brought intensity and authenticity to his roles.