How Hande Erçel became one of Turkey’s most beloved actresses and global icons

How Hande Erçel became one of Turkey’s most beloved actresses and global icons

Hande Erçel is a Turkish actress recognized for portraying Eda Yıldız in the TV series You Knock on My Door. She has appeared in several other series, including Azize, Halka, Black Pearl, and Girls of the Sun. Handel is also a model and has endorsed various brands.

Turkish actress Hande Erçel posing for photos
Turkish actress Hande Erçel posing for photos in different scenes. Photo: @handemiyy on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

  • Hande Erçel began her career as a model, competing in numerous beauty pageants.
  • She has endorsed brands such as Nocturne and Atasay Jewelry, and graced the covers of magazines including InStyle and Vogue.
  • Her acting career started in 2014 and currently boasts about fifteen acting credits.
  • Some of the movies and TV shows she has appeared in are Two Strangers, Intoxicated by Love and Chasing the Wind.

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Profile summary

Full name

Hande Erçel

Gender

Female

Date of birth

24 November 1993

Age

31 years old (as of November 2025)

Zodiac sign

Sagittarius

Place of birth

Bandirma, Balikesir, Turkey

Current residence

Turkey

Nationality

Turkish

Ethnicity

White

Religion

Islam

Sexuality

Straight

Height in feet

5'9"

Height in centimetres

175

Weight in pounds

121

Weight in kilograms

55

Body measurements in inches

34-26-34

Body measurements in centimetres

86-66-86

Hair colour

Dark brown

Eye colour

Brown

Mother

Aylin Erçel

Father

Kaya Erçel

Siblings

1

Relationship status

Single

College

Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University

Profession

Actress, model, social media influencer

Instagram

@handemiyy

What is Hande Erçel’s background?

The model was born in Bandirma, Balikesir, Turkey. Hande Erçel’s parents are Aylin and Kaya Erçel. Her mother, Aylin, reportedly succumbed to cancer in January 2019. She was raised alongside an older sister, Gamze Erçel, who was featured in the TV series Umuda Kelepçe Vurulmaz as Simge.

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Top 5 facts about Hande Ercel
Top 5 facts about Hande Ercel. Photo: Canva.com (modified by author)
Source: Original

What is the religion of Hande Erçel?

She is a Muslim believer.

Hande Erçel's education

As for her education, she pursued an art course at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University but did not complete her studies at the institution.

What is Hande Erçel’s age?

The actress is 31 years old as of November 2025. She was born on 24 November 1993. Her zodiac sign is Sagittarius.

Hande Erçel’s profession

Hande is an actress and model. She began her career as a model and won the 2012 title of Miss Civilization Turkey. She later participated in the Miss World Civilization of the World beauty pageant and came second. She has also appeared on the cover of beauty and fashion magazines, such as Vogue, Elele, InStyle, Originel, and Hello.

She went into acting in 2014 after dropping out of college. The actress boasts fifteen acting credits. Here is a list of Hande Erçel’s TV shows:

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TV shows

Year

Roles

Aşk ve Gözyaşi

2025

Meyra Aksel

Reminder

2025

Günes

Chasing the Wind

2025

Asli Mansoy

Intoxicated by Love

2024

Kimia-Khatoon

Two Strangers

Post-production

Layla

You Knock on My Door

2021–2022

Eda Yildiz

Azize

2019

Azize Gunay

Halka

2019

Mujde Akay

Black Pearl

2017–2018

Hazal

Love Doesn’t Understand Words

2016–2017

Hayat

Girls of the Sun

2015–2016

Selin Yilmaz

Tree of Life

2014

Selen

Cilgin Dersane

2014

Meryem

Love Bird

2014

Zahide

The model is also an Instagram celebrity fond of sharing her modelling shots on the platform, where she has a massive following. She has endorsed multiple brands, such as Nocturne, DeFacto, and Atasay Jewelry.

Hande Erçel movies on Netflix

The Turkish actress has a lead role in a Netflix movie titled Chasing the Wind, which premiered in 2025. The movie focuses on a city worker and a laid-back surfer— both heirs to the same company— who discover they have plenty in common when they join forces in the boardroom.

Did Hande Erçel act in Queen of Tears?

No, he did not star in the Korean drama. Hande is the lead actress in a new series called Aşk ve Gözyaşı (Love and Tears), which is an adaptation of Queen of Tears.

She plays the character of Meyra, a wealthy heiress who falls in love with and marries her colleague Selim, played by Barış Arduç. The series premiered in September 2025 on the ATV channel.

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Have Hande Erçel and Burak Deniz acted together?

Yes, the two starred together in the crime drama series Bambaşka Biri (internationally known as Another Love). Their professional pairing has also earned them a large international following and a reputation as a "power duo" in the Turkish drama industry.

Hande Erçel awards

  • 2015: Rising Star Award at the 42nd Golden Butterfly Awards for the television show Güneşin Kızları
  • 2016: Most Successful Award at İTÜ EMÖS Success Awards for the television show Güneşin Kızları
  • 2016: Best Actress Award at Turkey's Youth Awards for the television show Güneşin Kızları
  • 2016: New Rising Star Award at KTÜ Media Awards for the television show Güneşin Kızları
  • 2017: Best Actress in Comedy Award at Yeditepe University Dilek Awards for the television show Aşk Laftan Anlamaz
  • 2017: Best Actress Award at the Istanbul Moda Rehberi Awards for the television show Aşk Laftan Anlamaz
  • 2017: Best Actress in Comedy Award at the 44th Golden Butterfly Awards for the television show Aşk Laftan Anlamaz
  • 2018: Best Actress Award at Marketing Turkey: The One Awards for the television show Siyah İnci
  • 2018: Best Actress of the Year Award at Golden Wings Awards for the television show Sen Çal Kapımı
  • 2021: Best Actress Award at Güzel Awards for the television show Sen Çal Kapımı
  • 2021: Best Couple Award along with Kerem Bürsin at Güzel Awards for the television show Sen Çal Kapımı

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Is Hande Erçel married?

Hande Erçel is seemingly not married to anyone, as she has not posted any of her husband's photos on her Instagram. However, she was previously romantically linked with multiple famous personalities in the Turkish entertainment industry.

Her last relationship was with Turkish businessman Hakan Sabanci. He is a 33-year-old member of Türkiye’s prominent Sabanci family. Erçel and Sabanci had been dating for more than three years, and quickly became one of Türkiye’s most talked-about celebrity couples.

How much is Hande Erçel's net worth?

The popular actress has an estimated net worth of $10 million. She derives most of her wealth from her acting success.

Hande Erçel’s height

Hande Erçel’s height is 5 feet 9 inches (175 centimetres).

How much does Hande Erçel weigh?

She weighs approximately 121 pounds (55 kilograms). Her measurements are 34-26-34 inches (86-66-86 centimetres).

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Some of Hande Ercel's modelling shots
Some of Hande Ercel's modelling shots. Photo: @handemiyy on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Quick facts about Hande Erçel

  1. Where does Hande Erçel’s family live? Her family lives in Bandirma, Balikesir, Turkey.
  2. What is Hande Erçel known for? She is a model and actress known for her role in You Knock on My Door.
  3. Does Hande Erçel have a husband and a baby? She does not have a husband or any children.
  4. Who is Hande Erçel’s husband? The model is not married and has no husband. She is seemingly not dating anyone.
  5. Did Kerem Bürsin and Hande split? The former couple parted ways in early 2022.

Hande Erçel is one of the most successful Turkish actresses, having been featured in multiple TV series. She has a prosperous modelling career and has appeared on the covers of fashion and beauty magazines. The Turkish-based model has a massive audience on Instagram.

Legit.ng recently published Stormigee’s biography. She is an American social media influencer who became famous for sharing engaging content on TikTok, such as comedy skits and cosplay videos.

The online content creator was born and raised in New York, United States. She began her online entertainment career on TikTok and later ventured into other social media platforms, gaining a massive following. What else is she known for? Here is a look at her professional and personal life.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Mercy Mbuthia avatar

Mercy Mbuthia (Lifestyle writer) Mercy Mbuthia is a content writer with five years of experience writing on various topics, including biographies, entertainment, and lifestyle. She joined the Legit team in 2019. Mercy earned a Master of Science (Food, Nutrition & Dietetics) from Dedan Kimathi University in 2022. Her articles have appeared on several media sites such as The Health Channel, The Nation, Tekrati, ValiantCEO and Celebrity Leader. In 2023, Mercy finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. Email: mercymmbuthia18@gmail.com

Kola Muhammed avatar

Kola Muhammed (Copyeditor) Kola Muhammed is an experienced journalist, editor and content strategist who has overseen content and public relations strategies for some of the biggest (media) brands in Sub-Saharan Africa. He has over 10 years of experience in writing and editing.

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