Aslı İnandık on ‘Loveberry’ and Her Role as Figen – Exclusive Interview

Loveberry is actually the story of an educated, urban woman who stands on her own feet, and her family. What were the aspects of Loveberry that impressed you the most and made you want to accept the project?

Aslı İnandık: First and foremost, I was drawn to the idea of telling the story of four sisters who are completely different from one another. I have an older sister myself, she’s four years older than me and although we bicker from time to time, she’s my biggest supporter in life. That’s how I see the Erdem sisters as well. Also, I’ve always been interested in strong women’s stories, and the idea of watching each character go through a transformation and a journey of self-discovery was really exciting. And of course, I loved Figen as well.

Figen has married, built her own life, and is raising her own children. At the same time, she’s been the closest witness to what Zuhal and their father have gone through. What concepts did you focus on when bringing the character of Figen to life?

Aslı İnandık: Figen is the sister who was closest to the traumatic event considered to be the family’s “secret,” their mother’s death. Figen was still in high school when her mother passed. So, in a way, whatever happened during that time, Figen and Zuhal experienced it together. They shared the grief and the pain. I believe that, although Figen loves Zuhal more than anything, deep down she’s never truly forgiven her for their mother’s death. I don’t think any of Figen’s actions come from a place of malice or jealousy. Both sisters had to carry a heavy emotional burden at a very young age. Even though she tries to forgive Zuhal, the fact that she never receives full approval from their father, or her other siblings, has, in a way, made Figen more childlike. That’s why I didn’t approach Figen from a simple angle of jealousy or resentment. Figen is more traditional in her thinking, someone who raises her voice in the family but also tries to keep the peace. But I also believe she’s devoted enough to do anything for her family. These are the aspects I tried to focus on while developing her character.

Figen seems to empathize with Zuhal on certain points, but she tends to side more with their father. She also has an attitude of wanting to avoid any kind of conflict, trying to maintain peace at all costs. How does Figen’s stance come through as the situation unravels?

Aslı İnandık: Exactly as you’ve summarized. As things fall apart, Figen finds her comfort zone getting smaller. But I think we also witness her transformation. We see her become more flexible, and at times, she might even make choices that put the family in tough situations. 🙂

Aslı İnandık: “Family is a tightly knit structure. No matter how far someone goes, even to the other side of the world, they still think about their parents and siblings and feel responsible for them.”

Loveberry is a series that effectively portrays how even educated and working urban women can give up on living their own lives due to the dynamics within a household. It also features a strong family drama. Where do you think Loveberry resonates most with the audience?

Aslı İnandık: Family is a tightly knit structure. No matter how far someone goes, even to the other side of the world, they still think about their parents and siblings and feel responsible for them. In a way, everyone has a similar story with their family. Some spend their whole lives fighting with family members, while others choose to make peace and forgive. I think that’s why family stories draw the audience in.

I really enjoyed watching the four sisters, their relationship with each other, as well as following each of their individual journeys. The chemistry between you, İrem Helvacıoğlu, Selin Türkmen, and Ebrar Karabakan is so strong. You also share very emotionally intense scenes. How is the set going?

Aslı İnandık: As soon as we met each other, it felt like we were actually sisters. When someone is feeling down or having a bad day, we cheer each other up. This bond formed very quickly. We also laugh a lot together, which can make filming dramatic scenes challenging. Irem was already a close friend of mine, so we were both thrilled to hear we’d be working together. I didn’t know Selin or Ebrar, but I loved them both. Of course, I have to mention Engin Şenkan. We’re very lucky to be working with him.

Loveberry will be introduced to the world at one of the most important content markets, MIPCOM. What would you like to say to your viewers in Türkiye and around the world?

Aslı İnandık: I’d like to thank everyone in advance for watching us, for sharing in our emotions, smiling with us, and becoming a part of our story. And I’d like to say this: “With the hope of inspire all the wonderful women who are on their own journey of discovering their strength.”

This interview with Aslı İnandık was featured in Episode Magazine’s MIPCOM 2024 issue.