Burak Tozkoparan on His Role as Cihan and ‘Valley of Hearts’ – Exclusive Interview

When you first read Valley of Hearts, what did it make you feel, and what aspects of the project impressed you the most?

Burak Tozkoparan: It all began with a sweet coincidence, really. While I was on my way back to İstanbul from Berlin, my manager sent me the script, and I immediately started reading it. The character that was being considered for me happened to be someone returning to Cappadocia from Berlin. In that moment, I just felt like this project was meant to be, and that it would turn out to be something wonderful. One of the main reasons I chose this character was that I hadn’t played a role like this in a long time. Cihan is tougher, more of a fighter, and after my last two projects where I portrayed characters very different from him, meeting this new character was incredibly exciting for me.

Another key reason was that the script was written by Yıldız Tunç, the writer of my first project, Broken Pieces. The fact that there was a broad cast, with talented actor friends joining, and the opportunity to work with TIMS&B, were all critical reasons why I chose Valley of Hearts.

Cihan grew up without a mother, chose to attend a boarding school, battled loneliness, and built a life for himself on his own. He’s part of a large family, yet it feels like he’s all by himself. How would you describe Cihan?

Burak Tozkoparan: Everything seems to be going well for Cihan from the outside, but it hasn’t been easy for him to get to this point. In reality, he achieved everything on his own, from scratch. He has accepted his mother’s absence but grew up feeling the void it left. Even though he has a big family, he doesn’t have much of a connection with anyone except his father and Enise. Cihan seems to be a happy and successful businessman who has everything under control but deep down, I feel like he’s still protecting that little boy who lost his mother.

Cihan agrees to take over the family business and marry Sevilay due to his father’s illness and the company’s current state. In other words, he puts his own desires and life on hold. Almost all the characters in the series find themselves in difficult situations and are struggling in different ways.

Burak Tozkoparan: In Yıldız’s (Tunç) scripts, the characters are generally not clearly defined as purely good or bad. This is very accurate because making mistakes is part of human nature; we all do things we shouldn’t from time to time. In this story, all the characters are essentially living, breathing people, and each one is written in a way that reflects the natural flow of real life because none of the characters are written as conventional “heroes.” For Cihan, the most important thing is his family. His family’s happiness, peace, and, most importantly, his father’s health and safety are his top priorities. He doesn’t fully understanding what his father is planning or why he’s planning it. Even though he doesn’t want this forced marriage, and despite falling in love with Melek at first sight and wishing to build a life only with her, sometimes you have to make sacrifices for your family. I think Cihan is experiencing a bit of that.  He is willing to set aside his entire workload, his life and everything else, and stay there for his family. He accepts the challenges that come with it. However, his unexpected love for Melek changes the whole dynamic of the situation.

Burak Tozkoparan: Sevilay is actually justified in her own way because she’s being pushed into a marriage she doesn’t want, and she doesn’t really know the full truth about what’s happening or why she’s being married off. She’s also in love with someone else. In this kind of situation, Melek comes into the picture with the intent to seek revenge or, at the very least, uncover the truth, get to know her mother, and reveal to everyone that this woman is her mother. But when she falls in love with Cihan, things take a different turn, and the events start to unfold from there.

Burak Tozkoparan: “When I approached Cihan as a character, I didn’t think about anything extra, because he naturally has a strong presence, he’s confident, successful in his work, and respectful and caring in his family relationships.”

Valley of Hearts explores and questions the concepts of motherhood, absence of a mother, sibling dynamics, and love from different perspectives. Cihan is one of the characters at the center of all of this. How did you approach these themes while creating the character of Cihan?

Burak Tozkoparan: When I approached Cihan as a character, I didn’t think about anything extra, because he naturally has a strong presence, he’s confident, successful in his work, and respectful and caring in his family relationships. The most important thing for me was genuinely believing in the fact that he lives in Berlin and has established a business there because I personally know Berlin really well. It might be the city I know best in the world after Istanbul. Because I understand the lifestyle and mindset there, I drew a lot of inspiration from it when creating the character of Cihan. I had a clear sense of how he would dress, the kinds of cars he would like, and the types of work he’d be involved in, so I aimed to create a character who is calm, collected, and determined in his decisions. And I feel that what I’ve tried to portray in my performance, has resonated in that way.

As Cihan prepares to marry Sevilay, a strong love also develops between him and Melek. This love story has resonated well with the audience. What would you like to say about your partners?

Burak Tozkoparan: I hadn’t had the chance to work with Hafsanur before, but we knew of each other from the industry. Leyla, on the other hand, played my sister in my first series, Broken Pieces and we’ve never lost touch since then—we’ve stayed very close, like siblings. So it’s been a huge blessing for me to work with her again. Even though this is my first time working with Hafsanur, it’s been amazing to speak the same language with her. Hafsanur is from Rize, and so am I, and our family dynamics are quite similar. So I didn’t have any trouble connecting and bonding with anyone on set. In fact, none of us have had any communication issues on set. We all share the same goal—to make this project a success, for it to be well-received and appreciated, and we’re working towards that together. Great things are ahead for us, with amazing moments, scenes, and stories. I hope our audience continues to support and stay with us. I can promise that we’ll deliver even more beautiful visuals and scenes for them.

You are in Cappadocia for Valley of Hearts, a truly exceptional place. How is it living and working in Cappadocia?

Burak Tozkoparan: Cappadocia is absolutely mesmerizing, and honestly, I can’t believe I hadn’t visited before. I could kick myself for not coming here earlier. It’s an incredible landscape, like a dream. I didn’t expect to be this moved. Everywhere you look, there’s another beauty to take in. Each corner has something unique to offer, something new to discover. I think this is so precious and one of a kind. When I came here, I decided to disconnect from everything to focus on myself and my work. I brought my drum, my guitar, and my dog, and I made a promise to take good care of myself and my health while I’m here.

Burak Tozkoparan: In fact, I discovered a side of myself that I’d never explored before, swimming. I’ve started swimming every day, and I try to swim 3-4 kilometers whenever I find time. It’s been amazing for me, both mentally and physically, to take this time for myself, and I believe it’s also positively reflected in my work. Cappadocia will always hold a special place in my heart, for its atmosphere and stunning visuals, and the way it’s changed my life.

Valley of Hearts will be introduced at MIPCOM, one of the world’s most important content markets. What would you like to say to your audience in Türkiye and around the world?

Burak Tozkoparan: I’d like to thank everyone who loves, believes in, and enjoys supporting us. I’m confident that this project will make a big impact in the countries it reaches and around the world. We have an incredible production company, a major network, and a cast of extremely talented actors. These were some of the key reasons I decided to take part in this project, and we’ve made a great start. Being recognized in regions I’ve never been to, by people who don’t speak the same language, is truly fulfilling.

Burak Tozkoparan: Representing Türkiye is the same way, especially through the beautiful setting of Cappadocia, makes this even more valuable. I hope that our efforts and hard work will continue to pay off, and that our audience will keep watching and growing with us.

This interview with Burak Tozkoparan was featured in Episode Magazine’s MIPCOM 2024 issue.