Who Is Ozan Dolunay? Actor from Netflix's I Know You

Ozan Dolunay: age, biography and who he is

Ozan Dolunay, whose full name is Mehmet Ozan Dolunay, is a Turkish actor known for his work in television, film and theater. He was born on May 2, 1990 in Ankara, Turkey, making him 36 years old in 2026.Before dedicating himself professionally to acting, Dolunay studied Mechanical Engineering at Koç University. Alongside his studies, he began his training as an actor at Craft Oyunculuk Atölyesi, where he worked with professionals such as İpek Bilgin, Çağ Çalışkur and Bahar Kerimoğlu.His television debut came in 2015 with Tatlı Küçük Yalancılar, and he later appeared in productions such as Yüksek Sosyete and Lise Devriyesi. However, one of his most internationally recognized roles is Cenk Karaçay in Zalim İstanbul.In 2026, Ozan Dolunay takes a new step in his international career by playing İlker in I Know You (Seni Tanıyorum / Not a Stranger), Netflix's new Turkish psychological suspense series, set to premiere on September 17, 2026.

Fact	Information
Full name	Mehmet Ozan Dolunay
Stage name	Ozan Dolunay
Date of birth	May 2, 1990
Age	36 years old
Place of birth	Ankara, Turkey
Profession	Actor
Education	Mechanical Engineering at Koç University
Acting training	Craft Oyunculuk Atölyesi
Character in I Know You	İlker
Series	I Know You / Seni Tanıyorum / Not a Stranger
Platform	Netflix
Series genre	Drama and psychological suspense
Premiere	September 17, 2026

Ozan Dolunay arrives on Netflix with I Know You: who is İlker, the man caught in Nazlı’s mystery

Ozan Dolunay is one of the faces Netflix is putting front and center in I Know You (Seni Tanıyorum / Not a Stranger), the new Turkish psychological suspense series premiering on September 17, 2026. The actor plays İlker, Funda's husband, whose family life begins to fall apart when a mysterious nanny named Nazlı enters their home. The series doesn't build its suspense around big chases or police investigations. Its threat is born inside the home. Netflix describes the production as a psychological drama full of suspense and secrets, in which the arrival of the new nanny triggers an increasingly unsettling mental game.And that's where Ozan Dolunay's character becomes especially important: İlker isn't simply the protagonist's husband, but one of the pieces caught up in the erosion of family trust.

Who is İlker, Ozan Dolunay’s character in I Know You?

İlker is Funda's husband, the painter trying to revive her career after becoming a mother. The family needs help caring for their son, and Nazlı's arrival seems to solve an everyday problem.But that apparent solution soon starts turning into a threat.Nazlı's presence introduces a tension that directly affects the couple. What initially looks like a work arrangement ends up disrupting the balance of the household and testing the trust between its members.

The husband caught between two versions of reality

One of the most interesting elements of İlker is precisely his position within the conflict. He isn't the one who brings Nazlı into the home, but he can't stay on the sidelines of the consequences either.While Funda tries to relaunch her artistic career and readjust to her professional life, the new nanny begins to generate a sense of unease that ends up affecting the whole family.How much can İlker trust Nazlı? And how long will it take him to realize something doesn't add up?Those questions are part of the mystery driving the thriller and allow Dolunay's character to serve as one of the audience's entry points into the story.

Ozan Dolunay: the Turkish actor behind İlker

Ozan Dolunay, whose full name is Mehmet Ozan Dolunay, is a Turkish actor who has built his career across television, film and theater.His career began on television in 2015 with Tatlı Küçük Yalancılar, where he played Barış. Projects such as Oyunbozan, Yüksek Sosyete and Lise Devriyesi followed.Before becoming one of the well-known faces of Turkish fiction, Dolunay also spent time on stage. While studying Mechanical Engineering at Koç University, he trained as an actor at Craft Oyunculuk Atölyesi and made his theatrical debut with Killology. His work earned him the Üstün Akmen Award for Best Young Talent.

Yüksek Sosyete and the leap toward leading roles

One of the first titles that helped broaden his recognition was Yüksek Sosyete, where he played Mert. He later landed one of his first leading roles in Lise Devriyesi, as Yiğit.His career continued to evolve with productions such as Darısı Başımıza, İyi Günde Kötü Günde, Misafir, Bizi Ayıran Çizgi and Dilek Taşı.

Cenk Karaçay: the role that defined his career

If there is one role especially associated with Ozan Dolunay among fans of Turkish series, it's Cenk Karaçay from Zalim İstanbul.Cenk was the son of a powerful family, a seemingly carefree young man whose personality concealed much deeper conflicts. The character ended up becoming one of the most memorable roles of the series and helped cement Dolunay's popularity.This background makes for an interesting connection to I Know You: Dolunay once again plays a man at the center of a family dynamic loaded with secrets, though now in a register much closer to psychological suspense.

From Turkish dramas to Netflix: Ozan Dolunay’s new challenge

I Know You marks another step in Dolunay's professional evolution, placing him in an international Netflix production and within a genre that relies heavily on tension between characters.The series was created by Tuğba Doğan and directed by Mert Baykal. Its story is built around Funda, Nazlı and İlker, with the family home as the main setting for the conflict.Rather than explaining what's happening from the start, the production relies on a gradual mystery. The new nanny seems to be the solution to a family problem, but her presence begins to transform the relationship between Funda and İlker.

The real challenge: acting out doubt

For Dolunay, the acting challenge of İlker has less to do with action than with uncertainty.The character has to live with a situation in which appearances are no longer enough. Trust within the couple begins to carry increasing dramatic weight, and any gesture can become a new warning sign.In a psychological thriller, it doesn't always matter who has the answer. Sometimes what matters is who starts to suspect first.

Ozan Dolunay’s main roles before I Know You

Project	Character	Year	Significance
Tatlı Küçük Yalancılar	Barış	2015	Television debut
Yüksek Sosyete	Mert	2016	One of his first popular roles
Lise Devriyesi	Yiğit	2017	First major leading role
Zalim İstanbul	Cenk Karaçay	2019-2020	One of his most recognized roles
İyi Günde Kötü Günde	Sarp	2020	Romantic drama
Misafir	Giray	2021	Television drama
Dilek Taşı	Şoför Kenan	2023	Period drama
I Know You	İlker	2026	Netflix psychological thriller

Ozan Dolunay in I Know You: key facts

Fact	Information
Actor	Ozan Dolunay
Full name	Mehmet Ozan Dolunay
Career	Television, film and theater
Character	İlker
Character's relationship	Funda's husband
Series	I Know You / Seni Tanıyorum / Not a Stranger
Platform	Netflix
Genre	Drama, mystery and psychological suspense
Premiere	September 17, 2026

Why could I Know You become another hit for Turkish series on Netflix?

Turkish fiction has spent years proving it can travel well beyond its home market, but I Know You bets on a formula especially suited to Netflix's international audience: a family story that seems simple on the surface, a mysterious character, and a threat that grows inside the home itself.Netflix officially classifies the production within Turkish television dramas and highlights precisely its elements of psychological suspense, secrets, mind games and mounting tension.The combination of Elçin Sangu, Melis Sezen and Ozan Dolunay also places three recognizable faces of Turkish audiovisual entertainment at the center of the story.

The mystery lies within the family, not outside it

That's probably one of the elements that can set I Know You apart from other thrillers: the tension doesn't need to take its protagonists out of the house.Funda needs to revive her career. İlker tries to keep the family balanced. Nazlı arrives to help. And, little by little, that seemingly normal structure begins to crack.The big question is unavoidable: how much can a family change when it lets a stranger into its intimacy?

When does I Know You premiere on Netflix?

I Know You premieres on Netflix on September 17, 2026. The series stars Elçin Sangu as Funda, Melis Sezen as Nazlı and Ozan Dolunay as İlker.

Frequently asked questions about Ozan Dolunay and I Know You

What character does Ozan Dolunay play in I Know You?

Ozan Dolunay plays İlker, the husband of Funda, played by Elçin Sangu.

Who is İlker in I Know You?

İlker is Funda's husband and becomes caught up in the growing family tension caused by the arrival of Nazlı, the new nanny.

When does I Know You premiere?

The Turkish series premieres on Netflix on September 17, 2026.

What is Ozan Dolunay known for?

The actor is known for Turkish productions such as Tatlı Küçük Yalancılar, Yüksek Sosyete, Lise Devriyesi and, especially, Zalim İstanbul, where he played Cenk Karaçay. He has also worked in theater, film and other television series.

Who plays Nazlı?

Melis Sezen plays Nazlı, the mysterious nanny whose arrival disrupts the lives of Funda and İlker.

Who directs I Know You?

Mert Baykal directs the series, created and written by Tuğba Doğan.