Istanbul has produced a number of well-known directors, actors, spiritual & religious leaders, novelists, tv anchors and several other personalities from other spheres. Our list of famous people from Istanbul includes Elia Kazan, Tchéky Karyo, Murad IV, Orhan Pamuk, Cenk Urguy, and many others.

Famous People Born In Istanbul

Elia KazanElia Kazan
07 September 1909, Greek, Turkish, American
Director, Actor, Producer
Tchéky KaryoTchéky Karyo
04 October 1953, French
Actor

Mehmed VIMehmed VI
14 January 1861, Turkish
Last Sultan of the Ottoman Empire

Murad IVMurad IV
26 July 1612, Turkish
Ottoman Sultan

Mahmud IIMahmud II
20 July 1785, Turkish
Sultan of Ottoman Empire

Orhan PamukOrhan Pamuk
07 June 1952, Turkish
 
Meshulam RiklisMeshulam Riklis
02 December 1923, Israeli, Turkish, American
Businessman

Metin HaraMetin Hara
14 June 1982, Turkish
Author, Spiritual Healer, Adriana Lima’s

Cenk UrguyCenk Urguy
21 March 1970, Turkish, American
Political Activist, Show Host
Mustafa YavuzMustafa Yavuz
20 March 1997, Turkish
Twitch Star

Hussein bin Ali Sharif of MeccaHussein bin Ali Sharif of Mecca
1853 AD, Jordanian, Saudi Arabian, Turkish
King
Abdul Hamid IIAbdul Hamid II
21 September 1842, Turkish
Emperor

Burak DenizBurak Deniz
17 February 1991, Turkish
Actor

Tuba BüyüküstünTuba Büyüküstün
05 July 1982, Turkish
Actor

Arda TuranArda Turan
30 January 1987, Turkish
Footballer

Mehmed IVMehmed IV
02 January 1642, Turkish
Sultan
Nouriel RoubiniNouriel Roubini
29 March 1958, American
Economist, Art collector, University teacher

Osman IIOsman II
03 November 1604, Turkish
Sultan

Alexios I KomnenosAlexios I Komnenos
1048 AD, Turkish
Emperor

Murad VMurad V
21 September 1840, Turkish
Sultan
Emre BelözoğluEmre Belözoğlu
07 September 1980, Turkish
Football midfielder

Selim IIISelim III
24 December 1761, Turkish
Sultan
Abdul Hamid IAbdul Hamid I
20 March 1725, Turkish
Emperor

Ahmed IIAhmed II
25 February 1643, Turkish
Sultan

Mustafa IVMustafa IV
08 September 1779, Turkish
Sultan
Mustafa IIIMustafa III
28 January 1717, Turkish
Sultan

Theodosius IITheodosius II
10 April 0401, Turkish
Emperor
Bergüzar KorelBergüzar Korel
27 August 1982, Turkish
Actress

StilichoStilicho
0359 AD, Ancient Roman
King

Manuel I KomnenosManuel I Komnenos
28 November 1118, Ancient Roman
Emperor
Michael IIIMichael III
19 January 0840, Turkish
Emperor

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Justinian IIJustinian II
0669 AD, Turkish
Emperor
Anna KomneneAnna Komnene
01 December 1083, Turkish
Byzantine physician

Nuri Bilge CeylanNuri Bilge Ceylan
26 January 1959, Turkish
Film director, Photographer, Screenwriter,

Leo VI the WiseLeo VI the Wise
19 September 0866, Turkish
Byzantine ruler

Julius MartovJulius Martov
12 November 1873, Russian
politician
Andronikos I KomnenosAndronikos I Komnenos
1118 AD, Turkish
Emperor
Dieter ZetscheDieter Zetsche
05 May 1953, German
Engineer, Businessperson, Merchant, Entrepreneur

Justin IIJustin II
0520 AD, Turkish
Emperor

John II KomnenosJohn II Komnenos
13 September 1087, Turkish
Monarch

Constantine VIConstantine VI
14 January 0771, Turkish
Ruler
Constantine VConstantine V
30 June 0718, Ancient Roman
Byzantine emperor

Abdülmecid IIAbdülmecid II
29 May 1868, French
Caliph

Gizem KaracaGizem Karaca
09 July 1992, Turkish
actor, model, beauty pageant contestant

Manuel II PalaiologosManuel II Palaiologos
27 June 1350, Turkish
Emperor

PulcheriaPulcheria
19 January 0399, Turkish
Theodosius II's sister
Isaac II AngelosIsaac II Angelos
31 August 1156, Turkish
Emperor

John VIII PalaiologosJohn VIII Palaiologos
18 December 1392, Turkish
Emperor
Julian the ApostateJulian the Apostate
0330 AD, Turkish
 

Nihat KahveciNihat Kahveci
23 November 1979, Turkish
Turkish footballer

Tansu ÇillerTansu Çiller
24 May 1946, Turkish
Prime Minister, Economist
Sinem KobalSinem Kobal
14 August 1987, Turkish
Actor, Model

AnthemiusAnthemius
0420 AD, Turkish
Emperor
ProclusProclus
08 February 0412, Turkish
philosopher

Cornelius CastoriadisCornelius Castoriadis
11 March 1922, French, Greek
Philosopher, Economist, Writer, University

ConstansConstans
0323 AD, French
Emperor

Constans IIConstans II
07 November 0630, Italian
Emperor

John I TzimiskesJohn I Tzimiskes
0925 AD, Turkish
Emperor
Bülent EcevitBülent Ecevit
28 May 1925, Turkish
Politician, Writer, Poet, Translator, Journalist,

Andronikos III PalaiologosAndronikos III Palaiologos
25 March 1297, Turkish
Emperor

Mike LazaridisMike Lazaridis
14 March 1961, Canadian
Businessperson

Kemal SunalKemal Sunal
11 November 1944, Turkish
Actor, Screenwriter
Constantine VIIIConstantine VIII
0960 AD, Turkish
Emperor

Sertab ErenerSertab Erener
04 December 1964, Turkish
Singer
Gregory PalamasGregory Palamas
1296 AD, Greek, Turkish
Theologian

Constantine IVConstantine IV
0652 AD, Turkish
Emperor

Leo IV the KhazarLeo IV the Khazar
25 January 0750, Turkish
 
Romanos IIRomanos II
0938 AD, Turkish
Emperor

Evliya ÇelebiEvliya Çelebi
Turkish
 
Dani RodrikDani Rodrik
14 August 1957, Turkish
Economist

Mehmet Akif AlakurtMehmet Akif Alakurt
23 July 1979, Turkish
Model, Actor

Alexios III AngelosAlexios III Angelos
1153 AD, Turkish
Emperor
Fevzi ÇakmakFevzi Çakmak
12 January 1876, Turkish
Politician, Military personnel

Michael VII DoukasMichael VII Doukas
1050 AD, Turkish, Ancient Roman
Emperor
Theodore I LaskarisTheodore I Laskaris
1174 AD, Turkish
Emperor

John VI KantakouzenosJohn VI Kantakouzenos
1292 AD, Greek
General

Ahmet ErtegünAhmet Ertegün
31 July 1923, American
 

Alexios II KomnenosAlexios II Komnenos
10 September 1169, Turkish
Emperor
Gemistus PlethoGemistus Pletho
1355 AD, Turkish
Philosopher
Isaac I KomnenosIsaac I Komnenos
1005 AD, Turkish
Emperor

Volkan DemirelVolkan Demirel
27 October 1981, Turkish
Footballer

Alexios IV AngelosAlexios IV Angelos
1182 AD, Turkish
Emperor

Constantine IX MonomachosConstantine IX Monomachos
1000 AD, Turkish
Emperor
Cem KaracaCem Karaca
05 April 1945, Turkish
Musician

Theophanes the ConfessorTheophanes the Confessor
0758 AD, Turkish
Byzantine monk

Constantine XIConstantine XI
08 February 1405, Turkish
Political figure

Michael PsellosMichael Psellos
1018 AD, Turkish
Monk

Halide Edib AdıvarHalide Edib Adıvar
11 June 1884, Turkish
Novelist
Nikephoros III BotaneiatesNikephoros III Botaneiates
1002 AD, Turkish
Byzantine prince

Tarık AkanTarık Akan
13 December 1949, Turkish
Actor
John IV LaskarisJohn IV Laskaris
25 December 1250, Turkish
Emperor of Nicaea

Gilbert Hovey GrosvenorGilbert Hovey Grosvenor
28 October 1875, American
Photojournalist
André ChénierAndré Chénier
30 October 1762, French
French poet
Michael IX PalaiologosMichael IX Palaiologos
17 April 1277, Turkish