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

Tchéky KaryoTchéky Karyo
04 October 1953, French
Actor

Orhan PamukOrhan Pamuk
07 June 1952, Turkish
 

Murad IVMurad IV
26 July 1612, Turkish
Ottoman Sultan

Mahmud IIMahmud II
20 July 1785, Turkish
Sultan of Ottoman Empire
Meshulam RiklisMeshulam Riklis
02 December 1923, Israeli, Turkish, American
Businessman

Cenk UrguyCenk Urguy
21 March 1970, Turkish, American
Political Activist, Show Host

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

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

Burak DenizBurak Deniz
17 February 1991, Turkish
Actor
Tuba BüyüküstünTuba Büyüküstün
05 July 1982, Turkish
Actor

Arda TuranArda Turan
30 January 1987, Turkish
Footballer

Enver PashaEnver Pasha
22 November 1881, Turkish
Military officer
Mehmed IVMehmed IV
02 January 1642, Turkish
Sultan

Alexios I KomnenosAlexios I Komnenos
1048 AD, Turkish
Emperor
Theodosius IITheodosius II
10 April 0401, Turkish
Emperor

Dieter ZetscheDieter Zetsche
05 May 1953, German
Engineer, Businessperson, Merchant, Entrepreneur

StilichoStilicho
0359 AD, Ancient Roman
King
Bergüzar KorelBergüzar Korel
27 August 1982, Turkish
Actress

Selim IIISelim III
24 December 1761, Turkish
Sultan
Murad VMurad V
21 September 1840, Turkish
Sultan

Osman IIOsman II
03 November 1604, Turkish
Sultan

Manuel I KomnenosManuel I Komnenos
28 November 1118, Turkish
Emperor

Justinian IIJustinian II
0669 AD, Turkish
Emperor
Julius MartovJulius Martov
12 November 1873, Russian
politician
Nouriel RoubiniNouriel Roubini
29 March 1958, American
Economist, Art collector, University teacher

Constantine VConstantine V
0718 AD, Bulgarian
Emperor

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

Julian the ApostateJulian the Apostate
0330 AD, Turkish
 
Nuri Bilge CeylanNuri Bilge Ceylan
26 January 1959, Turkish
Film director, Photographer, Screenwriter,

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John II KomnenosJohn II Komnenos
13 September 1087, Cambodian
Emperor

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

Suleiman IISuleiman II
15 April 1642, Turkish
Sultan

Andronikos I KomnenosAndronikos I Komnenos
1118 AD, Turkish
Emperor
Ahmed IIAhmed II
25 February 1643, Turkish
Sultan

Constantine VIConstantine VI
14 January 0771, Turkish
Ruler
Justin IIJustin II
0520 AD, Turkish
Emperor

Bülent EcevitBülent Ecevit
28 May 1925, Turkish
Politician, Writer, Poet, Translator, Journalist,

Mustafa IVMustafa IV
08 September 1779, Turkish
Sultan
Mike LazaridisMike Lazaridis
14 March 1961, Canadian
Businessperson

Abdülmecid IIAbdülmecid II
29 May 1868, French
Caliph
ProclusProclus
08 February 0412, Turkish
philosopher

Isaac II AngelosIsaac II Angelos
31 August 1156, Turkish
Emperor

Sertab ErenerSertab Erener
04 December 1964, Turkish
Singer

Anna KomneneAnna Komnene
01 December 1083, Turkish
Byzantine physician

Dani RodrikDani Rodrik
14 August 1957, Turkish
Economist
Mustafa IIIMustafa III
28 January 1717, Turkish
Sultan

Sinem KobalSinem Kobal
14 August 1987, Turkish
Actor, Model

Michael IIIMichael III
19 January 0840, Turkish
Emperor

Manuel II PalaiologosManuel II Palaiologos
27 June 1350, Turkish
 
ConstansConstans
0323 AD, French
Emperor

Constans IIConstans II
07 November 0630, Italian
Emperor
John I TzimiskesJohn I Tzimiskes
0925 AD, Turkish
Emperor

Volkan DemirelVolkan Demirel
27 October 1981, Turkish
Footballer

John VIII PalaiologosJohn VIII Palaiologos
18 December 1392, Turkish
Emperor
Constantine VIIIConstantine VIII
0960 AD, Turkish
Emperor

Constantine IVConstantine IV
0652 AD, Turkish
Emperor
Kemal SunalKemal Sunal
11 November 1944, Turkish
Actor, Screenwriter

Gregory PalamasGregory Palamas
1296 AD, Greek
Theologian

Ahmet ErtegünAhmet Ertegün
31 July 1923, American
 
Nihat KahveciNihat Kahveci
23 November 1979, Turkish
Turkish footballer

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

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

Alexios III AngelosAlexios III Angelos
1153 AD, Turkish
Emperor

Gemistus PlethoGemistus Pletho
1355 AD, Turkish
Philosopher
Isaac I KomnenosIsaac I Komnenos
1005 AD, Turkish
Emperor
PulcheriaPulcheria
19 January 0399, Turkish
Theodosius II's sister

Andronikos III PalaiologosAndronikos III Palaiologos
25 March 1297, Turkish
Emperor

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

Alexios II KomnenosAlexios II Komnenos
10 September 1169, Turkish
Emperor
Alexios IV AngelosAlexios IV Angelos
1182 AD, Turkish
Byzantine emperor

Constantine IX MonomachosConstantine IX Monomachos
1000 AD, Turkish
Emperor

John VI KantakouzenosJohn VI Kantakouzenos
1292 AD, Greek
General

Theodore I LaskarisTheodore I Laskaris
1174 AD, Turkish
Emperor

Cem KaracaCem Karaca
05 April 1945, Turkish
Musician
André ChénierAndré Chénier
30 October 1762, French
French poet

Theophanes the ConfessorTheophanes the Confessor
0758 AD, Turkish
Byzantine chronicler
Michael PsellosMichael Psellos
1018 AD, Turkish
Monk

Anthemius of TrallesAnthemius of Tralles
0474 AD, Turkish
Architect

Nikephoros III BotaneiatesNikephoros III Botaneiates
1002 AD, Turkish
Byzantine prince
Constantine XIConstantine XI
08 February 1405, Turkish
Political figure

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

Michael IX PalaiologosMichael IX Palaiologos
17 April 1277, Turkish
 

Zeynep SeverZeynep Sever
09 July 1989, Belgian, Turkish
Volleyball player, Model, Beauty pageant

Andronikos IV PalaiologosAndronikos IV Palaiologos
11 April 1348, Turkish
Emperor
Ayşe KulinAyşe Kulin
26 August 1941, Turkish
novelist, columnist, short story writer, author,

Theodosios IIITheodosios III
0700 AD, Turkish
Emperor
Michael VIIMichael VII
1050 AD, Turkish
Emperor

Pınar SelekPınar Selek
08 October 1971, Turkish
Writer, Sociologist, Human rights activist,
Uğur PolatUğur Polat
01 January 1961, Turkish
actor

Duygu AsenaDuygu Asena
19 April 1946, Turkish
Journalist
HonoriusHonorius
09 September 0384, Turkish
Emperor