Gamze Özçelik (born 26 August 1982) is a Turkish actress, model and TV hostess. She is best known for hit crime series Arka Sokaklar which also starred her former husband Uğur Pektaş. Arka Sokaklar is known for being the longest running Turkish series.[3][4] She played in series Serseri with Okan Yalabık. Her other popular series are series Tatlı Hayat (Turkish remake of The Jeffersons), Canan and historical series Mehmetçik Kut'ül Amare.[5]
Biography
Her maternal is of Turkish origin who immigrated from Thessaloniki, Ottoman Empire (now in Greece). She studied at Maltepe Anatolian High School, and went on to graduate from Istanbul Bilgi University. She won the Elite Model look 1999. After this she ventured into acting.
Gamze was also a co-host of the Turkish version of Popstars, Popstar 1 and afterwards Pop Idol, Türkstar.[6]
In 2004, she starred in the movie named Hırsız Var. In 2006, she played the role of a secretary in the play Seni Seviyorum staged by Tiyatrokare.
She became known for her character Zeynep Akyüz Ateş in the police series Arka Sokaklar. She married Uğur Pektaş, her co-star in this series. A son was born from this marriage. The couple divorced in 2011. She played the character of Elizabeth in the series Mehmetçik Kut'ül Amare. In 2017, she founded the aid association "Umuda Koşanlar."[7]
Gamze Özçelik was raped by basketball player Gökhan Demirkol, whose conviction was overturned twice before being sentenced to prison.[8] According to the trial, she was greatly affected by the rape.[8]
