In the 125th episode of the program “Eylül Aşkın İle…” hosted by Eylül Aşkın, actress Defne Güçsav was the guest. In the special interview held at Flu Kadıköy, located on Kadıköy’s Bar Street, Güçsav made sincere statements covering a wide range from her acting journey to her stage experiences, and from her educational process to different fields of art.

A Childhood Intertwined with Art and the First Step into Acting

Defne Güçsav, the granddaughter of a painter mother and an artist grandfather, stated that she started acting at a young age through drama and emphasized that her mother had a great influence on this decision. Güçsav said, “With my mother’s observational skills, the idea came up: ‘Why don’t we enroll this girl in drama?’ Since I come from an artistic family, this decision wasn’t actually a distant start.” She added that getting to know drama at an early age greatly contributed to her ability to express herself and that this turning point was very valuable in her journey.

Conservatory Discipline and the Real Face of the Profession

Also touching upon the difference between conservatory education and workshop studies, Güçsav expressed that the conservatory requires a very different discipline and responsibility. The young actress said, “I went to the conservatory as if I had reset everything, like very raw dough,” and stated that the biggest lesson she learned in this process was that acting is a profession requiring great sacrifice and love. Güçsav noted that “the job looks easy from the outside, but once you get into it, you face difficulties and confront your own ego and weaknesses,” and stated that the conservatory creates a mirror effect.

“Bozmayın Çekiyorum” and the Experience of Acting with a Mask

Defne Güçsav is currently performing with mask and puppet in the play “Bozmayın Çekiyorum” staged at Kumbaracı 50. Explaining that the preparation process of the play was quite challenging, the actress said, “We pulled off this work in less than a month, with 16-17 days of rehearsals. Acting with a mask is a very different experience where the actor’s internal monologue and determination are directly reflected to the audience. If you don’t have an internal monologue, the play doesn’t progress and the artificiality is immediately seen.” She added that director Candan Seda Balavan managed the process very well and that the team lifted each other up in every difficulty.

Behind the Scenes and Assistant Direction Experience

Güçsav, who worked as an assistant director on the project “Yüzün Güzel” (Your Face is Beautiful), stated that being behind the scenes has made significant contributions to her acting. “The kitchen of the work is a journey. When you cook there, it reflects on your acting. The observation and learning process offers a different layer to the actor,” she said. Also sharing her rituals before stepping on stage, the actress said that she gives herself space in the last 10-15 minutes, controls her breathing before putting on the mask, and gets excited as if she is going on stage for the first time every time.

Curatorship, Teaching, and the Challenges of Young Artists

Güçsav, who enjoys multidisciplinary work, expressed that she is also interested in curatorship but thinks that this profession has not yet fully settled in Turkey. The actress, who also works as a drama teacher, said that working with children taught her to be flexible, to move away from rigid thoughts, and to establish a creative language of communication. Stating that young artists face pressure of visibility in the age of digitalization and social media, Güçsav drew attention to the competitive nature of the sector by saying, “There is a sector as if everyone has an alternative. This is a bit annoying because everyone is unique and special.”

Future Dreams and the New Season

Talking about her future goals, Defne Güçsav expressed that she has a dream such as “being able to play at the National Theatre one day.” Emphasizing that she is also open to film and TV series offers, the actress said, “An actor is an actor, I don’t make a distinction. However, having started with theatre is a great chance for me.” Stating that she may appear before the audience with more than one project in the new season, Güçsav said that for now she is continuing with theatre but some projects are under evaluation.

Invitation to the Audience

Defne Güçsav announced that they will stage the play “Bozmayın Çekiyorum” at Kumbaracı 50 on April 25th and May 16th. The actress, who will meet the audience in two sessions (matinee and evening), stated that she can be reached via Instagram at @defnegucsav. At the end of the program, Eylül Aşkın thanked all the viewers and said goodbye until the next episode.