SSONet.com.au – As told to Sunny Burns
In 1970, my Muslim parents migrated from a little village in Turkey to start a family in Sydney. I was born in August a year later. I fell into performing by fate when, in the first year of high school, I went to watch an audition for the Rock Eisteddfod.
I was asked to participate or leave the hall. I stayed and landed the lead role, so I took part every year. In Year 11, the teacher who used to put our entries together left and I took that opportunity to produce my first dream come true. I came up with the concept and pitched it to the principal who gave me permission to start working on it. After never even making it to the grand final in previous years, I cried with proud joy when we were named the winner of the grand final at the Sydney Entertainment Centre.