Ülkü Hilal Çiftçi (born 11 January 2009) is a Turkish actress and singer. She began her career at a young age, appearing in commercials before moving on to television series, films, and music. She is best known for her role as Ayça in the 2024 television series İnci Taneleri, which brought her widespread recognition and critical acclaim.
Early life and education
Ülkü Hilal Çiftçi was born on 11 January 2009 in Devrek, Zonguldak, Turkey, to parents Ünal and Kader Çiftçi. She has two sisters, Gökçen Bilge and Aysima.
Çiftçi started acting in commercials at the age of four. She later moved to Istanbul with her family, where she continues her education while pursuing her career in acting and music.
Career
Early television work
Çiftçi made her television debut in 2012 with a role in the series İki Dünya Arasında, followed by an appearance in the popular series Arka Sokaklar in 2013. She subsequently appeared in several well-known Turkish television series as a child actress, including Karadayı, Kırgın Çiçekler, Tozkoparan İskender, Gülümse Kaderine, and Dönence.
Breakthrough role
Her breakthrough role came with the 2024 series İnci Taneleri, where she portrayed the character Ayça, alongside Yılmaz Erdoğan. Çiftçi's performance in the role received media attention, and it increased her visibility in Turkish television.
Commercial work
Apart from acting, Çiftçi has appeared in advertisements for several brands, including Sleepy, Fiat Egea, Garanti Bankası, Michelin, and Ariel.
Music career
Çiftçi has started a music career, releasing singles on streaming platforms including Apple Music. She has appeared on television music programs, including O Ses Türkiye (The Voice Turkey) during a New Year's special episode.
Personal life
Çiftçi has stated her interest in traditional Turkish music, particularly the works of arabesk singer Ferdi Tayfur. In interviews, she has mentioned Tayfur's influence on her artistic interests. Following Tayfur's death in January 2025, she posted a tribute on social media, writing: "I grew up watching his films and listening to his songs... Even though I'm still quite young, being able to understand what he wrote and did is a great privilege for me. We love you so much. As you said, 'Even if you go one day, your memory is enough,' your memory is enough."
In a 2024 interview, Çiftçi expressed her views on career choices, stating: "I don't believe in such a thing as 'let your golden bracelet be on your arm.' Because we come to this life only once and I think people should do what they are inclined towards or what they love to do."
Awards and recognition
Ülkü Hilal Çiftçi's performance in İnci Taneleri received coverage within the Turkish entertainment industry. In 2025, she attended the 26th Sadri Alışık Awards, where her appearance was reported in media outlets.
In 2023, she was nominated for the Best Child Actor (En İyi Çocuk Oyuncu) award at the 49th Golden Butterfly Awards (Altın Kelebek Ödülleri) for her role in Dönence.
Filmography
Year Title Role Type Episodes 2026 Yeraltı Melek Aslan TV series 5+ 2024–2026 İnci Taneleri Ayça TV series 37+ 2024 Kayıp Kamyon Zeynep Movie — 2023 Dönence Gülce Olgun TV series 14 2022 Gülümse Kaderine Damla TV series 5 2021 Tozkoparan: İskender Duygu TV series 26 2019 Bir Litre Gözyaşı Eda Yürekli TV series 2 2018 İyi Oyun Ceren Movie — 2018 Adı: Zehra Mine Kurdoğlu TV series 14 2018 Bizim Köyün Şarkısı Girls' Music Group Vocalist Movie — 2017 Nerdesin Birader? Duygu TV series 4 2016–2017 O Hayat Benim Cimcime TV series 31 2017 Sahipli Büşra (child) TV series 2 2016 Arkadaşlar İyidir Derin TV series 10 2016 Siccin 3: Cürmü Aşk Elif Movie — 2016–2017 Güldüy Güldüy Show: Çocuk Various roles TV series — 2016 Göç Zamanı — TV series 15 2016 Sessiz Yalanlar Young Ceren Movie — 2015–2017 Kırgın Çiçekler Gülcan TV series 27 2014–2015 Karadayı Zeynep TV series 26 2015 Sen Benimsin — TV series — 2015 Kara Kutu Şirin TV series 1 2014 Elif Melek TV series 75 2013 Arka Sokaklar Duru TV series 1 2012 İki Dünya Arasında Elif TV series 38
References
External links
Ülkü Hilal Çiftçi on Apple Music