Fikret Kuşkan: I make my own style

Below is an excerpt of the conversation I had with him.

In the television series “Parmaklıklar Ardında” (Behind Bars), you play an inspector. Do you make a distinction between cinema, television and theater?

The most important thing for me is to do my job well. I do not make a distinction between television, cinema or theater. For me, acting is acting. I am against the idea that you do not need to be careful when you act in a television show. I do not have such a perception. I care about my television shows as much as I care about my movies. You are in front of a camera anyway. Many people watched me in “Babam ve Oğlum.” I do not disappoint them.

Is your audience aware of the effort you put into your show?

I thank them. They are aware of that, and this makes me proud. This is what lies behind my success. It is about how much I enjoy my job.

You joined the series after it had already started. How did you feel becoming part of an already successful show?

It was a hit series. For this reason, we had thought about my part in the series for a couple of weeks. It did not happen in one day. I loved my part when they told me about it. I would not have accepted the part if I did not like it. I was included in the series as a special character. It is a character I love.

What do you like about your role as an inspector?

Ahmet is an inspector at the Ministry of Justice who sees the mistakes in the system and who confronts them. There are many inspectors in Turkey who do not care about ethics or their duties. Ahmet is a person who cares about the interests of society, which can be seen through his honesty, his moral values and by not accepting bribes. A Justice Ministry inspector has to let authorities know when something illegal occurs. He must fight within his institution if necessary. Ahmet is this kind of person. His morality is highly developed. These factors influenced me in accepting the role.

Do you think “Parmaklıklar Ardında” reflects the reality of prisons in Turkey?

It is fiction and has nothing to do with reality. But Sinop Prison [before being turned into a museum] used to be like that. According to what people have said, it used to be a place you would pray not to go. Of course, some parts may be similar to reality, but the story is all fiction.

Did you visit a prison in order to prepare for your part in the show?

 I went to the new Sinop prison with a public prosecutor. I saw their lifestyle and standards there. I went to their wards and kitchens and talked to inmates. It must be the most comfortable prison in Turkey and in Europe. There is no torture, beating or lockdowns like the past. There are no violent incidents. The officials already prevented this. Even in the F-type prisons, there are two to three people in a cell. The tips of the knives that inmates use are dull. They take such precautions beforehand in order to prevent murders and attacks.

Do they exaggerate prisons in the show?

It is just fiction. However, [the new] Sinop prison has a very valuable public prosecutor. He knows the number of inmates and the names of new and old ones by heart. He supervises the prison every day, and he does not let guards do bad things to the inmates. Inmates love him, too. He takes care of each of them. He loves his job.

What affected you in the Sinop prison? What kind of feedback do you get from inmates and their relatives on your part in the show?

 Especially the prisoners' looks [affected me]. Also, I receive letters from prisons. Inmates in İzmir and Çanakkale ask for help from us. I am not really an inspector like they believe. I feel sad when reading the letters.

You look away from the paparazzi. Is this your preference?

 Yes, this is my preference, and I do it on purpose. I do not want my life to be on display in the media very much. It is not nice. You do not have much freedom. And I do not like the paparazzi. It is not nice to interfere in one's private life.

Do you have another project other than the show this year?

Yes. There is a movie project on my agenda. After “Babam ve Oğlum,” I have not received offers that are as high quality as I expected, I must note.

What kind of a role did you expect?

I expected a project that would exceed “Babam ve Oğlum” in quality, but none came. Also, you cannot make a movie out of every story. The story, scenario and director are very important. When a project surpassing “Babam ve Oğlum” [in quality] did not come, I did not accept others. Let “Babam ve Oğlum” linger in [the minds of] the audience. I do not want people to say, “Why did you do that movie?” when discussing one of my movies. I want to be a virtuoso of movies, and I want to have my own style. I run after style. I run after creating my own style. The streets are full of actors. There are thousands of actors in Turkey. But the number of good actors is very low.

 Isn't expecting a unique style in all actors too much to ask for?

 No, it is not. Being an actor is having a unique style. It is not too much to look for a unique style in all actors. It has to be like that. All who call themselves actors run after this. They can or cannot achieve this, but they want it. Names such as Marlon Brando, Robert De Niro and Al Pacino will be immortal because of their unique style. Or else, they would be common actors.

They say, “It is hard to work with Fikret Kuşkan.” Is it because of the characteristics you mentioned above?

I also heard this. But that was said long ago. It was maybe four years ago. I know that very well. It is nothing but their pitiful nature. They are so pathetic that they offer little money and ask me to work on a silly project. They call me for such things, and I do not accept. Then Fikret Kuşkan becomes the one who is hard to work with. If there is something missing during filming, I say it. If people come to work without memorizing their scripts, I say it. I work like a horse; I care about my job and wear myself out. And in return, nothing will be ready on set. We wait for hours on set. Why? Why do we shoot 110-minute movies? Is it not hard for us? It is total exploitation.

I guess there is no law protecting your rights concerning this issue.

 We have no rights. We do not receive copyrights. There is no law protecting us. Despite that, I make a movie in six days. We first have to talk about this. They say it is hard to work with Fikret Kuşkan and this and that. It is easy to say such things. What I do is obvious. I do my thing and look at the results. The people who say it is hard to work with me are also the people who apologize to me and call me for their other projects. Besides, they realized this. They see how fast the work progresses by making everything ready for the project, not by working with me. If they are ready, I do not have a problem. If they are not, I can make a scene. You cannot make me wait on set for five hours. I am 44 now. First, you get ready, and I will not open my mouth. Would I make such high-quality works if I was not difficult?