Turkish actor Serhat Mustafa Kılıç, best known to international audiences for his role as Mikhael Kosses in the historical drama Kuruluş Osman, has died at the age of 51.
Kılıç was found lifeless at his home in Istanbul’s Kağıthane district on Saturday, September 5, after reportedly being unreachable for one to two days.
His girlfriend, Özlem E., reportedly went to his residence and found him unresponsive on a couch.Emergency responders examined the actor at the scene.
Reports said there were no open wounds or apparent injuries caused by cutting or piercing objects, although bruises were reportedly observed around his eyes, arms and legs.
His body was taken to the Forensic Medicine Institute to determine the exact cause of death, while an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death was launched.
Kılıç, whose full name was Serhat Mustafa Kılıç, was born in Ankara on July 8, 1975. He studied theatre at Bilkent University and later completed postgraduate studies in directing.
Before becoming widely recognised on television and in cinema, he built a career in theatre and also worked as a radio presenter.
His role in Kuruluş Osman
Kılıç’s international fan base grew significantly after he joined Kuruluş Osman, where he portrayed Mikhael Kosses, a Byzantine lord who later accepted Islam and became an ally of Osman Bey, assisting him in his struggle to establish and expand his state.
Kılıç appeared in the series from 2021 to 2022, with his portrayal of Kosses becoming one of his most recognised roles among international viewers of the historical drama.
It was recently reported that Kılıç had stepped away from a role in the upcoming television series Teşkilat due to health concerns.
Extensive television career
Beyond Kuruluş Osman, Kılıç had an extensive television career. He played Selim Uğurlu in the crime drama Ezel, Ergun Plak in the popular nostalgic series Seksenler, and Çolak in the action series Söz.
He also appeared in Maraşlı as Necati Türel, Öğretmen as Taner Aslan, Şeref Bey as Nejat, Tetikçinin Oğlu as Esat Uncular and Kirli Sepeti as Feyyaz Ağırtaş. His final listed television role was Raci Korkmaz in Kardelenler in 2025.
Kılıç was particularly recognised for his portrayal of Ergun Plak in Seksenler, a role that helped establish him as a household name in Turkish television.
He later gained further recognition for his portrayal of Çolak in Söz before taking on the role of Mikhael Kosses in Kuruluş Osman.
Film and theatre career
His film career was equally notable. He featured in Nokta, Veda, Kış Uykusu, Robinson ve Cuma, Baskın Karabasan, Yol Arkadaşım, Topal Şükran’ın Maceraları, Mavzer and Cenazemize Hoş Geldiniz.
In Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s acclaimed Kış Uykusu, he played Imam Hamdi.
Before his television success, Kılıç had established himself in theatre and also worked as a radio presenter, reflecting a career that extended across several areas of the Turkish entertainment industry.
Tributes
Following news of his death, Kuruluş Osman producer Mehmet Bozdağ paid tribute to the actor on social media.
Bozdağ recalled Kılıç’s portrayal of Mikhael Kosses and offered condolences to his family, loved ones and the Turkish arts community.
“I learned with sorrow about the passing of the precious actor Serhat Kılıç,”
Bozdağ wrote on his social media, adding that he prayed for God’s mercy upon the actor and that “his place be heaven.”
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