Harper’s Bazaar Arabia 200th Anniversary Issue: Barış Arduç And Razane Jammal On Creating Chemistry
Introducing the Harper’s Bazaar Arabia x Cartier LOVE cover series, celebrating the 200th April 2025 issue of Harper’s Bazaar Arabia…
He’s the personification of a leading man; dashing, debonair, and able to imbue his on-screen characters with a believability and emotional depth that has catapulted Barış Arduç to bonafide star status. The 37-year-old Turkish actor and model, who entered the industry over 15 years ago, and is a doting father to daughter Jan Asya, is at the pinnacle of his career and has his pick of parts, which makes him the perfect candidate to comment on the stratospheric rise of his home-grown industry, which has mirrored his career.
This deep appreciation for Turkish cinema is shared by The Sandman star Razane Jammal, whose turn in Al Qaddar – an Arabic adaptation of the popular Turkish classic The Day My Destiny Was Written – impressed critics and fans who laud the Lebanese British actress’ compelling performance. The two masters of their craft draft an ode to the art form that has so captivated them – and placed them firmly in the limelight.
On The Universal Appeal Of Turkish Cinema
Barış: One of the biggest reasons Turkish TV series have gained such a large fan base – both in the Middle East and around the world – is because of our rich cinema and television tradition. We have been constantly improving our craft. What sets us apart is our ability to create high volume productions within tight time frames. Of course, the biggest challenge that comes with this speed is maintaining quality. This is where our passion, dedication, and strong work ethic come into play. At the heart of Turkish series lies an emotional depth and sincerity that resonate with viewers. They are crafted with care, passion, and a genuine commitment to storytelling, making them universally compelling.
The most distinctive aspect of Turkish storytelling is the rich emotional depth of our culture. We are a society that loves to feel both sorrow and joy intensely. We experience pain, happiness, and all emotions in a deeply immersive way, stretching and fully embracing them. Acting, at its core, is the art of telling human stories, and because we engage with these emotions from an early age, I believe we develop a more sincere and profound perspective in portraying them. This intense emotionality makes us more vulnerable, and vulnerability makes us more susceptible to being affected by every situation. It allows us to connect deeply with human experiences, making our stories more authentic and impactful. I think this is one of the biggest reasons why these series resonate so strongly with audiences.
Razane: They are brilliant at what they do because they have a system where, as they write an episode, they film it and air it within one week. Once they air it, they get to see the statistics and analyse what characters work and what don’t. Then they rewrite and incorporate that into the following week’s episodes, which keeps people addicted.
They know what people like, they know what works, and they always end on cliff hangers.
The reason we started doing this in the Arab world is that we have similar cultures – people are obsessed with Turkish shows – but they got tired of the whole dubbing phenomenon. So, we started remaking them, we ‘Arabised them a little too. After one episode, they’ll want to know what happens next. When they sent me my first Turkish show, I remember not being able to stop watching. I was hooked. It’s the kind of storytelling that draws people in.
On Chemistry With Co-stars
Barış: Creating on-screen chemistry with a new partner is one of the most crucial aspects of the job. The process starts with table readings and getting to know each other. At this stage, exploring the characters and the story together, as well as sharing perspectives, plays a big role. Since acting is a collaborative craft, establishing a strong line of communication with your co-star is key. Th rough conversations, idea exchanges, and rehearsals, we get a better understanding of both each other and our approach to the characters. True chemistry, however, naturally develops on set over time. Of course, it’s not always an easy process, but when the right energy is found, truly compelling and successful work emerges.
Razane: It’s technique. When you’re creating a character and starting to inhabit them, you also form a point of view towards other characters. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve met them or not. You know that – at least as an actor – when you look at them, you understand your perspective on them. You’ve established the relationship and the dynamic you have with them, and then it happens naturally. We are actors after all. I’m very fortunate to have got on with most of the people I’ve worked with.
On-Screen Partnership
Barış: The most important quality of a successful on-screen partnership is an effortless and natural connection. If you and your partner genuinely understand each other, communicate through eye contact, and value every word spoken, then a strong foundation is established. That trust and harmony translates directly to the audience. At the end of the day, our work only finds meaning when it reaches the viewers, and their reaction is the ultimate testament to the chemistry we create. Once that foundation is set, everything else flows naturally.
Razane: You must feel and have a point of view about the other person. Whether it’s hate, love, anger, or sadness – it must be charged. Sometimes you work with an actor who’s acting externally, but if you don’t sense their emotions inside, you feel like you’re acting with an empty shell. So, it’s very important that whatever the emotion is, whatever the dynamic is, as an artist, you pull from the inside. You have to be fully present in your body, totally engaged with the other person.
On Grand Romantic Gestures
Razane: I’m an extra person. I’m a Leo, and my love language is gifting. I do this thing they call “pebbling” – like how penguins offer a pebble to show their love. If I love you, wherever I go, you’ll always have a little pebble from me. If you mention something you like, the next day, you’ll find it in front of you. For me, both big and small gestures matter. They show that you’re paying attention to the person in front of you and truly hearing them.
Barış: What makes grand romantic gestures and dramatic love scenes so compelling is that they allow us to witness emotions and moments that are often overlooked in real life. In the rush of everyday life, we may miss out on these romantic moments, but in these stories, they are presented with care and intensity. These scenes are rare in real life, making them even more appealing. They allow us to escape reality for a while and focus on emotions. Perhaps the reason they resonate so deeply is that they touch on feelings we all have but often push to the background in our daily lives.
On Love
Barış: Love is a concept too vast and profound to be confined to a single definition. I don’t want to give a poetic answer because love is not something to be arrogant about. To me, love is a powerful emotion that encompasses passion, affection, admiration, and commitment. Anything we believe in with respect, devotion and great dedication can be called love.
Razane: Love is tolerance. It’s accepting yourself authentically and totally, with all your flaws and qualities, believing that you’re worthy of love and deserve to be here – that’s the highest form of love. But it’s also about accepting the person in front of you just as they are, with their strengths and flaws, and loving them all the same. If you share the same values and fulfil each other’s needs, no matter who is in front of you, you’re able to have love with them. Love is acceptance, and I grew to love who I am, and that actually made me a better actor. I think I spent a lot of my twenties trying to reinvent myself, trying to be someone I thought people wanted me to be, and I hid so much.
During my first Turkish show, I was hiding a lot of who I was because I wasn’t comfortable being myself; I would only shine around certain people who I felt were receptive to it. A lot of people said I was cold. But in Al-Qaddar, I focused a lot more on firstly, the creative process and secondly, creating a supportive community around me. That allowed me to go in front of the public or meet new people and think, ‘You know what? I’m comfortable being me.’ I can be goofy sometimes, I can make mistakes sometimes, but I’m going to forgive myself. It made me a much lighter person. It made me a better person. And it made me a better actor. It’s a bit of a Michael Jordan mentality – every time someone says you can’t do it; you go and do it hard. Every time someone doubts me, I don’t say anything – I put my head down and prove them wrong. That’s how you shift the focus from victimhood and people’s perceptions to pushing your own boundaries.
Lead Image Credits: Barış and Razane wear Cartier Love Jewellery, all Cartier. Barış wears: Blazer; Top, both Brioni. Razane wears: Top, Dior
Editor-in-Chief: Olivia Phillips. Acting Editor-in-Chief: Sophia Serin. Creative Director: Marne Schwartz, Tamim Mortaza; Vice President: Farrah Taylor. Group Managing Editor & Words: Natasha Faruque. Art Director: Paul Solomons. Photographer: Mattia Guolo, Vladimir Marti. Movement: Jamie Neale, Adrien Galo. Production: Steff Hawker, Jean-Marc Mondelet. Make-up Direction: Anna Sadamori, Raffaele Romagnoli. Set Styling: Camille Rousseau. Videography: Maycon Dehan. Fashion: Gabriela Cambero, Charlotte Marsh-Williams. Hair Direction: Jean-Luc Amarin, Adam Garland. Nail Artist: Nafissa Djabi, Leyla Mistry. Photography Assistants: Alessia Azzolini, Alessio Spanu, Manfredi Prestigiacomo, Macky Navarro; Videography Assistants: Larissy Leandro. Production Manager: Gijo Thomas. Image Editor: Jemima Joy. Production Coordination: Erin Steel, Chloe Christodoulou, Marina Moravenova. Hair Assistants: Tracey Nguyen, Yihan Jen, Ziyan Zhang, Wenting Zhangn, Bella Hudgell. Make-up Assistants: Ismahane Benabbou, Natalia Bokan, Roberto Meloni, Sitara Nash, Gabriel Leggieri. Nail Assistants: Yasmine Hilali. Editorial: Milli Midwood, Meeran Mekkaoui.