Deniz Akdeniz

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Deniz Akdeniz
Born (1990-05-16) 16 May 1990 (age 35)
Melbourne, Australia
CitizenshipAustralian
EducationTAFTA
NIDA
St Martins Youth Theatre
Melbourne Acting Studio
OccupationActor
Years active2005–present

Deniz Akdeniz (born 16 May 1990) is an Australian actor. He starred in the Australian remake of As the Bell Rings, from 2007 to 2009. In 2010, Akdeniz gained wider recognition for his leading role in Stuart Beattie's feature film adaptation of the novel Tomorrow, When the War Began . He then starred in the fantasy horror I, Frankenstein and drama film The Water Diviner (both 2014), before portraying Aladdin in the ABC fantasy series Once Upon a Time (20162017).

Contents

Akdeniz has since appeared in various film and television projects, including the television series The Flight Attendant (20202022) and High Potential (2024present), and the 2023 independent films You Hurt My Feelings and Dumb Money .

Early life

Akdeniz is of Turkish descent. His parents hail from Izmir, Turkey [1] and when the family emigrated to Australia, they enrolled his older brother in drama classes to help him integrate socially. Akdeniz followed his brother's lead [2] and began performing at the age of eight. He developed his performance skills at The Australian Film and Television Academy (TAFTA), NIDA, St Martins Youth Theatre, and with Bruce Alexander at Melbourne Acting Studio. He made his professional debut in a 2007 production of Angels with Dirty Faces. [3] He was discovered while he was with the Victorian Youth Theatre. [4]

Prior to acting, Akdeniz trained and competed professionally in mixed martial arts. [5] He is a Victorian Jiujitsu champion.

Career

Akdeniz's first role was in the Australian film Puppy in 2005. He followed this with a role as Raff on the Disney television series As the Bell Rings from 2007 to 2009.

He was nominated for Best Actor at the 2010 Inside Film Awards for his role as Homer in the film Tomorrow, When the War Began .

In 2014 Akdeniz appeared in I, Frankenstein , and The Water Diviner .

He played a recurring role as Aladdin in season six of the ABC television series Once Upon a Time from 2016 to 2017, and as Robb Wellens on season three of Siren in 2020.

Beginning in 2022 Akdeniz played Max in seasons 1 and 2 of the HBO Max comedic thriller The Flight Attendant .

He appeared in 2022 Australian–American co-production Interceptor , and in 2023 films You Hurt My Feelings and Dumb Money .

He currently plays Lev 'Oz' Ozdil on television series High Potential .

Personal life

Akdeniz is engaged to long term partner, American actress Riley Dandy. [6]

He is now based in Los Angeles, but is still coached via Skype by Bruce Alexander, who now operates his studio in London.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005 Puppy OmarFeature film
2010 Tomorrow, When the War Began Homer YannosFeature film
2013April RainTariq
2014 I, Frankenstein BarachelFeature film
2014 The Water Diviner ImamFeature film
2020 Sightless Nurse OmarFeature film
2023 You Hurt My Feelings VinceFeature film
2023 Dumb Money BriggsyFeature film

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007–2009 As the Bell Rings RaffMain cast, 27 episodes
2007 Pass the Plate HimselfShort series, episode: "Banana"
2008 Disney Channel Games Himself (Team Inferno)Short series, 5 episodes
2013 Kristin's Christmas Past MaverickTV movie
2014 Graceland Wayne 'Bates' Zelanski3 episodes
2015 Perception Jesse BransonEpisode: "Romeo"
2015 Jessie MarcoEpisode: "Rossed at Sea, Part 2"
2016 Code Black Manny PetrosianEpisode: "The Fifth Stage"
2016–2017 Once Upon a Time Aladdin Recurring role, 7 episodes
2017 Jane the Virgin Alex
2017 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Virgil Episode: "Orientation: Part 1"
2019 S.W.A.T. MicahEpisode: "Micah"
2019 For All Mankind Paul SantoroEpisode: "Red Moon"
2020 Siren Robb WellensRecurring role
2020–2022 The Flight Attendant Max ParkRecurring role (season 1)
Main role (season 2)
2022 The Cleaning Lady Tarik Bersamian2 episodes
2022–2023 The Rookie: Feds Mark Atlas5 episodes
2024–current Ghosts Chris4 episodes: "The Polterguest", "Isaac's Wedding", "The Bachelorette Party" & "St Hetty's Day"
2024–current High Potential Lev 'Oz' Ozdil [7] Main role

Theatre

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007Angels with Dirty Faces Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with 9Minds

[8]

Video games

YearTitleRoleNotes
2016 Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare PO1 Dan "Wolf" LyallCampaign Mission: "Rising Threat"
Battlefield 1 Matteo CocchiolaModel

Awards and nominations

YearWorkAwardCategoryResult
2010 Tomorrow When the War Began Inside Film Awards Best ActorNominated [9]

References

  1. "Deniz Akdeniz". The Australian Film & Television Academy.
  2. Levine, Ilana. "Listen: Deniz Akdeniz on Little Known Facts". BroadwayWorld.com.
  3. Seth, Kenisha (2 May 2021). "Deniz Akdeniz starring in HBO Max's The Flight Attendant". PhotoBook Magazine.
  4. "Bells ringing for boys". Herald Sun. 14 July 2008. ProQuest   361149844 . Retrieved 19 April 2025.
  5. "ABC Press".
  6. Dasilva, Karen (29 September 2022). "Yucaipa High grad stars in 'That's Amor' on Netflix". Redlands News.
  7. Cordero, Rosy; Andreeva, Nellie (16 May 2023). "ABC Picks Up Kaitlin Olson-Led 'High Potential' Series From Drew Goddard". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 23 June 2024.
  8. "AusStage". ausstage.edu.au.
  9. Screen Daily. "Mao's Last Dancer and Animal Kingdom lead pack for IF Awards" . Retrieved 15 September 2012.