Ümit Ülgen (born 1 September 1973) is a Turkish actor and fine art photographer based in the United Kingdom. He is best known for portraying Mehmet Özdemir, a conflicted police officer, in the 2025 political drama Exodus. He has also had roles in international productions such as Spectre, Doctor Strange, and the BBC miniseries The Night Manager.
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Early life and education
Ülgen was born in Ankara, Turkey. He moved to the United Kingdom for higher education and studied Media Production at the University of Plymouth, where he developed interests in both acting and fine art photography.
Career
Acting
Ülgen began acting in the early 2010s, initially taking minor roles in short films and independent productions. His screen debut was in the indie film Different Perspectives (2012).
He later appeared in internationally recognized productions:
Spectre (2015): Featured in a minor role as a train guard in the James Bond film.
Doctor Strange (2016): Portrayed a mystic character known as Mater Sol Rama.
The Night Manager (2016): Appeared as a taxi driver in one episode of the BBC series.
His breakthrough performance came in the 2025 political thriller Exodus, where he plays a leading role as Mehmet Özdemir, a principled Turkish police officer navigating a climate of repression following the 2016 coup attempt. The film was released on 20 June 2025 (World Refugee Day) and received the Best Drama Feature award at the London Independent Film Festival.
Photography
Ülgen has expressed interest in fine art photography, though little public documentation is available about his work or exhibitions.
Filmography
Television
The Night Manager (2016) – Taxi Driver