Deep in Love premiered in October in Türkiye and has been continuing its run with strong ratings. Starring Deniz Baysal and Ulaş Tuna Astepe, the series draws viewers in with its emotional depth and Black Sea atmosphere. We sat down with its leading stars to talk about their characters, the story’s emotional journey, and what will make Deep in Love connect with audiences around the world.
Ulaş Tuna Astepe: This is a story where love and anger speak the same language. Deep in Love isn’t just a love story, it’s about pride, belonging, and forgiveness. Even someone who’s never known the Black Sea can find a piece of themselves in it, because at its heart lies a man who can’t let go, a woman who can’t forgive, and a sea that never calms.
Adil is a man who has never truly forgotten the love he experienced years ago and, despite everything that’s happened, still tries to protect Esme. How would you describe Adil? What aspect of this character moved you the most?
Adil seems very tough but deep down, he’s someone crushed by his own emotions. He could never accept the fact that the woman he loved married someone else. Behind both his anger and his silence, there’s always been love. What moved me the most is that even after being burned by the person he loves, he still acts out of a need to protect her. Like the Black Sea itself, no matter how fierce he gets, there’s always balance in his heart.
Adil doesn’t know that Esme once had a baby, yet he forms a natural, fatherly bond with Eleni. How do you think this father-daughter relationship will evolve, and what kind of journey awaits them?
Adil’s connection with Eleni is purely instinctive. He’s protecting her without realizing it, in the shadow of the fatherhood that was taken from him years ago. He embraces her not by blood, but with his conscience. As their bond grows deeper, it will start to heal the missing part inside him. I’d say Eleni’s trust will be what makes Adil feel human again.
And what about Adil and Esme… What kind of emotional reckoning do you think awaits them?
Adil and Esme’s story isn’t just about love, it’s also a story of unresolved emotions. Everything they’ve kept silent, everything left unsaid, is now coming to the surface. When Adil looks at Esme, he still feels both longing and resentment. These two emotions will either consume them completely or give them a chance to be reborn. Like the waves of the Black Sea, their story is one that never truly settles.
This isn’t your first project set in the Black Sea region, and viewers often say that its atmosphere really suits you. What do you think?
I feel like the Black Sea has become a part of me, like a language I’ve learned to speak, or a breath I’ve taken in. Even though I didn’t grow up among its mist, stone houses, or fierce winds, there’s always been a part of me that belongs there. There’s such an authentic energy behind the camera too that it naturally rubs off on you. Maybe that’s why people think it suits me, because I’m not a stranger to it.
What made you want to be a part of the series?
When I first read the script, Adil’s vulnerability struck me. He appears tough on the outside, but deep down there’s still a child in him asking “why?”. And when the strength of the women in the story blends with the distinctive spirit of the Black Sea, it creates a vivid world. I’m always drawn to stories that are rooted in real emotions.
If you were to introduce the series to international audiences, which aspects would you highlight?
I’d say this is a story where love and anger speak the same language. Deep in Love isn’t just a love story, it’s about pride, belonging, and forgiveness. Even someone who’s never known the Black Sea can find a piece of themselves in it, because at its heart lies a man who can’t let go, a woman who can’t forgive, and a sea that never calms.
What do you think makes the story universal?
The inability to make peace with one’s past is something universal. No matter where we are, we all carry a mistake or a regret within us. Deep in Love tells the story of how forgiveness is, in the end, a way to set yourself free. That’s why this isn’t just the story of the Black Sea, it’s the story of every human being.
Read our exclusive interviews with the Deep in Love cast here.
