EXCLUSIVE: How the SAG-AFTRA strikes hampered my Hollywood dreams: Love Island’s Ekin-Su Culculoglu reveals how ‘another door opened’ for her US career

Ekin-Su Culculoglu has revealed her Hollywood dreams have been hampered by the actors’ strike, which began at the start of summer. 

The Essex-based actress, 29, rose to fame after winning Love Island in 2022 with boyfriend Davide Sanclimenti, but previously appeared in a Turkish soap opera.

During an exclusive interview with MailOnline, following her partnership with beauty brand BPerfect Cosmetics, Ekin-Su spoke about perusing her ‘acting dream’ in the USA, but has been forced to put her plans on hold.

She explained: ‘I did want to go to LA this gone summer, but I didn’t do that because of the strikes and there’s always been something coming up. 

‘I definitely would love to move there if there was a continuous job. It’s a dream of mine.’

EXCLUSIVE: Ekin-Su Culculoglu has revealed her Hollywood dreams have been hampered by the ongoing actors’ strike

Plans: During an exclusive interview with MailOnline, following her partnership with beauty brand BPerfect Cosmetics, Ekin-Su spoke about perusing her ‘acting dream’ in the USA, but has been forced to put her plans on hold

‘That hasn’t worked out yet, but something else came up and another door opened for America, which was a TV show we just filmed, The Traitors US. It was really good made friends with everyone on there and it’s going to be great.

‘I’m hoping that will open some doors in the US and target a brand-new audience, because I just feel like my I’m rooting for the USA and I won’t let that go because there is so much opportunity over there.’

As well as her soap opera work and Love Island, Ekin-Su also had a spin-off show with her beau Davide as they travelled around Italy and Turkey in a two part special. She later appeared on Dancing On Ice.

The Hollywood actors’ strike which threatened to throw the studios into chaos may finally be over after 118 days, it was confirmed on Wednesday.

Union SAG-AFTRA has reached a tentative agreement for a new three-year deal with studios.

Two weeks of intense negotiation between the performers’ union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers appears to have produced a break-through in the long-running dispute.

The deal still needs to be ratified by union members but would bring to an end a summer of industrial action which also saw Hollywood writers strike for nearly five months.

Strikes began on July 14 with actors highlighting a number of issues including pay and the use of artificial intelligence at the heart of the talks.

Career: The Essex-based actress, 29, rose to fame after winning Love Island in 2022 with boyfriend Davide Sanclimenti , but previously appeared in a Turkish soap opera

Sexy: In 2020, two years before entering the villa, Ekin-Su landed a role in the Turkish soap opera Kuzey Yildizi as a photographer from London

Work: Ekin-Su also appeared on Dancing On Ice

Since leaving the Love Island villa with boyfriend Davide, Ekin-Su has been focusing on her career and became a brand ambassador for BPerfect in October last year.

The influencer visited the BPerfect store in Glasgow ‘s Enoch Shopping Centre on Saturday November 4.

Speaking on meeting her fans, she said: ‘It just feels like seeing friends. I mean, it doesn’t even feel like I’m a celebrity and they’re a fan.

‘It’s like they almost connect with me and know me sort of in a personal level that I can sort of connect with them as well.

‘People don’t relate to me as a Love Islander anymore, which is lovely. It’s almost like they appreciate me for the work I put in, and you know the products and they relate to me.’

When asked about being a role model to her younger fans, Ekin-Su said: ‘I try and be as real as I can with these people because I don’t think there’s a perfect role model.

‘I think humans are prone to make mistakes and humans aren’t, you know, perfect for everything. And I think a role model for me is someone who is not always perfect, but themselves.

Successful: Since leaving the Love Island villa with boyfriend Davide, Ekin-Su has been focusing on her career and became a brand ambassador for BPerfect in October last year

Work: The influencer visited the BPerfect store in Glasgow ‘s Enoch Shopping Centre on Saturday November 4

When asked about being a role model to her younger fans, Ekin-Su said: ‘I try and be as real as I can with these people because I don’t think there’s a perfect role model’

‘Even with the appearance, there’s no sort of perfect, beautiful person. No, that’s not real. Do you know what I mean? I think that for me is being a role model.’

Speaking about being ‘real’ on social media, Ekin-Su added: ‘I mean, as much as I can, you know, I would love to day to day record every single moment of my life, I think.

‘But bearing in mind, social media is toxic and this is probably why I don’t use it as much. You can get kind of hooked into the influencer world and it’s fake and I prefer to live in the moment.

‘So, when I use my products I kind of keep it real and do like a get ready with me and and I use the products and tell them what I’ve actually done in the morning and what I’m doing later on. It’s not fake and you know, it’s quite authentic.’

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