Mahassine Merabet

Photo Source: Kuruluş Orhan, Atv, bozdagfilm

Mahassine Merabet is a Moroccan actress. She made her acting debut as Hira Demirhanlı in Esaret (Redemption). Since October 29, 2025, she has been portraying Nilüfer Hatun in Kuruluş: Orhan (Establishment: Orhan, also: Alina, Bennu, Barış, Semih, Faruk, Belgin, Cemre, Mert & Şükrü).

Facts:

• she speaks Arabic, French, English and Turkish
• discovered her interest in art and communication at an early age
• tries to play tennis whenever she can or simply rest
• grew up loving Turkish series and dreamed of living in Türkiye
  • began learning Turkish during university and after meeting a mentor who supported her, she received a job offer in Istanbul and moved there after graduating
• came to Türkiye in 2019 and has felt at home ever since, never seeing herself as a foreigner or making a distinction between Morocco and Türkiye
  • says both countries share rich cultures, histories and similar values, so adapting was easy for her, seeing a warm kinship between Morocco’s spice scents and Türkiye’s tea aroma
• had worked as a presenter in her home country and planned to continue that career in Türkiye, but after meeting her managers by chance, she was encouraged to try acting; with training, she realised it wasn’t just a curiosity but a true passion
• it breaks her heart to see people, especially children and all living beings, killed or displaced anywhere in the world, especially in Palestine and she feels deeply saddened by her inability to help
• believes Turkish and Moroccan men have many similarities and that both are handsome
• does want to become a mother and therefore sees marriage in her future, but only with the right person; she isn’t in a hurry and believes marriage is too important to approach casually
• since entering the industry, she has always felt warmly embraced by Turkish audiences
  • despite being a foreign-born actress, their heartfelt acceptance and connection give her strength and what makes her happiest is knowing that her energy reaches and resonates with them
• she feels she and her character are alike in being open to new experiences, adapting easily and having strong focus, but they differ in patience, a quality she believes life will eventually teach her
• she confirms that she worked part-time as an Arabic–Turkish translator while studying at university in Morocco, an experience that allowed her to meet wonderful people, learn about their cultures and even influenced her decision to move to Türkiye
• what drew her to Nilüfer Hatun was the contrast between the character’s gentle appearance and her inner strength, something she finds both intriguing for an actor and personally relatable, which made her eager to bring Nilüfer to life
  • portraying a real historical woman felt both joyful and deeply responsible for her, so she didn’t limit herself to analyzing the role; she also researched Nilüfer Hatun’s era, culture and relationships to build an authentic connection to the character