Mem Ferda

Mehmet "Mem" Ferda is a British actor of Turkish Cypriot descent.

Early Life
Ferda was born in Chelsea, London in 1963 to Turkish Cypriot parents. At the age of six, his mother took him to Cyprus, where his father was the Minister of Agriculture. The family emigrated back to London when he was 12 years old, following an assassination attempt on his father. Whilst studying, Ferda achieved two university degrees, a BSC Honors degree in Psychology and a Master's Degree in Business Administration (M.B.A.). He then began acting in television commercials and was eventually accepted and graduated from the renowned London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art with a Postgraduate Diploma in acting. At a height of 6 ft 2’ and a brawler’s physique he has become notorious for playing the roles of villains.

Career
He is a master of Eastern European and American accents as well as native regional English accents. At 6 ft 2' with a powerful physique and rugged appeal, he often commands audiences into dangerous places of gangsters, psychopaths and killers, 'having such magnetism that leads one to believe he has the word 'charisma' tattooed across his chest'. Mem's list of notable 'baddies' are forever growing, these include; Dusan (The Crew), Hakeem (The Veteran), Vladimir (ill Manors), Andriy (Legacy), Egor (Emulsion), Kamel Hannah (The Devils Double), Hakan (Pusher) and recently as Ilir Duka (Dirty Money). Mem's versatility however, is limitless and by no means confined to aggressive personalities alone. In ITV's popular drama 'Heartbeat', in which he plays the guest lead role, Andrei Beschastnykh, he can be seen delivering a very insightful and acutely perceptive performance of a softer, gentler type, which ultimately touches the hearts of viewers.

Trivia

 * Awarded a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) from Middlesex University.
 * Awarded a Bachelor of Science Honors Degree in Psychology from University of London - Goldsmith's College.
 * Awarded a Postgraduate Diploma in Classical Acting from The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.
 * Worked internationally as a Photographic Model.
 * Fluent in Turkish.
 * Attended the Michael Chekhov Studio London - coached by Graham Dixon.
 * A keen writer of poetry. His work 'Life Pleasures' due to be published soon along with his Autobiography 'Happy-Agony'.
 * Known for his portrayals of Eastern European, Gangsters, killers, psychopaths and alike. His Russian accent is impeccable.
 * His father was once the Agricutural Minister of Northern Cyprus.
 * He once risked his life whilst filming in a run down block of flats to which the locals had set fire to, in Sheffield.
 * An active member of the World Cancer Research Fund and many other charities.
 * His first cousin is the Prime Minister of Northern Cyprus. Elected in 2010.

Related Links
Official site IMDB