Turkey
Bendeyar
August 2011 • Answered an ad looking for someone who could play an evil American CIA director in an independent film. The filmmakers, after meeting me in person, decided I didn't have the bearing of a CIA director, so they cast me as an evil underling instead. The film is called "Bendeyar," and it's the life's work of Hasim Akten, a religious leader who dreamed up a Muslim superhero who has the telepathic gift of the mevlana and thwarts gun-toting bad guys with the power of his thoughts. My very brief scenes were shot in a studio on the outskirts of Istanbul. The day was long and hot, but it was fun to watch a Turkish film crew in action. "Bendeyar" premiered two months later before an appreciative audience, and Akten hauled the production team onstage to graciously thank everyone for helping with his project. He asked me to say a few words, and I blurted out that being in "Bendeyar" was one of the most random experiences of my life. Mahir, the project supervisor, wisely changed "random" to "interesting" when he translated for the audience.
