SHE might have won Love Island – but Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu says she is now trying to “distance myself as much as I can” from it.
The actress, 28, has her sights squarely set on the big screen, and isn’t bothered about a new wave of villa stars moving into the spotlight.
In an interview with Women’s Health, Ekin-Su explained: “They always say, ‘There’s a new Love Island, there’s this, there’s that, you’ll be forgotten.’
“But that doesn’t bother me because of who I am. I know what I’m going to do in life. And I know my dream.
“Acting in films; playing roles and quirky characters, something that would make you think: ‘Oh, Ekin is not this,’ but then I smash it…”
Ekin-Su, who appeared in Turkish soaps before Love Island, revealed she planned to get the ball rolling on her plans this month.
She said: “That’s when I start looking for an acting agency, putting myself out, you know, try to distance myself as much as I can from the Love Island scene and, yeah, be my own person.”
She also spoke about her relationship with Davide Sanclimenti, saying he’d kept up the skills for cooking we first saw in the villa.
The star said: “I’ll come home tired and he’s there with food prepared.
“I’ll feel like I’m gonna have a breakdown and he’ll be like, ‘Why? Relax. Eat… you’ve got this.’”
She explained how the Italian had helped her in the aftermath of the earthquake which hit Syria and Southern Turkey, where her family live.
Ekin-Su said: “Davide has been great supporting me emotionally. I was with him when we heard and I just couldn’t comprehend the devastation.
“I’ve been keeping up with the news since it struck… I hope to visit the affected area with the Red Cross as soon as it’s safe.”
The star also insisted there is no difference between the person we saw on the show as in real life.
She said: “So, I think I’m always the same. Confidence-wise, if something p**ses me off, unfortunately – even in this society, where sometimes it’s good to be quiet – I will say it…
“I was the same on Love Island. If I didn’t agree with something, I would have my opinion. And I’m still like that.
“The only thing that has changed is I probably don’t let things bother me as much.”
The full Ekin-Su interview can be read in the April issue of Women’s Health UK, on sale now
