From campus to Channel 4: Buket Kömür’s journey to the TV screen
By: Communications
With spooky season in full swing, who better to speak to than one of our recent UEA graduates currently starring in a new zombie horror series?
Buket Kömür, who graduated with a degree in Film Studies with English Literature in 2020, currently features in Ben Wheatley's Generation Z, a new six-part series on Channel 4, alongside Johnny Vegas, Sue Johnston and Robert Lindsay.
Since graduating, Buket has had a number of different acting roles. We caught up with her to find out all about her time studying at UEA, her decision for coming to Norwich, and the best parts of her job. Any budding Bukets should read on for some helpful advice for following her footsteps into acting!
Do you have any fond memories of living and studying in Norwich?
“I was really lucky to meet my two best friends at UEA because we were all on the same course. Getting to live with them and hang out together on and off campus was such a special time. We’d go from watching a 1920s film together in a lecture to clubbing at the LCR that same day – it was great!”
You grew up in North London – what made you choose UEA and move to Norwich?
“It sounds really simple but I remember visiting the University on an open day and feeling really comfortable walking around. I could actually imagine myself there as a student which I hadn’t felt when visiting other schools. Plus it was one of the only universities that offered a joint honours course in film and English literature, which were my favourite A-level subjects.
“I knew I wanted to be an actor, but I also knew I wanted to learn more about the industry I was getting into from a different perspective. During the week, I’d learn about film and writing on my course and then on weekends, I’d travel back to London for acting classes. A lot of my student loan went on train tickets!”
Image: Buket on the set of Generation Z with director Ben Wheatley
What is the best part of your job?
“I’d say it’s the variety – getting to play and collaborate with so many incredible people to create something together. With Generation Z, the show had so many themes and stories to explore outside of it being a zombie show, so every day we got to work on something different which was really fun and rewarding.”
What advice would you give to a current or prospective student who wants to follow in your footsteps and get into acting?
“I feel like I’m still figuring out the industry and the best mindset to have around it myself, but the one thing I’d say is to prioritise learning. To watch films and plays, to go to acting classes, to read great books in order to always find something to discover and be inspired by.
“There’s a lot of aspects to this job but as long as you find what it is that drives you, you’ll enjoy the journey no matter what.”
For more news on Buket, and to keep up with her continued success, visit her IMDB page. All six episodes of Generation Z are available on catch up on Channel 4.