Sibel Kekilli in the "Game of Thrones"

Crossing over into American television on the critically acclaimed hit show HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” award-winning German actress Sibel Kekilli steals the show as ‘Shae’, the concubine and lover of Peter Dinklage, Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner for his portroyal of ‘Tyrion Lannister’ in the series (Season 3 premiered March 31st, HBO). Originating as a guest appearance in the first season of “Game of Thrones” Sibel’s massive audience appeal expanded her role in Season 2 to series regular and is a central dominating force in Season 3. Sibel has been lauded for the dimension she has brought to the character of ‘Shae,’ which is much more mysterious and worldly than the namesake character in George R. R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire, the premise to “Game of Thrones.”


While new to American audiences, Sibel’s accomplished acting resume has garnered her two Best Actress Lola’s (German Oscar equivalent) for her roles in GEGEN DIE WAND and DIE FREMDE, the latter procuring her the Best Actress award at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival. Sibel also currently stars as investigator ‘Sarah Brandt’ on the leading German TV crime series “Tatort.” Sibel began her acting career after being discovered by a casting director in a Cologne shopping mall, which lead to her award-winning performance as ‘Sibel Güner’ in Fatih Akin’s GEGIN DIE WAND, the story of two Turkish immigrants who get together in a marriage of convenience but learn to care for one another. Following the film’s success, Sibel has had a busy career with numerous TV appearances and feature film roles.

The daughter of Turkish immigrants, Sibel was born and raised in Heilbronn, Germany, and currently resides in Hamburg where she devotes much of her time to Terre des Femmes, an organization that raises solidarity and awareness about violence against women, specifically in families of Islamic background.