Erkan Can started his acting career in 1974 at the tender age of 16, when he joined the local Bursa State Theater and simultaneously took acting classes at the Industrial Vocational High School. He continued to hone his craft until 1982, when he took a brief hiatus to fulfill his compulsory military service, which lasted until 1984.
Upon completing his military duties, Erkan Can returned to his passion for acting and enrolled in the theatre department of the Istanbul State Conservatory in 1985. During his time at the conservatory, he made his screen debut alongside the renowned actor Kemal Sunal in the 1986 film Davaci, directed by Zeki Ökten. He went on to graduate from the conservatory in 1990.
From 1991 to 1992, Erkan Can performed with the prestigious Bakirkoy Municipal Theatre, which provided him with valuable experience and exposure. He then landed his first major roles in the television series Mahallenin Muhtarlari (1992) and Yalanci (1993) for TRT, marking a significant milestone in his career.
Erkan Can's subsequent appearances in Sokaktaki Adam (1995),directed by Biket Ilhan, and Bana Old and Wise'i Çal (1998),directed by Çagan Irmak, showcased his range and versatility as an actor. However, it was his role in the 1998 film On Board, directed by Serdar Akar, that brought him widespread recognition and acclaim, earning him best actor awards at film festivals in Antalya and Ankara, as well as the Orhan Anzac Award.
The subsequent years saw Erkan Can take on a wide range of film and television roles, including appearances in Vizontele (2001),directed by Yilmaz Erdohan and Ömer Faruk Sorak, and Istanbul Tales (2005),directed by Ümit Ünal et al. He also appeared in Destiny (2006),directed by Zeki Demirkubuz, and The Edge of Heaven (2006),directed by Fatih Akin, before delivering a "convincing performance" in Takva: A Man's Fear of God (2007),directed by Özer Kiziltan, which earned him best actor awards at film festivals in Antalya and Nuremberg, as well as the Asia Pacific Screen Award.
