Born in Beyoğlu, Istanbul, Pekkan's musical career began in the early 1960s when she appeared in a nightclub as a member of the music group Los Çatikos. However, in 1963, when she won the "Ses" magazine's cinema artist competition, she became known as an actress, and for a number of years she pursued an acting career. In the same year, she played the leading role in her first film "Adanalı Tayfur" and became one of the young faces of Turkish cinema at the time. Over the next six years, she starred in nearly 50 black and white films, including "Şıpsevdi" (1963), "Hızır Dede" (1964) and "Şaka ile Karışık" (1965). She eventually quit acting and focused entirely on her singing career.