Idil Üner was born August 1, 1971, in Berlin, as the daughter of Turkish parents. After finishing school, she made her first acting experience at a Turkish theatre in Berlin-Kreuzberg (where she later also directed plays), and studied acting at Berlin"s Hochschule der Künste (HdK) from 1992 to 1996. While still at drama school, Üner was discovered by director Matti Geschonneck and played a role in the "Tatort" episode "Die Sache Baryschna" (1994).

One year later, Üner made her debut on the big screen with a leading role in Rudolf Thome"s "Das Geheimnis" (1995). Üner caused a stir with her key role in Fatih Akin"s highly praised drama "Kurz und schmerzlos" ("Short Sharp Shock", 1998). In the film, she represents a calming moral influence on a surrounding that is shaped by machismo and violence. In the same year, she also made a convincing performance in the socio-critical immigrant story "Aprilkinder" ("The Aprilchildren") by Yüksel Yavuz.

In 2000, Üner made another film with Akin whom she had already met in 1995 at a production for educational television. In the romantic road movie "Im Juli" ("In July"), she portrayed the adorable Turkish woman the main protagonist, played by Moritz Bleibtreu, is dreaming of.

In 2001, Idil Üner made her debut as a director with "Die Liebenden vom Hotel von Osman". The romantic short film, that features Üner and Fatih Akin in the leading roles, won the German short film award in Gold. Among Üner"s most important parts are the leading roles in Thomas Arslan"s drama "Dealer" (1999), in Dror Zahavi"s comedy "Zwei Mädels auf Mallorca" (2000) and in Sülbiye V. Günars TV-drama "Saniyes Lust" (2004), as well as key supporting roles in Sandra Nettelbeck"s successful movie "Bella Martha" ("Mostly Martha") and in Ralf Huettner"s comedy "Reine Formsache" (2006).

In 2008 Idil Üner played in the comedy "Evet, ich will!" alongside Oliver Korittke.