20 Things You Didn’t Know About Midnight Express
13. Billy Hayes Returned To Turkey In 2007
After escaping from prison, Billy Hayes remained a wanted man in Turkey. After successfully fleeing the country, Hayes’ remained in the US for many years as he was placed on a Turkish list of terror suspects, and was wanted by Interpol.
The depiction of Turkey and its citizens in the movie made Hayes a public enemy in the country. The real-life Hayes was vocal against the film’s exaggerated one-sided view of the countrymen he had encountered and began speaking out against the damage the film had caused to the reputation of Turkey.
In 2007, after years of unsuccessful attempts, Billy Hayes returned to the country in an attempt to apologise for his part in the country’s unfair portrayal. Hayes went on record to say that he was unsatisfied with the exaggeration in the movie and condemned the fact that every Turk in the film was a caricature.