Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1977-12-08
- Born Place: Antwerp, Belgium
Also Known As:
Матіас Шонартс, Маттиас Шонартс, 馬提亞斯・修奈爾, ماتیاس اسخونارتس, 馬提亞斯修奈爾
Matthias Schoenaerts
Matthias Schoenaerts is a highly regarded Belgian actor, born on December 8, 1977, in Antwerp, Belgium. The son of renowned actor Julien Schoenaerts, often dubbed "the Marlon Brando of Flanders," Matthias inherited a natural talent for performance. He made his film debut at the tender age of 13 in the Oscar-nominated Belgian film "Daens" (1992), though he initially showed resistance to following in his father's footsteps, even exploring interests in professional soccer and graffiti art (under the pseudonym "Zenith").Schoenaerts' breakthrough came with powerful and often physically transformative roles in European cinema. He gained significant recognition for his portrayal of Jacky Vanmarsenille in the Academy Award-nominated "Bullhead" (2011), for which he underwent a dramatic physical change. His international stardom was cemented with his compelling performance alongside Marion Cotillard in Jacques Audiard's "Rust and Bone" (2012), earning him a César Award for Most Promising Actor.Known for his intense and brooding portrayals, as well as his ability to convey deep emotion through physicality rather than extensive dialogue, Schoenaerts has become a sought-after actor in Hollywood and independent cinema. His notable filmography includes "The Drop" (2014), "Far from the Madding Crowd" (2015), "The Danish Girl" (2015), "Red Sparrow" (2018), and "The Mustang" (2019), where he received critical acclaim for his role as an inmate training wild horses. He is also recognized globally for his role as Booker (Sebastien Le Livre) in the Netflix action-fantasy film "The Old Guard" (2020) and is slated to reprise this role in the upcoming sequel "The Old Guard 2" (2025). Schoenaerts' ability to seamlessly transition between languages (Dutch, French, and English) and genres has made him a versatile and compelling presence on screen.
