Benoît Poelvoorde
Benoît Poelvoorde is a Belgian actor, comedian, and filmmaker, born on September 22, 1964, in Namur, Belgium. He first gained recognition with the cult film C'est arrivé près de chez vous (1992), a darkly comedic mockumentary where he played a serial killer with unsettling charm. This film launched his career and established his unique blend of humor and intensity. Throughout the late 1990s and 2000s, Poelvoorde became a staple of Franco-Belgian cinema, starring in comedies like Les Randonneurs (1997), Le Vélo de Ghislain Lambert (2001), and Podium (2004), where he portrayed an obsessive Claude François impersonator—a role that earned him a César nomination. His versatility allowed him to transition into more dramatic roles, such as Entre ses mains (2005) and Coco avant Chanel (2009), where he starred alongside Audrey Tautou. In recent years, Poelvoorde has continued to balance absurdist comedy (Au poste !, Fumer fait tousser) with auteur-driven projects (Le Tout Nouveau Testament, Saint-Amour). His ability to oscillate between slapstick humor and introspective performances makes him one of the most distinctive actors in European cinema
Filmography
5H48, Place des Martyrs
as Rudy Simonaud
5H48, Place des Martyrs
as Rudy Simonaud
Fausse note
as Alexandre Miller
Fausse note
as Alexandre Miller
Lucky Star
as Jean Chevalin /Jacob
Lucky Star
as Jean Chevalin /Jacob
I Love Peru
I Love Peru
How to Make a Killing
as Major Roland Bodin
How to Make a Killing
as Major Roland Bodin
The Art of Nothing
as Yves Machond
The Art of Nothing
as Yves Machond
Beating Hearts
as La Brosse
Beating Hearts
as La Brosse
Savages
as Father (voice)
Savages
as Father (voice)
A Wonderful Girl
as Paul
A Wonderful Girl
as Paul
Normal
as William
Normal
as William
Ce soir, c'est Palmashow
as Self - Guest
Ce soir, c'est Palmashow
as Self - Guest
Smoking Causes Coughing
as Lézardin
Smoking Causes Coughing
as Lézardin
The Colors of Fire
as Gustave Joubert
The Colors of Fire
as Gustave Joubert
Mad in Belgium
Mad in Belgium
Adieu Paris
as Benoît
Adieu Paris
as Benoît
Inexorable
as Marcel Bellmer
Inexorable
as Marcel Bellmer
My Father's Stories
as André Choulans
My Father's Stories
as André Choulans
A Town Called Panic: The Summer Holidays
as Steven (voice)
A Town Called Panic: The Summer Holidays
as Steven (voice)
Do You Do You Saint-Tropez
as Claude Tranchant
Do You Do You Saint-Tropez
as Claude Tranchant
How I Became a Superhero
as Monté Carlo
How I Became a Superhero
as Monté Carlo
Delete History
as Le livreur Alimazone
Delete History
as Le livreur Alimazone
Adoration
as Hinkel
Adoration
as Hinkel
Panique au village : La Foire agricole
as Steven (voice)
Panique au village : La Foire agricole
as Steven (voice)
Venice Calling
as Bernard Chamodot
Venice Calling
as Bernard Chamodot
White as Snow
as Charles
White as Snow
as Charles
Raoul Taburin
as Raoul Taburin
Raoul Taburin
as Raoul Taburin
Ce soir, c'est Palmashow
as Self - Guest
Ce soir, c'est Palmashow
as Self - Guest
Father & Sons
as Joseph
Father & Sons
as Joseph
Sink or Swim
as Marcus
Sink or Swim
as Marcus
An Indian Tale
as Pierre
An Indian Tale
as Pierre
A Town Called Panic: Double Fun
as Steven (voice) (archive footage)
A Town Called Panic: Double Fun
as Steven (voice) (archive footage)
The Jews
as Boris
The Jews
as Boris
Saint Amour
as Bruno
Saint Amour
as Bruno
A Town Called Panic: Back to School Panic!
as Steven (voice)
A Town Called Panic: Back to School Panic!
as Steven (voice)
Les Shadoks et la maladie mystérieuse
as (voice)
Les Shadoks et la maladie mystérieuse
as (voice)
The Brand New Testament
as God
The Brand New Testament
as God
Family for Rent
as Paul-André
Family for Rent
as Paul-André
The Price of Fame
as Eddy
The Price of Fame
as Eddy
3 Hearts
as Marc Beaulieu
3 Hearts
as Marc Beaulieu
Zebra Stripes
as José
Zebra Stripes
as José
A Town Called Panic: Christmas Panic!
as Steven (voice)
A Town Called Panic: Christmas Panic!
as Steven (voice)
A Place on Earth
as Antoine Dumas
A Place on Earth
as Antoine Dumas
Tied
as Le banquier
Tied
as Le banquier
Twice Upon a Time
as Jean Esnart
Twice Upon a Time
as Jean Esnart
The Big Night
as Benoît Bonzini, alias NOT
The Big Night
as Benoît Bonzini, alias NOT
My Worst Nightmare
as Patrick Demeuleu
My Worst Nightmare
as Patrick Demeuleu
Nothing to Declare
as Ruben Vandevoorde
Nothing to Declare
as Ruben Vandevoorde
Mammuth
as Le récupérateur de métal
Mammuth
as Le récupérateur de métal
En chantier, monsieur Tanner !
as Jean-César Astor
En chantier, monsieur Tanner !
as Jean-César Astor
The Other Dumas
as Auguste Maquet
The Other Dumas
as Auguste Maquet
Coco Before Chanel
as Étienne Balsan
Coco Before Chanel
as Étienne Balsan
Louise-Michel
as Guy l'ingénieur
Louise-Michel
as Guy l'ingénieur
Asterix at the Olympic Games
as Brutus
Asterix at the Olympic Games
as Brutus
Two Worlds
as Rémy Bassano
Two Worlds
as Rémy Bassano
One Fine Day
as François Berthier
One Fine Day
as François Berthier
Narco
as Lenny Barr
Narco
as Lenny Barr
Mr. Manatane's notebooks
as Mr. Manatane
Mr. Manatane's notebooks
as Mr. Manatane
Dead Weight
as Francis Reggio
Dead Weight
as Francis Reggio
Ghislain Lambert's Bicycle
as Ghislain Lambert
Ghislain Lambert's Bicycle
as Ghislain Lambert
Doors of Glory
as Regis Demanet
Doors of Glory
as Regis Demanet
L'Année des Guignols - Du cul, du cul, du cul !
as Multiples voix
L'Année des Guignols - Du cul, du cul, du cul !
as Multiples voix
Mama's Lover
Mama's Lover