Matthias Schoenaerts

Biography

Matthias Schoenaerts was born in Antwerp, Belgium, to actor Julien Schoenaerts and costume designer Dominique Wiche. Raised in a bilingual environment, he spent his formative years between his mother's home in Antwerp and his maternal grandparents in Brussels. His early exposure to the arts came through his family; he performed alongside his father in a stage production of The Little Prince at the age of nine. Beyond acting, Schoenaerts developed a passion for graffiti art under the pseudonym "Zenith," collaborating with the renowned Bronx group TATS CRU during his teenage years.

Acting Career

Schoenaerts made his film debut at 13 in the Oscar-nominated Daens (1992). After graduating from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, he appeared in several European films, gaining recognition for roles in Loft (2008) and Bullhead (2011), the latter earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

His international breakthrough came with Rust and Bone (2012), where he starred opposite Marion Cotillard. The film's success led to roles in The Drop (2014), Far from the Madding Crowd (2015), The Danish Girl (2015), and Red Sparrow (2018). In The Mustang (2019), he portrayed an inmate participating in a rehabilitation program involving wild horses, a performance that received critical acclaim.

Other Ventures

Beyond acting, Schoenaerts has explored various creative avenues. He produced and starred in the short film A Message from Outer Space (2004). In 2015, he became the co-owner of Hakuna Casting, a Belgian casting agency focusing on diversity. Additionally, he was the face of Louis Vuitton's Menswear Spring/Summer 2014 campaign.

Awards and Recognition

Schoenaerts has received numerous accolades for his work. He won the César Award for Most Promising Actor for Rust and Bone (2012) and the Magritte Award for Best Actor for Bullhead (2011). In 2015, France honored him as a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters.