Benoît Poelvoorde

Born: 1964-09-22 in Namur, Belgium

Known For: Acting

Biography

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

2026

Fausse note as Alexandre Miller

2025

How to Make a Killing as Major Roland Bodin
Lucky Star as Jean Chevalin /Jacob
I Love Peru as Self
Super Plan as Self - Guest

2024

Savages as Father (voice)
Beating Hearts as La Brosse
The Art of Being Happy as Yves Machond

2023

Beau geste as Self
Normal as William
A Wonderful Girl as Paul
Ce soir, c'est Palmashow as Self - Guest
Represent as Éric Andréï

2022

Adieu Paris as Benoît
Inexorable as Marcel Bellmer
The Colors of Fire as Gustave Joubert
The Green Shutters as Félix
Mad in Belgium
Smoking Causes Coughing as Lézardin

2021

Do You Do You Saint-Tropez as Claude Tranchant
My Father's Stories as André Choulans
The Summer Holidays as Steven (voice)

2020

How I Became a Superhero as Monté Carlo
Adoration as Hinkel
Delete History as Le livreur Alimazone

2019

Raoul Taburin as Raoul Taburin
Father & Sons as Joseph
White as Snow as Charles
Venice Calling as Bernard Chamodot
Ce soir, c'est Palmashow as Self - Guest
Panique au village : La Foire agricole as Steven (voice)

2018

Keep an Eye Out as Commissioner Buron
Sink or Swim as Marcus
Bonsoir ! as Self - Guest

2017

An Indian Tale as Pierre
Panique tous courts as Steven (voice)

2016

Quotidien as Self - Guest
Saint Amour as Bruno
A Town Called Panic: Back to School Panic! as Steven (voice)
The Jews as Boris
Les Shadoks et la maladie mystérieuse as (voice)
A Town Called Panic: Double Fun as Steven (voice) (archive footage)

2015

Family for Rent as Paul-André
The Brand New Testament as God
The Price of Fame as Eddy

2014

3 Hearts as Marc Beaulieu
Zebra Stripes as José

2013

The Big Bad Wolf as Philippe
A Place On Earth as Antoine Dumas
Tied as Le banquier
A Town Called Panic: Christmas Panic! as Steven (voice)

2012

The Big Night as Benoît Bonzini, alias NOT
Twice Upon a Time as Jean Esnart

2011

My Worst Nightmare as Patrick Demeuleu

2010

Mammuth as Le récupérateur de métal
Nothing to Declare as Ruben Vandevoorde
Kill Me Please as M. Demanet
The Other Dumas as Auguste Maquet
Romantics Anonymous as Jean-René Van Den Hugde
En chantier, monsieur Tanner ! as Jean-César Astor

2009

C à vous as Self - Guest
Coco Before Chanel as Étienne Balsan
Beauties at War as Franck Chevrel
Park Benches as Customer at the hook
A Town Called Panic as Steven (voice)

2008

Asterix at the Olympic Games as Brutus
Louise-Michel as Guy l'ingénieur
Hikers in Saint-Tropez as Éric Jacquemart

2007

Cowboy as Daniel Piron
Two Worlds as Rémy Bassano

2006

Charlie Says as Joss
Jean-Philippe as Bernard Frédéric, double of Claude François
One Fine Day as François Berthier

2005

Akoibon as Jean-Mi
In His Hands as Laurent Kessler

2004

Aaltra as L'amateur de moto-cross
Podium as Bernard Frédéric
Narco as Lenny Barr
The Return of James Battle as Allan Chiasse

2003

Le Pied as Le pied (voice)
Laughter and Punishment as Le prof de secourisme
Mr. Manatane's notebooks as Mr. Manatane

2002

Dead Weight as Francis Reggio
A Day in the Life of French Cinema as Self
The Political Life of the Belgians as self
A Town Called Panic as Steven (voice)

2001

Ghislain Lambert's Bicycle as Ghislain Lambert
Doors of Glory as Regis Demanet

1999

The Carriers Are Waiting as Roger

1998

Vivement dimanche as Self

1997

Hikers as Éric Jacquemart
Le Signaleur as L'organisateur
Just for Laughs as L'innocent
Mr. Manatane's Notebooks as Monsieur Manatane

1996

L'Année des Guignols - Les Voleurs de patates as (voice)
L'Année des Guignols - Du cul, du cul, du cul ! as Multiples voix
Jamais au grand jamais ! as Monsieur Manatane

1995

Modèle déposé as René Altrus