Jan Decleir


Jan Decleir is a prolific Belgian movie and stage actor born in Niel, Antwerp.

Career

He had his first big role in Fons Rademakers's Mira. Since then, he has appeared in countless Flemish and Dutch films and TV productions. In the world of theater he gained his fame by acting at the International New Scene for the play Mistero Buffo by Dario Fo.
To the larger audiences of television he became known through his role of Sil de strandjutter in 1976 in the equally named TV series. He starred in Academy Award winning movies including Karakter by Mike van Diem and Antonia and the Oscar-nominated social drama Daens. More recently he turned down roles in Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut and the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough. Decleir was also Belgium's national performer of Sinterklaas from 1993 until 2019.
In 2003 he had the starring role in the critically acclaimed thriller The Memory of a Killer of which the leading American critic Roger Ebert wrote in his review: "Jan Decleir never goes for the easy effect, never pushes too hard, is a rock-solid occupant of his character. Everything he has to say is embodied, not expressed. Talks are under way for a Hollywood remake, but this performance will not be easily equaled. Gene Hackman, maybe. Morgan Freeman. Robert Mitchum, if he were alive. Decleir is the real thing."
For several years he also lead the Studio Herman Teirnlick where he brought in many new teachers: actors from various theater companies.

Personal life

Jan Decleir has been married to Brechtje Louwaard since April 1, 2006. He was previously married to Caroline van Gastel with whom he has 3 children. Both his siblings - sister Reinhilde Decleir and brother Dirk Decleir have been involved in acting, too.

Awards

Over the lifespan of his career Jan Decleir has received several prices for his acting. He was awarded with the Best Actor Award for his role in Off Screen at the Montreal World Film Festival. In 2003 he received Golden Calf Culture Prize and in 2007 a Golden Calf for Best Supporting Actor for the movie Wolfsbergen at the Netherlands Film Festival.
In 2008 he was awarded with the best actor prize at the Tiburon International Film Festival for his role in Man zkt vrouw .
For his role in The Barons, he received the Magritte Award for Best Supporting Actor.
In 2013 he also received the Flemish Culture Prize for General Cultural Merit.

Filmography

He is also known from Flemish TV series such as: