“I was already old at 16”: Benoît Poelvoorde talks about his youth and his beginnings in cinema

Interview A childhood with the Jesuits impacted by the loss of his father, art studies thanks to the advice of his mother who recommended that he have fun "before having to work", his friendships which transformed into collaborations up to the phenomenon "It happened near your home"... The funny Belgian zebra of French cinema told us about his beginnings.

Interview by Nicolas Schaller

Published on August 3, 2025 at 8:30 a.m.

Benoît Poelvoorde, May 26, 2025, in Paris. MARGAUX SENLIS FOR LE NOUVEL OBS

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Benoît Poelvoorde is not a little proud: he has finished writing a play about death, "Tu aimes tant la vie!", for a young actress and himself. Finally, a personal work that will allow him to return to the stage thirty years after his one-man show, "Modèle dépôt" (Registered Model). He was then just a phenomenon: the actor playing the stupid, racist, and misogynistic serial killer in "C'est arrivé près de chez vous," a satire of reality TV, a scandalous and instantly cult film, co-directed and self-financed with his colleagues Rémy Belvaux and André Bonzel.

Since then, our favorite Belgian has become an irreplaceable jewel of French-speaking heritage. Acting seems futile to this born actor. And telling his story is unpleasant for him, even though he does it better than anyone. "I should have refused this interview ," he tells us with his hoppy good nature that invites dialogue . "Giving a story about oneself is dishonest. I think we reconfigure our memory, we format our memories according to what we are dev…