Editing Jan Decleir

{{Short description|Belgian actor}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Jan Decleir
| image         =Jandecleir677.jpg
| imagesize     =
| caption       = Jan Decleir in 2003
| birth_name     = Jan Amanda Gustaaf Decleir
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1946|2|14}}
| birth_place      = [[Niel, Belgium|Niel]], [[Belgium]]
| death_date     =
| death_place    =
| height        =
| other_names     =
| website      =
| notable_works  = "Priest Daens" in ''[[Daens (film)|Daens]]'';<br>"Dreverhaven" in ''[[Character (1997 film)|Character]]'';<br>"Angelo Ledda" in ''[[The Memory of a Killer]]''
| awards = '''[[Golden Calf award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]]'''<br>2007 ''[[Nanouk Leopold#Plot Wolfsbergen|Wolfsbergen]]''<br>'''[[Golden Calf Culture Prize|Culture Prize]]'''<br>2003 Lifetime Achievement<br>'''Grolsch Film Award'''<br>1997 ''[[Character (1997 film)|Character]]''
| spouse        =
}}

'''Jan Decleir''' (born as ''Jan Amanda Gustaaf Decleir'' on 14 February 1946) is a prolific [[Belgian people|Belgian]] [[movie]] and stage [[actor]] born in [[Niel, Belgium|Niel]], [[Antwerp]].<ref name="Belgique1999">{{citation|author=Cinémathèque royale de Belgique|title=Belgian Cinema|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IPULAQAAMAAJ|year=1999|publisher=Royal Belgian Film Archive|isbn=978-90-5544-234-8}}</ref><ref name="Deleu1998">{{citation|author=Jozef Deleu|title=The Low Countries: Arts and Society in Flanders and the Netherlands : a Yearbook, 1998-99|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_vQfUQxCjtMC|year=1998|publisher=Stichting Ons Erfdeel|isbn=978-90-75862-28-7}}</ref>

==Career==
He had his first big role in [[Fons Rademakers]]'s ''[[Mira (1971 film)|Mira]]'' (1971). 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 Awards|Academy Award]] winning movies including ''[[Character (1997 film)|Karakter]]'' by Mike van Diem and ''[[Antonia's Line|Antonia]]'' and the Oscar-nominated social drama ''[[Daens (film)|Daens]]''. More recently he turned down roles in [[Stanley Kubrick]]'s ''[[Eyes Wide Shut]]'' (due to commitments to other projects) and the James Bond film ''[[The World Is Not Enough]]''. Decleir was also Belgium's national performer of [[Sinterklaas]] from 1993 until 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 September 2023 |title=Filmografie Jan Decleir |url=https://www.cinenews.be/nl/actoren/203/jan-decleir/filmografie/ |website=CineNews |language=nl}}</ref>

In 2003 he had the starring role in the critically acclaimed thriller ''[[The Memory of a Killer]]'' (The Alzheimer Case) 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 underway 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."<ref>{{Cite web |date=8 September 2005 |title="The Memory of a Killer" Review |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-memory-of-a-killer-2005 |website=rogerebert.com |language=}}</ref>''

For several years he also led the Studio Herman Teirnlick where he brought in many new teachers: actors from various theater companies (e.g., de Blauwe Maandag Compagnie, STAN, etc.). {{citation needed|date=January 2021}}

==Personal life==
Jan Decleir has been married to Brechtje Louwaard since 1 April 2006. He was previously married to Caroline van Gastel with whom he has 3 children (Sofie, Jenne and Flor). Both his siblings – sister [[Reinhilde Decleir]] (died in 2022) and brother Dirk Decleir (died in 1974) involved in acting, too.<ref>{{Cite web |date=10 May 2022 |title=Jan Decleir reageert voor het eerst op overlijden van Reinhilde: “We hebben onze jongste zus zo verwend” |url=https://www.hln.be/bv/jan-decleir-reageert-voor-het-eerst-op-overlijden-van-reinhilde-we-hebben-onze-jongste-zus-zo-verwend~a6b3c938/ |website=[[Het Laatste Nieuws]] |language=nl}}</ref>

==Honors and awards==
Over the lifespan of his career, Jan Decleir has received several prizes for his acting. He was awarded the Best Actor Award for his role in ''Off Screen'' (directed by Pieter Kuijpers) at the [[Montreal World Film Festival]]. In 2003 he received [[Golden Calf Culture Prize]] (Dutch: ''Gouden Kalf'') and in 2007 a [[Golden Calf for Best Supporting Actor]] for the movie ''[[Wolfsbergen]]'' at the [[Netherlands Film Festival]].
In 2008 he was awarded the best actor prize at the Tiburon International Film Festival for his role in ''[[Man zkt vrouw|Man zkt vrouw (A Perfect Match)]]''. 
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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=24 March 2008 |title=Jan Decleir beste acteur in Tiburon |url=https://www.vaf.be/nieuws/jan-decleir-beste-acteur-in-tiburon |website=vaf.be |language=nl}}</ref>

=== Overview ===
[[File:Jan Decleir 01.jpg|thumb|Jan Decleir in 2009]]
* [[Shanghai International Film Festival]] - Golden Goblet: 1993 (''[[Daens (film)|Daens]]'')
* [[Netherlands Film Festival|Nederlands Film Festival]]
** Grolsch Film Award: 1997 (''[[Character (film)|Karakter]]'')
** Best Actor nomination: 1997 (''Karakter'')
** Dutch Culture Award: 2003
** Best Supporting Actor: 2007 (''Wolfsbergen'')
** Best Supporting Actor nomination: 2015 (''[[The Surprise (film)|The Surprise]]'')
* [[Festival du Film de Paris|Paris Film Festival]] - Best Actor: 1998 (''Karakter'')
* [[Palić European Film Festival|European Film Festival]] 
** Actor of the Year nomination: 1993 (''Daens'')
** Best European Actor nomination: 2003 (''Hop'')
* [[Joseph Plateau Award]] - Best Belgian Actor: 1993 (''Daens''), 1998 (''Karakter''), 2004 (''[[The Alzheimer Case]]'')
* [[Montreal World Film Festival|Montréal World Film Festival]] - Best Actor: 2005 (''[[Off Screen]]'')
* [[:nl:Prijs van verdienste (film)|Gulden Mira (nl)]] Career Prize: 2005
* Tiburon International Film Festival - Best Actor: 2008 (''[[A Perfect Match (film)|A Perfect Match]]'')
* [[Magritte Awards]] - [[Magritte Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]]: 2010 (''[[The Barons]]'')
* Golden Film Award: 2011 (''[[Nova Zembla (film)|Nova Zembla]]'')
* [[Film by the Sea]] - Grand Acting Award: 2013
* [[Ostend Film Festival]] - Best Actor nomination: 2019 (''Niet Schieten'')<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 September 2023 |title=Jan Decleir awards |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0213912/awards/ |website=IMDb |language=}}</ref>
The movie ''Karakter'' in which Decleir played the leading role, won the [[Academy Award for Best International Feature Film|Academy Award for best international feature film]] in [[70th Academy Awards|1997]]. Prior, ''Daens'' was nominated for this Oscar in [[65th Academy Awards|1992]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=27 October 2020 |title=Karakter - Een calvinistisch verhaal op katholieke wijze verbeeld |trans-title=Character - A Calvinist story depicted in a Catholic way |url=https://filmkrant.nl/recensies/karakter/ |website=filmkrant.nl/ |language=nl}}</ref>

==Filmography==
Decleir appeared in more than a hundred Belgian, Dutch, French and German movies.<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 September 2023 |title=Jan Decleir |url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0213912/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 |website=[[IMDb]] |language=}}</ref>
[[File:Jan Decleir - ALL FOR LOVE - Blauwe Maandag Compagnie - 1993.jpg|thumb|Decleir in "All For Love" (1993)]]
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* ''Heeft Geleden onder Pontius Pilatus'' (1966)
* ''Geboorte en Dood van Dirk Vandersteen jr.'' (1968)
* ''Het Huis met de Maskers'' (1968)
* ''De Meeuw'' (1968)
* ''Klucht van de Brave Moordenaar'' (1969)
* ''Koning Lear'' (1969)
* ''Het Helleschip'' (1969)
* ''Zeven Miljoen Molekulen'' (1970)
* ''De Familie Tot'' (1971)
* ''[[Mira (1971 film)|Mira]], aka Mira of de Teleurgang van de Waterhoek'' (1971)
* ''August, August, August'' (1971)
* ''Rolande met de Bles'' (1972)
* ''[[The Conscript]]'' (1973)
* ''De Vrek'' (1974)
* ''Verloren Maandag'' (1974)
* ''Way Out'' (1974)
* ''Verbrande Brug'' (1975)
* ''Pallieter'' (1976)
* ''De Man in de Rok en de Man zonder'' (1976)
* ''Niet Alle Dieven Komen Ongelegen'' (1976)
* ''Als Schilders Konden Spreken'' (1976)
* ''[[One Page of Love|Une Page d'Amour]]'' (1978)
* ''Doodzonde'' (1978)
* ''De Proefkonijnen'' (1979)
* ''Grueten Broos'' (1979)
* ''[[Le Grand Paysage d'Alexis Droeven]]'' (1981)
* ''Twee Vorstinnen en een Vorst'' (1981)
* ''Tijd om Gelukkig te Zijn'' (1982)
* ''Het Verleden'' (1982)
* ''[[Toute une nuit]]'' (1982)
* ''Maria Danneels (of het Leven dat We Droomden)'' (1982)
* ''Zware Jongens'' (1984)
* ''De Loteling'' (1984)
* ''[[John the Fearless (film)|John The Fearless]]'' (1984)
* ''[[De Leeuw van Vlaanderen (film)|De Leeuw van Vlaanderen]]'' (1985)
* ''[[Het gezin van Paemel|The van Paemel Family]]'' (1986)
* ''De Tijger'' (1988)
* ''Het Eerste Mirakel van Kindeke Jesus'' (1988)
* ''[[Het Sacrament]]'' (1990)
* ''[[Koko Flanel]]'' (1990)
* ''Dilemma'' (1990)
* ''[[Anchoress (film)|Anchoress]]'' (1993)
* ''[[Daens (film)|Daens]]'' (1993)
* ''[[Beck – De gesloten kamer]]'' (1993)
* ''[[Antonia's Line]]'' (1995)
* ''[[Camping Cosmos]]'' (1996)
* ''[[Character (film)|Character]]'' (1997)
* ''S.'' (1998)
* ''Taming the Floods'' (1999)
* ''Retour Den Haag'' (1999)
* ''[[Molokai: The Story of Father Damien]]'' (aka ''Molokai: The Forbidden Island'') (1999)
* ''[[Shades (film)|Shades]]'' (1999)
* ''[[Kruimeltje]]'' (1999)
* ''[[Running Free (film)|Running Free]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Lijmen/Het Been]]'' (2000)
* ''[[Mariken (2000 film)|Mariken]]'' (2000)
* ''[[De Omweg]]'' (2000)
* ''De Verlossing'' ( aka The Other Life) (2001)
* ''[[Villa des Roses]]'' (2002)
* ''Hop'' (2002)
* ''Brush with Fate'' (2003)
* ''[[Rosenstrasse (film)|Rosenstraße]]'' (2003)
* ''[[SuperTex]]'' (= Supertex – Eine Stunde im Paradies) (2003)
* ''Till Eusterspiegel'' (=Jester Till) (2003)
* ''Vlucht der verbeelding'' (2003)
* ''[[De Zaak Alzheimer]]''  (2003)
* ''L'Autre'' (=The Missing) (2003)
* ''[[Father's Affair|De Passievrucht]]'' (=Father's Affair) (2003)
* ''[[Edelweiss Pirates (film)|Edelweißpiraten]]'' (2004)
* ''[[The Kiss (2004 film)|De Kus]]'' (=The Kiss) (2004)
* ''[[Off Screen]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Een Ander Zijn Geluk]]'' (2005)
* ''Verlengd Weekend'' (2005)
* ''[[Het Paard van Sinterklaas]]'' (2005)
* ''[[Crusade in Jeans (film)|Crusade in Jeans]]'' (2006)
* ''[[Wolfsbergen]]'' (2007) – see [[Nanouk Leopold]]
*''[[Firmin]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Man zkt vrouw|Man Zkt Vrouw (A Perfect Match)]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Blind (2007 film)|Blind]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Where Is Winky's Horse?|Waar is het Paard van Sinterklaas]]'' (2007)
* ''[[Loft (2008 film)|Loft]]'' (2008)
* ''[[The Barons]]'' (2009)
* ''[[Sister Smile (film)|Sœur Sourire]]'' (2009)
* ''Ob Ihr Wollt oder Nicht!'' (2009)
* ''Marieke, Marieke'' (2010)
* ''Smoorverliefd'' (2010)
* ''De schaduw van Bonifatius'' (2010)
* ''[[Nova Zembla (film)|Nova Zembla]]'' (2011)
* ''The Spring of César'' (2011)
* ''De Sint Danst de Tango'' (2011)
* ''Finn'' (2013)
*[[Flying Home (film)|''Flying Home'']] (2014)
* ''[[The Surprise (film)|The Surprise]]'' (2015)
* ''[[Café Derby]]'' (2015)
* ''[[Me and Kaminski (film)|Ich und Kaminski]]'' (2015)
* ''Ay Ramon!'' (2015)
* ''Wat Mannen Willen'' (2015)
* ''Szvo'' (2015)
* ''[[Blind Spot (2017 film)|Blind Spot]]'' (2017)
* ''[[This Magnificent Cake!]]'' (2018)
* ''Niet Schieten'' (2018)
* ''Sinterklaas en de Wakkere Nachten'' (2018)
* ''Een Verkeerde Toekomst'' (2019)
* ''[[The Claus Family]]'' (2020)
* ''The Claus Family 2'' (2021)
* ''The Claus Family 3'' (2022)
{{div col end}}

He is also known from Flemish and Dutch TV series such as:
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* ''Keromar'' (1971)
* ''Sil de Strandjutter''  (1976)
* ''Adriaen Brouwer'' (1986)
* ''Klein Londen, Klein Berlijn'' (1988)
* ''Moeder, Waarom Leven Wij?'' (1993)
* ''Dag Sinterklaas'' (1993)
* ''Ons Geluk'' (1995)
* ''[[Gaston Berghmans]] Show'' (1995)
* ''Kulderzipken'' (1996)
* ''Diamant'' (1997)
* ''Karakter'' (1997)
* ''Retour Den Haag'' (1999)
* ''De Grote Boze Wolf Show'' (2000)
* ''Stille Waters'' (2001)
* ''De 9 Dagen van de Gier'' (2001)
* ''Meiden van De Wit'' (2002)
* ''W817'' (2003)
* ''Sprookjes'' (2004-08)
* ''Koning van de Wereld'' (2005)
* ''Als 't Maar Beweegt'' (2005)
* ''De Kavijaks'' (2005)
* ''Stellenbosch'' (2007)
* ''Sinteressante Dingen'' (2009)
* ''Met Man en Macht'' (2013)
* ''Nieuw Texas'' (2015)
* ''Den Elfde van den Elfde'' (2016)
* ''Tytgat Chocolat'' (2017)
* ''De Bever & Co'' (2019)
{{div col end}}

==Theatre==
[[File:Jan Decleir.jpg|thumb|Decleir as "Risjaar modderfokker den Derde" (Richard III) in 1997]]
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* ''Het Goudland'' (1966-67)
* ''De Meeuw'' (1968)
* ''Koning Lear'' (1968-69)
* ''Koning Jan'' (1969-70)
* ''De Familie Tót'' (1969-70)
* ''August, August, August'' (1970-71)
* ''Een Blijde Gebeurtenis'' (1970-71)
* ''Mijnheer Puntila en Zijn Knecht Matti'' (1971-72)
* ''De Parochie van Miserie'' (1972)
* ''Mistero Buffo'' (1972-73)
* ''Ballade voor Grote en Kleine Poppen'' (1974-75)
* ''Mezcal'' (1982-83)
* ''Obscene Fabels'' (1984–85)
* ''Het Offer is te Kort'' (1985-86)
* ''Wolfsklem'' (1986-87)
* ''DE TIJGER'' (1986-87)
* ''Gilles!'' (1987-88)
* ''De Meeuw'' (1988-89)
* ''Mijn Zoetje Junior'' (1989-90)
* ''Dodendans'' (1989-90)
* ''Repetitie I'' (1991-92)
* ''All for Love'' (1992-93)
* ''Vrijen met Dieren'' (1994-95)
* ''Meneer Paul'' (1995-96)
* ''Edwaar The King'' (1997-98)
* ''Richaar Deuzième'' (1997-98)
* ''Risjaar Modderfokker den Derde'' (1997-98)
* ''Margaretha di Napoli'' (1997-98)
* ''En Verlos Ins van het Kwade'' (1999)
* ''Lulu'' (2000-01)
* ''Bloedarm'' (2002-03)
* ''Onder het Melkwoud'' (2009-10)
* ''Lucifer'' (2010-11)
* ''Bloedarm'' (2002)
* ''Onvoltooid Verleden'' (2012)<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 December 2022 |title=Onvoltooid verleden - Toneelhuis & Olympique Dramatique |url=https://www.digitalevoorstellingen.be/voorstelling/onvoltooid-verleden/ |website=digitalevoorstellingen.be |language=nl}}</ref>
* ''Risjaar Drei'' (2016-17)<ref>{{Cite web |date=13 September 2023 |title=Risjaar Drei - Olympique Dramatique / Toneelhuis |url=https://www.theaterfestival.be/voorstellingen/risjaar-drei/ |website=theaterfestival.be |language=nl}}</ref>
*''MARX'' (2018)
*''Landru'' (2020-21)<ref>{{Cite web |date=14 September 2023 |title=Landru {{!}} Het Banket |url=https://hetbanket.be/producties/Landru.html |website=Het Banket |language=nl}}</ref>
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==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline}}
*{{IMDb name|id=0213912|name=Jan Decleir}}
*[https://www.cinenews.be/nl/actoren/203/jan-decleir/filmografie/ Jan Decleir on Cinenews]

{{Golden Goblet Award for Best Actor}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Decleir, Jan}}
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:Flemish male television actors]]
[[Category:20th-century Flemish male actors]]
[[Category:Golden Calf winners]]
[[Category:Flemish male film actors]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Magritte Award winners]]
[[Category:21st-century Flemish male actors]]
[[Category:Sinterklaas]]