Jan Decleir

Jan Decleir was born on February 14, 1946 in Niel, Flanders, Belgium as Jan Amanda Gustaaf Decleir.

He had his first big role in Fons Rademakers's Mira (1971). Since then, he has appeared in countless Flemish and Dutch films and TV productions.

Both his siblings - sister Reinhilde Decleir and brother Dirk Decleir (died in 1974) have been involved in acting, too.

To the larger audiences of television he became known through his role of Sil de strandjutter in 1976 in the equally named TV series.

Decleir is also Belgium's national performer of Sinterklaas ( Saint Nicholas, patron saint of children) since 1993.

He played in two movies which won the Academy Award for Foreign Language Film: Antonia's Line (1995) and Karakter (1997) and in one film which was nominated in the same category: Daens (1992).

He is an actor, known for Karakter (1997), The Memory of a Killer (2003) and Daens (1992).

Turned down roles in Eyes Wide Shut (1999) and The World Is Not Enough (1999).

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 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.".

In 2008 he was awarded with the best actor prize at the Tiburon International Film Festival for his role in Man zkt vrouw (A Perfect Match).

In 2013 he also received the Flemish Culture Prize for General Cultural Merit.