Olivier Gourmet Belgian Walloon actor, winner of the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival in 2002. Date of Birth: 22.07.1963 Country: Belgium

1. Early Life and Education
2. Theater Career
3. Film Debut and Breakthrough
4. International Acclaim
5. Historical Dramas and Other Notable Roles
6. Personal Life
7. Present Day

Early Life and Education

Olivier Gourmet was born on July 22, 1963, in Namur, Belgium. He grew up in the countryside of Mirwart with his younger brother. His father was a cattle trader, and his mother was a chef and manager of their family-owned hotel, Hotel du Beau-Site.

At the age of 13, Olivier was sent to boarding school, where he became withdrawn. Theater became his solace. He made his stage debut as a stand-in for a sick classmate and managed to make the audience laugh with a single line. His teachers later remarked that he seemed more suited to a circus than a theater.

Despite his love for soccer and sports writing, Olivier ultimately chose to pursue acting. He enrolled at the Royal Conservatory of Liège, where he initially struggled but eventually earned the first prize for excellence.

Theater Career

After graduating from the Liège Conservatory, Olivier studied at the Cours Florent in Paris. When his teacher Patrice Chéreau left, he returned to Belgium and joined local theater companies. He starred in numerous productions, including "The Marriage of Figaro."

Film Debut and Breakthrough

Olivier's film debut came in 1990 with the short film "Le festin de l'hostellerie." He made appearances in the TV series "Maigret" and the comedy "Le huitième jour" before achieving breakthrough success with his leading role in the 1996 drama "La promesse."

Directed by his longtime friend Jean-Pierre Dardenne and his brother Luc, "La promesse" follows Igor (Jérémie Renier), a teenager who helps his father Roger (Olivier Gourmet) smuggle illegal immigrants. When an accident occurs, Igor faces a moral dilemma.

International Acclaim

With his performance in "La promesse," Olivier gained international recognition. He continued to collaborate with the Dardenne brothers, most notably in "Le fils" (2002), for which he won the Best Actor award at the Cannes Film Festival.

Over the years, Olivier has starred in films in both Belgium and other European countries. He has worked with Isabelle Huppert in "Time of the Wolf," Mia Wasikowska in "Madame Bovary," and Omar Sy in "Chocolat."

Historical Dramas and Other Notable Roles

Olivier has often been drawn to historical dramas based on real events. He played the lead role in the thriller "The Killers," which explores the unsolved mass murders in rural Belgium in the mid-1980s.

He also appeared in the historical drama "Cyrano, My Love," which depicts the creation of the play "Cyrano de Bergerac." Olivier portrayed actor Benoît-Constant Coquelin, whose performance in the play was a career highlight.

Personal Life

Since the age of 19, Olivier has been in a relationship with Catherine Gourmet. They have two children, Louis and Juliette, who work in computer graphics and scenography, respectively.

After Olivier's mother suffered a stroke, he and his family moved back to Mirwart to take over the management of their hotel, Hotel du Beau-Site. Catherine gave up her advertising career to help with the business.

Present Day

Olivier continues to balance his acting career with his involvement in the family hotel. He enjoys both worlds, as acting provides him with opportunities to travel and explore, while the hotel offers a sense of stability. Olivier plans to eventually pass on the hotel to his younger brother.