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Matthias Schoenaerts Molded by Parents Despite Own Doubts

Matthias Schoenaerts, the acclaimed Belgian actor, has carved out an impressive career in film despite facing self-doubt early on. Born in 1977, he…

Aayushree Chaulagain

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Matthias Schoenaerts, the acclaimed Belgian actor, has carved out an impressive career in film despite facing self-doubt early on. Born in 1977, he made a remarkable debut at just 12 years old in the Oscar-nominated movie Daens. 

However, his path to success was shaped by his parents’ unwavering support and guidance. Despite his uncertainties, his parents recognized his talent and encouraged him to follow his path. 

This article delves into his parents’ pivotal role in molding him into the acclaimed performer he is today, overcoming personal doubts through their belief in his abilities.

Who are Matthias Schoenaerts’ parents?

Schoenaerts’ father was Julien Schoenaerts (1925-2006), a renowned Flemish actor widely regarded as one of the greatest post-war actors in Flanders and the Netherlands. His impressive acting career spanned theatre, film, and television. 

Some of Julien’s notable theatre roles included Kaspar by Peter Handke, Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, and works by Sophocles and Plato.

His film/TV credits include Daens and De Leeuw van Vlaanderen. He struggled with bipolar disorder later in life.

Matthias Schoenaerts with his parents (Source: Instagram)

Similarly, Schoenaerts’ mother is Dominique Wiche (1953-2016), a costume designer, translator and French teacher. She hailed from the French-speaking Wallonia region of Belgium.

So Schoenaerts was born into a family with solid theatrical roots from his acclaimed actor father while also having exposure to the French language and culture from his mother’s side. 

Matthias Schoenarts appeared on stage with his father at the age of nine

Schoenaerts was born into a family with deep theatrical roots, so it’s no surprise he caught the acting bug early.

At just nine years old in 1987, he made his stage debut alongside his father Julien in a production of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s classic novella The Little Prince.

It was a family affair with Julien directing and Schoenaerts’ mother, Wiche, designing the costumes. This must have been an incredibly formative experience for young Schoenaerts, sharing the stage with his renowned actor father.

Though he downplays the role now, calling it essentially a “wallpaper part,” he went on to act with his father again just a few years later at age 12 in the 1992 film Daens

Matthias Schoenaerts refused to do what his parents did as a teenager

Despite his early exposure to acting by performing alongside his father at ages 9 and 12, Schoenaerts went through a rebellious phase in his youth where he wanted to forge his path away from his father’s legendary shadow.

He was terrified of never being able to live up to his father Julien’s towering talent and reputation, describing Julien as “a mix of Marlon Brando and Klaus Kinski” with an intense, volatile personality.

Their relationship became strained, with Schoenaerts recounting how they “fought like dogs” and even came to physical blows when he was around 13 years old.

Instead of acting, the teenage Schoenaerts immersed himself in the hip-hop culture – graffiti artistry under the tag “Zenith,” turntables, and breakdancing. 

He embraced this countercultural lifestyle as a rebellion against following his parents into the theatrical world he had come to resent as a youth.

Even today, Schoenaerts still practices artistic outlets like large mural paintings to find peace and calm himself, perhaps connecting to those graffiti roots.

Matthias Schoenaerts’ father’s influence on him

Schoenaerts admits there was a point as a reckless 21-year-old when his life was veering down a dangerous path — he had been expelled from school. He was involved in graffiti and vandalism with a questionable crowd of friends. 

However, a traumatic event involving his estranged father, Julien, proved to be the wake-up call that dramatically altered Schoenaerts’ trajectory. 

He received the devastating news that Julien had suffered a psychotic episode and lay comatose, with only 24 hours to live, according to doctors. Despite their strained relationship over the years, he was overwhelmed with emotion at his father’s bedside, regretting they may never reconcile their issues. 

Matthias Schoenaerts with his father (Source: )

Miraculously, Julien defied the odds and awoke after 72 hours, but in a vegetative state that medical experts warned may never improve. This started an eight-month journey where he and his mother became Julien’s tireless advocates and caregivers. 

Through sheer love, dedication, and stubbornness, they rehabilitated Julien, teaching him to speak, eat, and walk in what doctors called “a miracle.” For Schoenaerts, it was a transformative experience that compelled him to overhaul his lifestyle and find purpose.

Even today, he speaks reverently of his parents as the people he loved most, with whom he shared his life’s most important moments and beautiful memories. Their losses have made life excruciatingly difficult. 

But that brush with nearly losing his father too soon solidified Julien’s lasting impact. It motivated him to find the artistic path his parents had modeled while channeling their relentless determination and depth of love into his craft.

Father always encouraged him to choose his path

Despite coming from an acclaimed acting family, there was surprisingly little pressure on young Schoenaerts to follow those footsteps into the profession. 

His father, Julien, took an extremely open-minded approach, wanting his son to discover his natural talents and callings organically.  

As he reminisces, “My father was very free-spirited…He was like, ‘Let’s see where this kid ends up by nature. Let’s not try to navigate him into whatever we think might be good for him.’”

And for a long stretch, an acting career seemed an unlikely destination for Schoenaerts. He initially enrolled in film school but was expelled due to truancy and apathy, admitting, “I was lazy then.”

It wasn’t until age 21 that Schoenaerts was slowly drawn to the family business, enrolling in drama school around the same time he started booking minor acting roles on Belgian TV and films. 

Even then, his father didn’t push him toward that path. As he recognizes, “I ended up doing something I thought I never would” in terms of acting.

Despite being difficult, Matthias still finds comfort in memories

Despite the often difficult circumstances of his childhood, Schoenaerts still finds profound comfort and meaning in memories connected to his hometown of Antwerp and those he loved most. 

He vividly recounts getting his beloved chow chow puppy Brando from his mother. “My dogs were my great loves. The home situation was often difficult, and with my dogs I found security,” he reflects wistfully. 

His parents, too, manifest in his subconscious when he slumbers. “I often dream about my parents too: that reunion is so intensely beautiful and warm…Those dreams are true to life, and the awakening is rock-hard,” he says, the emptiness of waking to find them gone again piercing his heart. 

This city is his “zero,” his home, the one place he longs to plant roots in the transient life of a global film career. When his mother was ill, he treasured any moments he could spend with her here. 

Now, his new permanent apartment offers respite — inspiration on the roof terrace admiring sunsets, quiet pockets of beauty to be slowly savored as David Lynch advised.

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Does Sherman Augustus Have a Wife and Kids? Into His Love Life

Sherman Augustus will appear next in ‘Stranger Things’ season five.

Dipesh Katuwal

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Does Sherman Augustus Have a Wife and Kids? Into His Love Life

Sherman Augustus is a former NFL player turned actor who is best known for his portrayal of Nathaniel Moon in the hit AMC series Into the Badlands. He is also known for his role of Lt. Colonel Jack Sullivan in the Netflix original series Stranger Things.

The American actor first debuted on Stranger Things in the second episode of the fourth season and appeared in six episodes. Similarly, he is set to reprise the character in the fifth and final season of the show.

As of this writing, the official teaser as well as the release dates of Stranger Things season 5 have been revealed. The world-renowned series will end in three parts: Volume 1 releasing on November 26, 2025, Volume 2 releasing on Christmas, and the finale on New Year’s Eve.

As such, the martial artist’s popularity has once again risen and fans are eager to know more about him, especially his personal life. So, is Sherman Augustus married to a wife? Does he have any kids? Let’s find out!

Does Sherman Augustus have a wife and kids?

As of this writing, there are no reports of the former Minnesota Vikings player tying the knots with a significant other. Augustus is quite private when it comes to his personal life and rarely shares any details about it.

Sherman Augustus as Lt. Colonel Jack Sullivan in 'Stranger Things' Season 4

Sherman Augustus as Lt. Colonel Jack Sullivan in ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 (Photo: X)

As a result, there is little to no information on whether Augustus is married to a wife or not. It’s quite possible that he might have a partner; however, it’s also possible that he is yet to share the wedding vows.

Nonetheless, there is one thing certain about his personal life and it is that he once had a partner, with whom he shares a child. Yes, that’s right! The 66-year-old actor is a proud father of a daughter.

That said, like Augustus’ personal life, there are almost no details available about his daughter, except that she is engaged to her boyfriend. As mentioned earlier, the reason why there are no details is because The Wright Turn star prefers to keep things under the wraps.

The only time he ever mentioned about having a child is on his Instagram post of July 30, 2024. In that post, he shared a couple of pictures, with the first one possibly being with his daughter and his future son-in-law.

The revelation actually came via the caption, where Augustus wrote, “A great Comicon weekend, and thank you everyone who stop by and supported. Great things are coming for DoD. Thank you so much to my daughter and future son-in-law, and cap’s team!”

Sherman Augustus reportedly with his daughter and his future son-in-law

Sherman Augustus reportedly with his daughter and his future son-in-law (Photo: Instagram)

Besides this, he didn’t provide any further information, and since then, he hasn’t posted anything about his daughter on his social media handles. Likewise, it’s unknown who is the mother of Augustus’ daughter.

Furthermore, considering Augustus has a daughter, it’s might also be possible that he is still together with the mother of his child, and they are married. However, nothing can be said until there are further evidence to back things up.

Sherman Augustus’ Career — From NFL to Hollywood

Born on January 10, 1959, Augustus was raised in the city of Los Angeles, California. While he was still young, he used to have severe asthma that made him afraid to leave home, so his parents enrolled him in flag football to help him overcome his illness and conquer his fears.

He kept on playing the game, all the way through high school and college, until he was drafted into the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers (now the Los Angeles Chargers) in 1984. He later went on to play for the Minnesota Vikings as well.

During his interview with Medium, he mentioned that while he achieved his dream, it started to feel repetitive and he felt that he needed a change. One day, after having a knee surgery that sidelined him, he decided to switch careers.

As he already knew some people in the acting industry through his family connections, he got in contact with a familiar talent agent through which he began in commercials while he started to attend acting classes and learn the way of the business.

In 1988, Augustus made his big-screen debut in Dennis Hopper’s Colors. Following his debut, he went on to play small roles in a couple of movies and TV shows, including When No One Would Listen, The Nanny, Chicago Hope, and Rumpelstiltskin.

As time passed, the 6 feet 1 inch tall actor continued to appear in many movies and TV shows. He found a new fame when he went on to portray the role of Nathaniel Moon in the AMC series Into the Badlands.

Later on, he got cast as Lt. Colonel Jack Sullivan in the Netflix’s Stranger Things. As of now, he has 64 acting credits in his IMDb profile and has four upcoming projects lined up, with one of them being the DC Universe television series Lanterns.

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Is Alex Breaux From ‘Stranger Things’ Married? Meet His Spouse

All about Alex’s personal life!

Dipesh Katuwal

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Is Alex Breaux From ‘Stranger Things’ Married? Meet His Spouse

Alex Breaux is a talented American actor and writer known for his powerful presence on screen and stage. A graduate of Juilliard and a former wide receiver for Harvard’s football team, he has built an impressive career with roles in several movies and TV shows.

He made headlines in July 2024 when it was announced that he, alongside Nell Fisher and Jake Connelly, were cast in the fifth and final season of the hit Netflix series Stranger Things. Later, in December, he was added to Stranger Things: The First Shadow.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is a Broadway play that is set in Hawkins, 1959, before the time of the hit Netflix series. In the original Broadway play, Breaux played the role of Dr. Brenner for which he has earned huge praise from everyone.

As for his role in Netflix’s Stranger Things Season 5, he is set to portray the character of Lieutenant Akers. Breaux’s involvement in both versions of the story adds an exciting layer for fans eager to see how the final season unfolds.

With a mix of theater, film, and television credits, he continues to expand his artistic reach. Whether playing intense dramatic roles or physically demanding characters, he brings depth and dedication to every performance.

As Stranger Things approaches its final chapter — the first of the three-part fifth season releases on November 26, 2025 — Breaux’s presence promises to leave a lasting impression. And, to some extent, it already has, as fans are eager to learn more about the actor.

Is Alex Breaux from ‘Stranger Things’ married to a wife?

As of this writing, it cannot be said whether Breaux is married and has a spouse as there have been no reports indicating such at the moment. So, until any further details are known, it’s best to say that he is not married to a wife and doesn’t have a spouse.

Similarly, there is also little to no information about his dating life and it’s unknown if he currently is dating a girlfriend. The theatre star is quite private about his relationships and rarely shares details about who he might be dating.

On his Instagram handle as well, he hasn’t given out any hints on who he might be dating at the moment. His feed is mostly filled with pictures of himself, his family, friends, and co-stars, as well as updates on his present and upcoming projects.

Alex Breaux as Wild Bill Hickman in the 2025 Netflix TV mini-series American Primeval

Alex Breaux as Wild Bill Hickman in the 2025 Netflix TV mini-series American Primeval (Photo: Instagram)

Considering the silence around his dating life, it’s best to assume that the actor is not dating a girlfriend, and his present relationship status is single. Furthermore, there are no details on his dating history as well.

Alex Breaux is close to his parents

While his personal life might be off-limits to the public, Alex’s family life is a bit open. The American writer, whose age and birthday are currently unknown, has often taken to his Instagram handle to share moments with his parents.

Born in Moraga, California, the Phillips Exeter Academy alum was raised by father, Gary Breaux, and mother, Nancy Breaux. He is the second child of his parents as he has an older sibling as well, a brother named Jason Breaux.

As mentioned earlier, Alex has occasionally taken to his social media handle to share special moments with his family. One such was on March 5, 2016, after Alex took his parents to the opening night of his theatre play, Red Speedo, at the New York Theatre Workshop.

He captioned it, writing, “RED SPEEDO Opening Night. — sharing the moment with Mom and Dad.” Similarly, on December 27, 2016, he posted a picture alongside his father and mother after all three had just hit the gym.

Alex Breaux with his parents after their gym workout

Alex Breaux with his parents after their gym workout (Photo: Instagram)

“Ancient Proverb: Families that spin together, Stay together,” he wrote in the caption. Likewise, the actor is also close to his older sibling, Jason, and Jason’s extended family that consists of Jason’s wife and their daughter.

For instance, on July 7, 2017, on the day of his brother’s wedding, he posted a retro picture of himself with his brother when they were kids and wrote, “My big brother — Jason — is getting married. He’s the best.”

On April 15, 2019, he celebrated the 5th birthday of his niece, Carmen Breaux — Jason’s daughter — on Instagram. Alongside a cute picture of Alex holding Carmen at Jason’s wedding, he wrote, “Happy birthday to the coolest gal I know.”

He then took a page out of Game of Thrones and added, “CARMEN — House of Breaux, the first of her name, Queen of Denmark, Lady of the Nordic Territory, Niece of Alex, Painter of FROZEN characters, friend of unicorns.”

All this clearly indicate that Alex has a very special bond with all the members of his family. Furthermore, it also shows that Alex’s parents have been very supportive of his career choice and are very proud of all his accomplishments.

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Meet Jake Connelly From ‘Stranger Things’ — Know His Age, Parents, and Education

Jake Connelly is making his acting debut with ‘Stranger Things’ Season Five.

Dipesh Katuwal

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Meet Jake Connelly From ‘Stranger Things’ — Know His Age, Parents, and Education

The final season of Netflix’s Stranger Things is bringing in some fresh talents to add to the cast, and one of the new faces turning heads is Jake Connelly.

Although still very early in his acting career, Connelly has already sparked curiosity among fans with his casting in the globally renowned Netflix series. His casting was first announced by Deadline on July 15, 2024, after which the child actor also posted the announcement via his Instagram.

On the same day, Connelly took to his Instagram handle to post a picture of himself along with the Stranger Things season 5 poster, and wrote, “So excited and honored to be in Hawkins and to join the awesome cast of @strangerthingstv!”

This was actually his first ever post on the social media platform. Since then, all of his Instagram feed has been about his upcoming role, as he has shared updates on his filming, behind the scene looks, and so on.

While information about him is limited, here’s everything known so far — from his age, parents, siblings, to his education — along with an overview of his role in Stranger Things Season 5.

Jake Connelly’s Age and Family explored

According to Connelly’s resume from his official representative, Gray Talent Group, Inc., the newest addition to Stranger Things is 13 years of age. The same has been mentioned on his Instagram bio, that reads, “13 year old actor.”

Jake Connelly taking directions from the director on the set of 'Stranger Things' season 5

Jake Connelly taking directions from the director on the set of ‘Stranger Things’ season 5 (Photo: Instagram)

Other than this, there are no records of his exact age and birthday. His birth name or full name is Jake Murphy Connelly.

The same can be told about the information about his parents, as those details are also yet to be revealed to the public. Due to this, the identities of his father and mother are unknown. Similarly, it’s unknown if he is the only child of his parents or has any siblings.

The only known fact about his parents is that they monitor Connelly’s Instagram handle, as “parent monitored account” is stated on his bio. On July 19, 2024, Connelly’s parents logged into his Instagram account and made a post, giving update on the Netflix show.

Along with a video showcase, they wrote, “Jake has been having the time of his life in Hawkins! We’ve hit the halfway mark of filming the final amazing season of Stranger Things and wanted to give you all a look at what we’ve been up to!”

Jake Connelly in a scene alongside other cast members in 'Stranger Things' season 5

Jake Connelly in a scene alongside other cast members in ‘Stranger Things’ season 5 (Photo: Instagram)

To sum things up, it looks like Connelly’s parents are very supportive of his career choice and they are doing their best to help their son achieve his dream of being an actor.

Jake Connelly’s height and education

According to Connelly’s resume, the South Carolina native actor stands at a height of 5 feet 5 inches or 1.65 meters and weighs around 195 lbs or 88.45 kg.

Similarly, for his education, he was enrolled at the Greenbrier Elementary School, where he took part in several theatre plays. He later went to Expressions Performing Arts and became part of three musicals.

Jake Connelly’s movies and TV shows

Before stepping into the big Hollywood scene, Connelly played roles in a few promotional and educational videos as well as in advertisements of several companies. In 2022, he took a step closer after being cast as Jakub in the short film Between the Silence.

Two years later, he finally got the big break he wanted when he got cast in Stranger Things. In the acclaimed Netflix original series, Connelly will portray the role of Derek Turnbow, and it’s reported that he is one of the series regular in the fifth and final season.

On July 15, 2025, during Netflix’s TUDUM event, it was announced that Stranger Things season 5 will be released in three separate volumes: the first volume will release on November 26, 2025, and the second volume will be released on Christmas Day 2025.

Likewise, the season finale is going to be released on New Year’s Eve. On the next day, July 16, Netflix released the first official teaser for the final season of Stranger Things and scenes featuring Connelly were also included in it.

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