Veerle Baetens


Veerle Baetens is a Belgian actress, filmmaker, and singer best known for her lead role as Elise / Alabama in the romantic drama film The Broken Circle Breakdown, for which she won the Tribeca Film Festival Award for Best Actress. She is also known for her lead role as Detective Hannah Maes on the VTM crime drama series Code 37.
She made her feature directorial debut with the drama film When It Melts, for which she was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.

Early life

Baetens was born in Brasschaat, Belgium. She had a musical education at the Hoger Instituut voor Dramatische Kunsten in Brussels.

Career

In 2005, she won the "John Kraaijkamp Musical Award", in the category of 'Leading Actress in a musical', for the title role in the Dutch musical adaptation of Pippi Longstocking.
In 2008, she won the Flemish TV-star Award for Best Actress and Most Popular TV Personality, both for the title role in Sara.
In 2012, she released an album with her band "Dallas", called Take it all.
In 2013, she won the "best actress" category at the European Film Awards for her role in The Broken Circle Breakdown.
In 2013 she portrayed Margaret of Anjou in the Starz miniseries The White Queen, based on the novel of the same name by Philippa Gregory.
In 2023 she made her directorial debut with the film When it Melts.

Musicals

  • Cabaret
  • Where were you when...
  • Nonsens
  • Chicago
  • Holiday Love Show
  • Pippi Langkous – Pippi Langkous

Awards as film actress

YearAwardCategoryFilmResult
2013European Film AwardsEuropean ActressThe Broken Circle BreakdownWon
2013Tribeca Film FestivalBest Actress in a Narrative Feature FilmThe Broken Circle BreakdownWon
2016Magritte AwardsBest ActressUn début prometteurWon