Jeroen Willems
- December 3, 2012
- 50 years
- cardiac arrest
About Jeroen Willems
Jeroen Willems, 50, Dutch actor and singer, cardiac arrest.
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Full Biography
|Jeroen Willems (Dutch pronunciation: [jəˈruɱ ˈʋɪləms]; 15 November 1962 – 3 December 2012) was a Dutch Golden Calf and Louis d'Or winning film, TV, and stage actor and singer.
Early life
Willems was born on 15 November 1962 in Maastricht, the third child of a drama teacher and an elocutionist. Soon afterwards, the family moved to Heerlen. Willems' father died in 1978, age 52, when Jeroen was 15 years old. Willems attended the Maastricht Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Career
Willems was attached to theatrical company Theatergroep Hollandia. He could be seen in La Musica (1991), the solo show Twee stemmen (from 1997 on) and La Musica Twee (2003). He also played with other companies, including Het Zuidelijk Toneel/Hollandia, het Nationale Toneel, and the Flemish company De Tijd. With Oostpool, he played in the musical stage production Brel, de zoete oorlog. In the show, he also sang a couple of songs of Jacques Brel, translated to Dutch. In April 2010 he had the leading role in a performance of Louis Andriessen's opera La Commedia at Carnegie Hall in New York.
He also could be seen in many film and television productions. In 1991, he played David Grobben in the TV series Bij nader inzien, based on the novel of J.J. Voskuil. Other TV series include Tijd van leven (1996), Wij, Alexander (1998), as Dutch cabaret star Wim Sonneveld in Bij ons in de Jordaan (2000), Bellicher (2010), and Lijn 32 (2012). In 2007, he had the leading role in Stellenbosch), a drama series about a South African wineyard at the end of the apartheid. In 2010, he played King William II in the AVRO TV series De Troon.
Film roles include Nynke (2001) as Dutch socialist Pieter Jelles Troelstra, De passievrucht (2003), Ocean's Twelve (2004), Simon (2004), Summer Heat (2008), Stricken (2009), and as Prince Claus in Majesteit (2010). In 2012, he played the role of criminal Mirko Narain in the TV film Cop vs Killer.
Two TV series will be released posthumously. In January 2013, the VPRO broadcast the TV series De ontmaskering van de Vastgoedfraude, in which Willems has the leading part. Three movies were released in 2013. Willems appeared in Tula: The Revolt, and Boven is het Stil. De wederopstanding van een klootzak opened the 2013 International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Death
On 3 December 2012, Willems became unwell during the rehearsals for a gala event on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of Royal Theatre Carré in Amsterdam, later that evening. The same day, he died of the effects of congestive heart failure in the Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis hospital. The event, which would have been attended by princess Beatrix, was canceled in connection with his death.
Awards and nominations
Willems was the recipient of the 1994 Mary Dresselhuys Prijs for best Dutch stage actor. In 2004 he was awarded the Louis d'Or, the most prestigious Dutch stage award, for his roles in La Musica Twee and as Jacques Brel in Brel, de zoete oorlog with theatrical company Oostpool.
In 1999, he was nominated for the Golden Calf for best actor for his role in the short film Zaanse Nachten (1998). In 2001 he was nominated a second time for his role as Pieter Jelles Troelstra in Nynke. In 2010, he won the Golden Calf for best actor in a supporting role as Prince Claus in Majesteit. In 2012, he received the Golden Calf for best actor in a leading role for the TV film Cop vs Killer.
In 2012, he was guest of honor at the Dutch Film Festival in Utrecht.
Private life
Willems was openly gay and he had a relationship with the actor Marcel Musters.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeroen_Willems
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
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- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Jeroen Willems's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what city was Jeroen Willems born?
- A.Utrecht
- B.Heerlen
- C.Maastrichtcorrect
- D.Amsterdam
Jeroen Willems was born on 15 November 1962 in Maastricht.
Source: Early life section
2.What was the occupation of Jeroen Willems' father?
- A.Physician
- B.Journalist
- C.Drama teachercorrect
- D.Banker
Jeroen Willems was the third child of a drama teacher and an elocutionist.
Source: Early life section
3.Which educational institution did Jeroen Willems attend?
- A.Royal Conservatory of The Hague
- B.Amsterdam School of Arts
- C.Maastricht Academy of Dramatic Artscorrect
- D.Utrecht University
Jeroen Willems attended the Maastricht Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Source: Early life section
4.At what age was Jeroen Willems when his father passed away?
- A.12
- B.18
- C.15correct
- D.21
Jeroen Willems' father died in 1978 when Jeroen Willems was 15 years old.
Source: Early life section
5.Which theatrical company was Jeroen Willems attached to?
- A.Oostpool
- B.Theatergroep Hollandiacorrect
- C.Het Nationale Toneel
- D.De Tijd
Jeroen Willems was attached to the theatrical company Theatergroep Hollandia.
Source: Career section
6.In which city did Jeroen Willems perform Louis Andriessen's opera La Commedia in 2010?
- A.New Yorkcorrect
- B.London
- C.Paris
- D.Berlin
In April 2010, Jeroen Willems had the leading role in a performance of Louis Andriessen's opera La Commedia at Carnegie Hall in New York.
Source: Career section
7.In the TV series De Troon (2010), which historical figure did Jeroen Willems play?
- A.King William I
- B.Pieter Jelles Troelstra
- C.King William IIcorrect
- D.Prince Claus
In 2010, Jeroen Willems played King William II in the AVRO TV series De Troon.
Source: Career section
8.In which film did Jeroen Willems play the character Mirko Narain?
- A.Majesteit
- B.Summer Heat
- C.Simon
- D.Cop vs Killercorrect
In 2012, Jeroen Willems played the role of criminal Mirko Narain in the TV film Cop vs Killer.
Source: Career section
9.What award did Jeroen Willems receive in 1994?
- A.Mary Dresselhuys Prijscorrect
- B.Beste Acteur Award
- C.Louis d'Or
- D.Golden Calf
Jeroen Willems was the recipient of the 1994 Mary Dresselhuys Prijs for best Dutch stage actor.
Source: Awards and nominations section
10.Which prestigious Dutch stage award did Jeroen Willems win in 2004?
- A.Royal Theater Award
- B.Golden Calf
- C.Mary Dresselhuys Prijs
- D.Louis d'Orcorrect
In 2004, Jeroen Willems was awarded the Louis d'Or, the most prestigious Dutch stage award.
Source: Awards and nominations section
11.What award did Jeroen Willems win in 2010 for his role as Prince Claus?
- A.Golden Calf for best supporting rolecorrect
- B.Louis d'Or
- C.Mary Dresselhuys Prijs
- D.International Film Award
In 2010, Jeroen Willems won the Golden Calf for best actor in a supporting role as Prince Claus in Majesteit.
Source: Awards and nominations section
12.Who was Jeroen Willems' romantic partner?
- A.Pieter Jelles Troelstra
- B.Jacques Brel
- C.Marcel Musterscorrect
- D.Wim Sonneveld
Jeroen Willems was openly gay and had a relationship with the actor Marcel Musters.
Source: Private life section
13.Where did Jeroen Willems die on 3 December 2012?
- A.On stage at Royal Theatre Carré
- B.At the airport
- C.Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis hospitalcorrect
- D.At his home
Jeroen Willems died of the effects of congestive heart failure in the Onze Lieve Vrouwe Gasthuis hospital.
Source: Death section
14.At which event was Jeroen Willems rehearsing when he became unwell?
- A.125th anniversary of Royal Theatre Carrécorrect
- B.The premiere of Boven is het Stil
- C.The Dutch Film Festival
- D.A gala in honor of Princess Beatrix
Jeroen Willems became unwell during rehearsals for a gala event on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of Royal Theatre Carré in Amsterdam.
Source: Death section
15.In what year was Jeroen Willems born?
- A.1960
- B.1958
- C.1962correct
- D.1964
Jeroen Willems (15 November 1962 – 3 December 2012) was a Dutch actor.
Source: Introduction
16.Which film of Jeroen Willems opened the 2013 International Film Festival Rotterdam?
- A.Nynke
- B.De wederopstanding van een klootzakcorrect
- C.Tula: The Revolt
- D.Boven is het Stil
De wederopstanding van een klootzak opened the 2013 International Film Festival Rotterdam.
Source: Career section
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