Belgian actor Matthias Schoenaerts has been sentenced in absentia to six months in prison, a one-year driving ban and a €4,000 fine after a court found he repeatedly rode a motorbike without a valid licence, just as he prepares to play the villain in DC’s upcoming Supergirl film.
The police court in Beringen ruled that Schoenaerts twice rode a motorbike in the Limburg town of Pelt in April 2024 while banned from driving, and failed to show proof of insurance during one of the checks. Before he can legally drive again, he must retake theoretical and practical exams and undergo medical and psychological assessments.
The ruling follows a long record of traffic violations. Belgian media count this as his twelfth conviction in the police court, including a 2021 case in Antwerp, where he received a driving ban after driving under the influence of drugs and was told to complete remedial “recovery tests” before reclaiming his licence. Authorities have held his licence since early 2023.
Court spokesperson Luc De Cleir says judges wanted to send a “strict signal” after repeated offences, arguing that earlier measures had failed to change his behaviour. Under current Belgian prison policy, short custodial sentences are often converted to electronic monitoring, and officials say the chance of Schoenaerts serving time behind bars remains low.
Schoenaerts did not attend Monday’s hearing, so the verdict was handed down in his absence. His lawyer has since filed formal opposition to the judgment, which triggers a new hearing where the actor can appear and contest the evidence. The defence maintains he had no intention of ignoring the court and argues that administrative problems explain why he did not receive the summons.
The sentencing comes shortly after police in Pelt detained the actor on 21 November during a roadside check where, according to local reports, he drove without a valid licence, refused a breath test and behaved aggressively as officers towed his vehicle. Prosecutors say those newer facts remain under investigation in a separate file.
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Schoenaerts is one of Belgium’s best-known screen actors, with an Oscar-nominated breakthrough in “Bullhead” and major roles in European and Hollywood productions. He is now cast as Krem of the Yellow Hills in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. DC Studios has yet to comment publicly on the case, leaving the film’s marketers to plan against an uncertain legal backdrop.
