Benny Claessens (1981) studies at the Studio Herman Teirlinck in Antwerp. From 2003 onward, he acted under direction of Luk Perceval with the Toneelhuis in, among others, Death of a Salesman and in Turista (Schaubühne Berlin). He worked in plays directed by Josse De Pauw, Tom Jansen, Bart Meuleman and Wim Vandekeybus, and in films by Guido Henderickx and Britta Hosmann.

In 2006, he founded IJsbeer and toured it through Belgium and the Netherlands. His role in van Voss in Ritter Dene Voss by Dood Paard earned him the  Arlecchino in 2009. The jury wrote: ‘Claessens has a tremendous stage presence in this performance. He is an actor wholly and unabatedly immerses himself into his role, and with precision and biting humour leaves the audience gasping for breath. He collaborated with Jan Decorte and Lies Pauwels in 2008 , during the Zürcher Theaterspektakel, among others, and he could be seen in  Alain Platel’s les ballet C de la B in the production Primero-Erscht by Lisi Estaras. In Season 2010-2011, Benny Claessens joined the Münchner Kammerspiele ensemble.