 In 2003, Schoenaerts was named one of "Europe's Shooting Stars" by the European Film Promotion.After completing studies at The Academy of Dramatic Arts in Antwerp, he featured in several shorts and feature films.In 2002, he starred in Dorothée Van Den Berghe's "Meisje" ("Girl"); Tom Barman's "Any Way the Wind Blows" in 2003; Rudolf Mestdagh's "Ellektra" and Roel Mondelaers & Raf Reyntjens's sci-fi short film "A Message from Outer Space", which Schoenaerts also produced in 2004.