Roeland Wiesnekker (pron. 'Roo-Land') (b. 25 November 1967 near Zürich) is a Dutch / Swiss actor in movies and theater plays.
Wiesnekker grew up in a music-loving family and tried out various instruments. Despite that, he wanted to become an actor, because he adored Charlie Chaplin. At the age of 15 Wiesnekker started a cook apprenticeship, but did not agree with the “hierarchic structures”. At the age of 16 he planned to become a sports teacher, but soon took up work in a hospital instead. As the job as a male nurse did not satisfy him either, he began working in a Gassenküche (“street-kitchen” - a soup kitchen for the homeless and drug-addicted), a job that moulded his character. Later he decided to become an actor.
From 1986 to 1989, he frequented the Schauspielakademie (a drama school) in Zürich. Even before he received the diploma, he was engaged by the theatre Schauspielhaus Bochum, Germany. In 1990 he was nominated for the award Deutscher Nachwuchsschauspieler des Jahres (German talented young actor of the year). Wiesnekker went back to Zürich – despite offers of possible roles abroad. In Zürich he participated in very different productions e.g. in Der Menschenfeind at the Schauspielhaus Zürich.