Manou Kersting was born in Antwerp in 1962.

He is considered highly versatile as an actor, director, cabaret performer, singer, and musician. His career began at the age of thirteen as a double bassist in his father Gregor Joseph Kersting’s Manouche gypsy jazz band. He was further trained in the performing arts program at Studio Herman Teirlinck in Antwerp and the acting program under Dora van der Groen at the Antwerp Conservatory.

In 1989, together with Chiel van Berkel, Manou founded W.A.C.K.O., a comedy-music-entertainment collective with which he toured Flanders and the Netherlands for ten seasons. The success of W.A.C.K.O. led Jan Decleir to approach him, along with Stef Bos, to revitalize the performing arts program at Studio Herman Teirlinck. As a result, he taught there for ten years and served as coordinator/artistic director for four years.

He was also artistically responsible for the Flemish group De Factorie and the musical theater group Podium Modern for several years. Furthermore, he is active as a director for numerous Dutch and Flemish productions and production houses.

Manou launched his career as a film and television actor following his role as the character Danny Bols in the TV series Matroesjka’s. He is also frequently heard in animated films, audiobooks, and various radio and television commercials.