Virginie Hocq: Who is Sullyvan, her discreet companion?

Virginie Hocq: The love story with Sullyvan, the discreet lover who left everything for her

Virginie Hocq is known for her humor, spontaneity, and contagious energy. She is one of the most popular Belgian comedians in France, with several shows to her name and a successful television career. Recently, she appeared on screen in “Meurtres dans le Morvan” and “Flair de famille,” two detective series available on France.tv. But behind the scenes, the fifty-year-old comedian leads a fulfilling family life.

In an interview with Paris Match in 2021, Virginie Hocq opens up about her love life with the same sweetness that characterizes her. Her partner’s name is Sullyvan, and their encounter was almost accidental. It all started on a film set, where he was in charge of the sets. “I had given Belgian chocolates to the French team, and he told me that I had forgotten him,” she recalls with a smile. They crossed paths again on another set in Arras, at night, but Virginie didn’t remember where she had met him the first time. He did. He sent her an email to come see her at the Olympia. “I didn’t realize he liked me because he wasn’t exuberant. We went to a restaurant, and he didn’t talk to me. It was special. I fell in love without realizing it.”

The story reads like a fairy tale: Sullyvan decides to leave everything behind in Paris to settle in Belgium with her. “It was very brave; I don’t know if I could have done that,” she admits. He arrives with his lamps, knives, and furniture because he makes them himself. An accomplished and meticulous artist, he has worked with big names like Michel Gondry, but “he remains humble,” emphasizes the comedian, a close friend of the late Annie Cordy. She describes him with admiration as “the embodiment of temperance”: patient, practical, never excessive. “He doesn’t need much to live. He recycles, he likes objects with a history. He does things differently.”

When it comes to style, he made a sensation on the streets: “He wears cardboard pants and suspenders. At first, I found it funny, and then I realized he made an impression with that. A stylist stopped him on the street.” In contrast to Virginie’s understated fashion, Sullyvan has a unique universe, which obviously attracted her. At home, he also proved to be an exemplary father. After the birth of their daughter, he stayed at home for six months to take care of her, something Virginie supports, although she wants to normalize it: “Everyone thought it was great, whereas for women, it’s considered normal.”

Billie, their daughter “a bit rock”

From their union, a little girl named Billie was born in 2015—a name that was not chosen lightly. “I found it strange to impose something on this little person whom I didn’t know yet,” explains the comedian. For two weeks, the baby had no name. “It turns out that Billie suits her very well. It matches her temperament, which is a bit rock.” Today, Billie has grown up, and Virginie Hocq is working on a new show while regularly posting humorous videos on Instagram, much to the delight of her fans.