Carice van Houten

Carice van Houten (also credited as Carice Anouk van Houten) is a Dutch screen and stage actress born on September 5, 1976, in Leiderdorp, Zuid-Holland. Widely regarded as one of Europe’s standout performers, she gained global recognition for playing Melisandre on Game of Thrones, a role that brought major international attention and an Emmy nomination.

Van Houten’s film breakthrough came with Paul Verhoeven’s acclaimed wartime thriller Black Book, where she portrayed Rachel Stein / Ellis de Vries. She followed with high-profile international work including Valkyrie as Nina Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg, and roles in titles such as Repo Men and Black Death. Her range also shines in Dutch favorites like Love Is All and Miss Minoes.

In the Netherlands, she has been celebrated for record-setting audience hits and award-winning performances, earning multiple Golden Calf honors and further critical praise at international festivals. In recent years she has continued to balance film and television, including the thriller Instinct and the Sky series Temple, while remaining a defining presence in contemporary Dutch cinema.