Carice Anouk van Houten is a Dutch actress and singer.
Born on 5 September 1976 in Leiderdorp, Netherlands, she is widely recognized for her role as Melisandre in the HBO series Game of Thrones (2012–2019).
She first gained prominence in her home country through award-winning performances in Dutch films and television before achieving international attention with Paul Verhoeven’s Black Book (2006).
She has also appeared in English-language films such as Valkyrie, Repo Men, and Brimstone.
Siblings
Carice is the daughter of Theodore van Houten, a Dutch-British writer, broadcaster, and essayist, and Margje Stasse, who has worked in educational television.
She has one younger sister, Jelka van Houten, who is also an actress and singer.
The sisters grew up in a creative household; their father introduced Carice to silent films at a young age, an influence she has often cited in discussions of her preference for expressive, dialogue-light performance.
Her paternal grandmother was Scottish.
Career
Van Houten studied briefly at the Maastricht Academy of Dramatic Arts before transferring to the Kleinkunstacademie in Amsterdam.
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She made her breakthrough with the leading role in the 1999 television film Suzy Q, which earned her a Golden Calf.
She followed this with the children’s film Miss Minoes (also known as Undercover Kitty), winning another Golden Calf for Best Actress.
Her performance as a Jewish resistance fighter in Paul Verhoeven’s Black Book (2006), the most commercially successful Dutch film of its time, brought international recognition and additional awards.
She subsequently appeared in Hollywood productions including Valkyrie opposite Tom Cruise, Repo Men, and Black Death.
From 2012 to 2019 she portrayed the red priestess Melisandre in Game of Thrones, a role that expanded her global profile.
She has continued to work in both European and English-language projects, including Brimstone and later television series, while also releasing music, notably the album See You on the Ice.
Accolades
Van Houten is one of the most awarded actresses in Dutch cinema, having won five Golden Calf Awards for Best Actress or Best Acting in a Television Drama for roles in Suzy Q, Miss Minoes, Black Book, The Happy Housewife, and Black Butterflies.
She has also received Rembrandt Awards and stage honors including the Colombina.
Internationally, she earned a Saturn Award nomination for Valkyrie, a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama Series for Game of Thrones, and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations as part of the series ensemble.
Her work in Black Book additionally brought nominations from the European Film Academy and various critics’ groups.
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