Focus on Carice Van Houten, the magnificent actress from Black Book

Paul Verhoven’s historical drama returns to television.

This Sunday evening, Arte will rebroadcast Blackbookof Paul Verhoevenwith Carice Van Houten. Accustomed to directing sublime actresses, veritable praying mantises who are the cornerstones of his cinema, the Batavian director who elevated little-known stars (at the time) like Sharon Stone (with Basic Instinct), Elizabeth Berkley (with Showgirls), or Denise Richards (with Starship Troopers), was no exception to the rule with this film shot in his native country in 2006, since he directed the magnificent Dutch actress Carice Van Houten.

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After studying drama in Amsterdam, the beautiful Carice saw her career take off in 1999 when she obtained the title role in the TV film Suzy by Martin Koolhoven, the most awarded project that year in the Netherlands, she also received the Golden Calf for Best Actress for her performance. This same award will be awarded to her again two years later for her role as a cat who transforms into a woman in Undercover Kitty (huge national success) then again in 2006 for her role as a Jewish woman and resistance fighter in occupied Holland in Blackbook by Paul Verhoeven, his compatriot and director of Robocop. He said of her in a television interview: “Never in my entire life have I worked with such a talented actress”. Verhoeven is not the only one, critics continue to praise him.

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Overworked and tired, the actress withdrew in December 2006 from a play she was supposed to perform. But she returned to the forefront in 2008 with her first English-language film. Dorothy, by French director Agnès Merlet. Highly noted thanks to her role in Blackbookshe was chosen, also in 2008, by the successful director Bryan Singer to play opposite Tom Cruise in the political thriller Valkyrie. A success that never comes alone, the same year, she also opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in State lies.

In 2009, Van Houten appeared in Repo Men, with, among other big Hollywood names, Jude Law and Forest Whitaker. Her growing success and popularity do not prevent the actress from remaining simple, natural and discreet, loudly declaring that she hates Hollywood life to which she prefers the relaxing calm of her native country. However, his passage in the cult series Game Of Thrones has made it more popular than ever since 2012…

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In a relationship with the Australian actor Guy Pearce, met on the set of the western Brimstonein 2015, she give birth to her first child a year later. Since then, she has notably toured in Domino: the silent warby Brian De Palma, in 2019, and in a series adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons.

Black Book trailer:

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