Don’t be fooled by the accents on screen — Dutch actors appear more frequently in Hollywood movies and TV shows than you might realize.
The Netherlands is a small country filled with straight-shooting, honest people who don’t pretend to be someone else.
Yet, the nation has produced enormous talent when it comes to doing just that — in the acting world.
There are many famous Dutch actors in Hollywood with Dutch heritage. Bogart, Brando, De Niro, Theron, Akroyd, the Carradine’s, Van Dyke, Fonda, Aguilera.
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But let’s take a closer look at nine Nederlanders and people with significant Dutch heritage who play on screen.
1. Audrey Hepburn
Being one of the most widely recognised Dutch actors in Hollywood, Hepburn was born in Belgium in 1929 but grew up in Arnhem with her mother, a Dutch Baroness.
They fell on hard times in her teen years when the Nazis took over the Netherlands, suffering malnutrition to the point of grinding tulip bulbs as bread flour to survive.
At 16, she was a volunteer nurse during the Battle of Arnhem and worked with the Dutch Underground. After liberation and a few movie roles in Europe, she headed for Hollywood.
Audrey Hepburn was an iconic Hollywood actress playing wholesome parts. She starred in movies in the ’50s and ’60s, including Roman Holiday, Funny Face, Sabrina, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Charade, and My Fair Lady.
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She received three Academy Award nominations and won Best Actress.
Hepburn also turned down a role in the movie Anne Frank as having watched people be executed in Arnhem would be too emotionally painful for her. She was very philanthropic and died in 1993.
She is one of 19 people who have won an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award).
2. Carel Struycken
Born in The Hague, Carel Struycken played many quirky parts in Twin Peaks, Star Trek, Men in Black, Witches of Eastwick, and Haven.
He also played in the popular The Addams Family movies, where he portrayed Lurch (one of my favourite characters growing up), among many other roles.
This Dutch actor in Hollywood usually played a giant in non-leading roles but is an extremely recognizable character.
3. Michiel Huisman
Michiel Huisman, a Dutch actor and singer, was born in Amstelveen, Netherlands.
He starred as Daario Naharis in Game of Thrones and as Ellis Jones in the fantasy romance film The Age of Adaline.
Other notable titles you might recognise him from are Orphan Black, The Invitation, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, Black Book and HBO’s Treme.
But with 56 screen credits to his name so far, there are many more stories you’ve probably seen him pop up in.
4. Jeroen Krabbé
Born in Amsterdam, Jeroen Krabbe is known for acting in The Fugitive, Immortal Beloved, The Living Daylights, Jumpin’ Jack Flash and Transporter 3.
You might also recognise him from his role as Otto Frank in the Diary of Anne Frank. He actually came to prominence playing opposite Rutger Hauer in Soldier of Orange.
If you’re not yet impressed, Krabbé now has over 100 credited roles in his career — woah!
5. Rebecca Romijn
Born in California, Rebecca Romijn is the daughter of a Dutch mother and a half-Dutch father.
A Dutch actor in Hollywood that everyone can be proud of, she has played the character Mystique in four X-Men movies and also appeared in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.
Romijn has 61 acting credits, including the TV series Ugly Betty, Just Shoot Me!, The Librarians, and Eastwick.
6. Famke Janssen
Famke Janssen was born in Amstelveen, Netherlands, and is a writer, director, and actor.
She’s played many major roles, including Xenia Onatopp in the James Bond Series Golden Eye, Jean Grey/Phoenix in the X-Men films, and Lenore Mills in Taken.
Janssen has also had recurring roles on the TV series Nip/Tuck, Hemlock Grove, and Black List.
The actress has been outspoken in her disagreement with Hollywood’s ageism for women when not cast in the last X-Men movie.
7. Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour was born in England but has a Dutch mother. She spent much of her childhood in Vught, the Netherlands, and speaks fluent Dutch.
As an actress and producer, she is known for the TV series Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, the James Bond movie Live and Let Die, Wedding Crashers, several mini-series and TV movies.
Seymour has over 220 credits to her work, with twenty-two award nominations and nine wins, including two Golden Globe awards and an Emmy.
8. Carice Van Houten
Carice van Houten was born in Leiderdorp, Netherlands. With 55 credits as an actress, Van Houten is most recently known for her dark role in Game of Thrones and her role in Black Book.
Her Dutch Language film Love Life broke box office records in the Netherlands.
She also played opposite Tom Cruise in Valkyrie and was nominated for several Saturn and SAG awards (amongst others), winning many awards, predominantly in Europe.
9. Rutger Hauer
Ever heard of Blade Runner? Rutger Hauer starred in this legendary sci-fi flick as self-aware android Roy Batty. He delivered a brilliant performance and even rewrote the ending dialogue.
Hauer has over 100 movies to his credit, taught a master class in the Netherlands and is a “Knight of the Order of the Dutch Lion” for acting and philanthropy.
Hauer had a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe award for Escape From Sobibor.
So there you have it. Who’s your favourite from the list? Are there any Dutch actors in Hollywood we missed out on? Tell us in the comments below!
Feature Image: Sachyn/Wikimedia Commons/CC3.0
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Michiel huisman en berry atsma
I guess porn actresses don’t count (Sylvia Kristal, for example)?
Don’t forget Mark-Paul Gosselaar of “Saved by the Bell” Fame. He is also known for his television roles as Detective John Clark Jr. in NYPD Blue, and Peter Bash in Franklin & Bash.
He was born in Los Angeles, California and is considered an American Actor, however, he is still proficient in Dutch.
His parents are Hans Gosselaar and Paula Gosselaar
Michiel Huisman. He played in “Treme” “Nashville” “The Guernsey literary and potato peel pie society”
“Game of Thrones” “Harley and the Davidsons”
Dirk Bogard. While everyone thought he was British, he was actually Dutch. He was a well known actor in many movies in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.
wrong he is not dutch Bogarde was the eldest of three children born to Ulric van den Bogaerde (1892–1972) and Margaret Niven (1898–1980). Ulric was born in Perry Barr, Birmingham, of Flemish ancestry, and was art editor of The Times. Margaret Niven, a former actress, was Scottish, from Glasgow. Dirk Bogarde was born in a nursing home at 12 Hemstal Road,
West Hampstead, London, and was baptised on 30 October 1921, at St. Mary’s Church, Kilburn. He had a younger sister, Elizabeth (born 1924), and a brother, Gareth Ulric Van Den Bogaerde, an advertising film producer, born in July 1933 in Hendon.
I loved Rutger Hauer. He was absolutely gorgeous.
A couple of Dutch actors I didn’t see mentioned are Sylvia Hoeks (fantastic in tv series See and also in Blade Runner 2049) and Katja Herbers who was in the short lived tv series Manhattan and in the 3rd season of The Leftovers.
Robert de Niro
Dick van Dyke
i really wanna be a world wide famous actress but i’m dutch so this makes my happy
You forgot John van Dreelen! https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0886657/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t99
I was always a fan from all these actors and am
Happy that they have Netherlands heritage like my family and Many came from the province of
“Zuid Holland” like me and my many relatives.
If you are in search of a great actor contact me 🥳🤣
Andre Landzaat who received a Soap Opera Award for portraying the character of Tony Cassadine on “General Hospital.” He is also a lifetime member of the Actors Studio.
“Lee Van Cleef” his parents were both Dutch.
I am Dutch living in California and he was a close friend.
Janny