Carice Van Houten stopped by The Wall Street Journal to discuss her latest film, Race, and share her thoughts on Melisandre’s journey thus far and what she looks forward to next season. In other news, the Game of Thrones sound mixing team, makeup artists and hair stylists recently won at the CAS Awards and Make-Up Artist and Hairstylist Guild Awards, respectively.
Carice Van Houten spoke to The Wall Street Journal about her upcoming movie, Race, in which she plays filmmaker, Leni Riefenstahl and, of course, Game of Thrones.
Van Houten recalled how she opted out of auditioning for Cersei Lannister for season 1 because of the intimidating time commitment and discussed the fan reaction (though she “wouldn’t say it was fans”) to Melisandre’s sacrifice of Shireen. “I’ve never had so many people say on Twitter, ‘Die, bitch. Die, die , die, die’ … Twitter is a really dark place” she said.
Still, she admits, “It’s sort of cool to be hated that much because … in my own country [The Netherlands] I play much lighter stuff.”
When asked about next season, Van Houten, of course, denied rumors that Melisandre resurrects Jon Snow but called season 6 her favorite season so far.
In other news, at the 52nd annual CAS (Cinema Audio Society) Awards yesterday, “Hardhome” won for best sound mixing in an hour long television show and, at the 2016 Make-Up and Hairstylist Guild Awards, Game of Thrones‘ make-up artist, Jane Walker, won Best Period and/or Character Make Up and hair stylists, Kevin Alexander and Candice Banks, won Best Period and/or Character Hair Styling.
Hodor!
Wow! Petra says an “of course” to this, but there is no “of course” in my book. The only time an actor or producer has bold-faced lied was when Kit said he wouldn’t be back to film Season 6. Everything else has cleverly danced around the truth without lying. So could this actually be true?
If there is a sacrifice involved (some fans speculate that) she is not directly bringing him back, i guess. 🙂
Ginevra,
Well of course Carice van Houten will not be bringing anybody back to life. Melisandre is.
Melisandre hate? TI don’t get how can you hate characters that are played good.
I didn’t hate Jofferey, and I don’t hate Ramsay. Because they are both played by great actors and with great performance.
I hate characters like Bad P*, Oathbreaker Fart or Mary Sue Stormborn which sucks beyond all reason.
Ginevra,
What do you mean???
🙁
Carice is such an interesting person. I didn’t realize that she was in Race. looking forward to seeing that movie, and more from Mel once S6 gets underway.
No. It was obvious before Jon even died that he would be resurrected; by Unsullied show watchers, no less! Mel riding into Castle Black nearly confirmed it. Some main commenters on this site worried, but it has really been obvious all along. Filmmakers build great structures of foreshadowing for a reason.
You will see your curly-locked ginger-minger on his feet again, never fear.
Lena has gotten a lot of hate from fans too. In a way it is a compliment to how good of an actor they are, but still I wish fans treated them as real people rather than the fictional characters they play.
Look, I’m still on about the Great Ginger Killing Conspiracy. I think Jon Snow rises from the dead on his own just to kill Melisandre. I mean, why not? She’s got the hair.
In realistic commenting, I always like reading and hearing from Carice. There are some actors who just repeat the same lame things over and over or are just straight up boring. Carice, Liam Cunningham, Gwendoline Christie, Charles Dance all give great interview.
Off-Topic Otto,
Or they want us to think that!
Deesensfan,
Everything in the show is pointing toward Melisandre resurrecting Jon, but I was surprised by how easily she said it was completely untrue. I guess I’m always disappointed when people lie.
I love the often hated; Melisandre, Cat and Cersei, can’t stand the often loved; Arya, Sansa and Dany, lmao.
Carice is stunning. Looking forward to see her new movie.
I love her German accent in the movie, she’s very skilled.
Ginevra,
She only said she would deny it…she never said Mel didn’t do it! 🙂
I was intrigued by her comment about Mel’s faith being lost! If she indeed resurrects Jon, they aren’t going to make it a simple process!
I think Jack Gleeson’s gotten the most hate lol.
That kind of bait-and-switch would seem cheap, and beneath D&D. Besides, you can to a large degree read into things relative to how they contribute to the story and its characters. Jon coming back would make sense. Him staying dead, at this point, would be only slightly better than the show ending with an establishing shot of a train station, and then a shot of Finbar McBride waking up, exclaiming: “I had the strangest dream!,… in space.”
Only 25 articles in February and there was 50 last year. Even last month had 36. Shouldn’t February/March/April be loaded? Yikes.
‘I’ll completely deny that…because the showrunners have made it very clear that they’re killing off my character sooner rather than later if I don’t play along with the charade.’
I’m not sure what the point of the article stats is..
Do you expect Sue and the Crew to make up stuff to create new articles? Other places did that and look what happened there.
If your complaint is there is less news coming out, we all acknowledge that. Do we all want more news? Yes. Is it Watchers’ problem that there is none? No.
How about this? She resurrects Jon’s body but it becomes only a vessel for the Lord Of Light who turns out to be a total badass and asshole who takes advantage of Jon’s parentage to take over Westeros. I think this could be the case.
Carice said she is working on a mini series about Greta Garbo! That’s very exciting news!
Mi,
I absolutely cannot stand Cersei. She is undoubtedly the most idiotic and self-absorbed character on the show.
Melisandre is awesome though, as is Carice.
Arya I thought was wonderful in the earlier series. Maisie Williams played her marvelously.
I’m not sure I’m going to enjoy her as an avenging angel though. They’ll have to tread very carefully not to put me right off the character. I didn’t particularly like how easily she dispatched Meryn Trant or the whole oyster selling persona on the piers. I thought that was weak.
But the moment where she refused to throw Needle away was one of the best scenes in the entire show. So I’ve still got a lot of love for Arya when the character is done well.
Daenerys I find a bit tedious at times too. But I think that’s mainly because of how laborious her whole rise to power and journey towards conquering Westeros has been, rather than any specific hate for the character.
I don’t know how any adult could hate or insult an actor just because of the character they play or something that character did on a TV show though.
In my case I don’t hate but I’m starting to dislike “good” Jaime. Not because he is “good” or anything but because he isn’t as brilliant as he was back in S1. Asshole Jaime wasn’t as likable but he seemed a lot more intelligent.
Jack Bauer 24,
Agree. I have strongly disliked several of the other characters, but the ugly emotions that Joffrey pulled from me have not been topped yet. Sure miss him! lol
Ginevra,
I’m really disappointed when people in real life lie so easily – I’ve met a few 🙁 But for Carice and the others is an unpleasant situation when they have to lie even if everybody know they are lying… and some of the ones who ask questions do it to see how well the others can lie or what new lie they can invent. So, these actors must use their great skill to say casually things which are not true. They are not teenagers who have to lie about where they went and what they did the night before and feel terrible while lying.
Any hope for a surprise trailer tonight? 🙁
German is very easy for Dutch. I’m Dutch, so I know.. 😛
I really like interviews by Carice – she always has something different to say and comes across very well. (Irrelevant but she is also very beautiful!)
I really hope the actors/showrunners/producers and everyone else involved in the show don’t think all fans are like the weirdos that can’t seem to understand the concept of fiction (similarly to the last post on this site about all the ridiculous hate that Bryan Cogman was getting over UUU) and that unnecessarily hate on those involved with decisions that they personally didn’t like.
There are times where I have really hated the characters of Joffrey, Ramsay, Roose, Viserys, I even didn’t really like Robert very much but it was never anything against the actors in fact it was testament to them and the writers. They have hired arguably the best actors in the show to play the most polarising characters and everyone is doing a stellar job!
Mi,
I think that’s one of the great things about ASOIAF and GoT there are so many characters to root for/have as a favourite. I loved Cat before she died 🙁 Sansa has always been a bit “meh” for me the only main character really who is. Everyone around her is more interesting (LF, Cersei) but there’s still time and each to their own 🙂
HotPinkLipstick,
I think he was just saying how little news is coming out , just an FYI type thing
Don’t think he was blaming the website
Just making a comparison between last year and this year
Off-Topic Otto,
I know. I am hoping he does come back and it makes more sense that he does
Just saying maaaaaaybe lol
Congratulations to the GoT crew for their awesome awards!!! Very much deserved!!! Best show on TV and now their crew has been rewarded for their efforts too!!
She seemed to struggle a little with formulating answers in English though. Normally her English is very good in interviews. As to her German accent, she probably also knows how to speak German quite well. In the Netherlands, when you are in high school you have are obliged to take French and/or German classe next to Dutch and English.
Love Carice Van Houten, such an amazing actress ^^
She’s also very funny, can’t wait to see her in season 6.
I swear if they weren’t lying, and straight up told us jon snow is coming back or even hinted at it, I bet my love for Fallout that people would’ve complained anyway :p
Person 1: how could they just say that!
Person 2: I know, they just took away from what would have been a great moment.
Person 3: why didn’t they just lie, I blame D&D!!!!
Person 4: how could they just reveal a moment that didn’t even happen in the books yet, they have no respect for Mr Martin!
It is known.
I believe game of thrones is also up for another award this thuesday, but I need to chack.
Like always congratulations to my favorite show Thrones.
Yessssss
The lord of light would bring him back. She would just the lucky f$&er that says the words.
Deesensfan,
Yeah…it’s just that he seems to do it with every new article that comes out. If his point is less news is coming out, he’s made it already, many times over. But it’s always the same format that seems more accusatory with each new post. It’s just hit the point of annoying.
I’ve got my bitch on about no news, no trailer, nothing, sure. But I’m not going to spread that annoyance. Instead, I’m consoling myself with photos of drunk Gwen Christie at a party at Harrod’s, mocking the Gods of Egypt trailer, listening to Charles Dance read 50 Shades for like the thousandth time and not drinking wine.
I am also ignoring the Sophie Turner birthday posts. Twenty year olds, piffle. Screw them and their fabulous skin.
(Happy Birthday Sophie)
You understand 🙂
Not a chance. They will most definitely announce it beforehand.
Some people just cant seperate reality from fiction it seems. I would never dare to insult or threat any actor because they played an evil person in a movie or tv show.
http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/dc/c5/30/dcc530455eac8a54e78d2b4b8e1915b6.jpg
I’m going to see God’s of Egypt in 3D. Can’t wait.
Nymeria Warrior Queen,
INDeed They Will :p
We’ll always wonder how she might have been in Cersei’s role (she looks more beautiful than Lena Headey to me ), but I’ve to say she’s perfect as Melisandre. The seductive voice, the perfect skin, the heart-shaped face … It’s all there. ?
It’s amusing how many people get mad by the actors having to lie. If they told the truth people would still get pissed for giving the surprises away. It’s a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation. And these are harmless lies only to keep up suspence, noting for people to get upset over. Would people rather they get in trouble? It’s not like film makers are going to want to hire actors that are going to spill secrets about their work.
Anyway, great Carice interview. And congrats to GoT for the wins!
Bronn’s Bro.,
Imagine Stannis was resurrected in Jon Snow’s body and Jon Snow himself remains dead for good.
Dropped a Space Ghost: Coast to Coast reference and it was just dead on arrival. So sad!
Off-Topic Otto,
Like Myrcella.
Jack Bauer 24,
There’s always a chance, Friendo. Maybe the announcement is tonight?
Tywin of the Hill,
I’ve always thought that Rosamund Pike would have made a brilliant Cersei if Lena Headey hadn’t been interested in the role.
Ginevra,
It’s the lord of light who will bring back Jon Snow. So easy.
I just don’t see it happening. This is something they would announce during the week and not on a weekend. I honestly don’t think the trailer will be until March, which thankfully is only 8 days away.
If you put English & German in a shaker and mix them together the cocktail you get would be Dutch. And that is her native language.
Although a bit “Freaky Friday”ish that would be a good twist too!
Bronn’s Bro.,
No, it would be stupid.
but,really,none of you will address those “socks” and shoes she was wearing ??
btw,love her
serge,
I wore those in 1987. I can’t hate.
Really. Except for the shoes and the lipstick, she looks like a six-year-old Catholic school girl dressed for her First Holy Communion.
Off-Topic Otto,
Actually, I was curious why they chose to show Mel at the wall at the ending. There was no need for that. I mean they could have easily shown her next season which makes me think they are trying to usher/focus the viewer in one direction while they remain blind to slide of hand. Strongly suggestive that it will not in fact be Mel but something else altogether. Not hard to guess but most likely Bran/BR or WW. Would be something to have Jon switch sides.
How so? A bit far fetched for you? I guess you are right it sounds ridiculous! What I was thinking? How could someone return from DEATH as someone else.
Ginevra,
Resurrections are made by the Red God, not by his priests – don’t you remenber what Thoros of Myr said in S6?
Ginevra,
Resurrections are done by the Red God, not by priests – don’t you remember what Thoros said in S3?
Shy Lady Dragon,
Yeah, but plenty of people, including Kit, have backed out of questions like that with a, “you’ll just have to wait and watch” answer.
TV isnt quite as vanilla as it used to be so i don’t think its a problem. The most mature program is no longer leave it to beaver. I do think GoT got pretty gratuitius in season 5. To the point of near parody and shocking has become predictable. Like Mrycella and Shireen’s deaths werent in the books and were very predictable. The books balanced the cruelty better and the story went through such moment as a means to an end while the show feels like an excuse to go to these moments. I love the show but I’m starting to feel this way
TV isnt quite as vanilla as it used to be so i don’t think its a problem. The most mature program is no longer leave it to beaver. I do think GoT got pretty gratuitius in season 5. To the point of near parody and shocking has become predictable. Like Mrycella and Shireen’s deaths werent in the books and were very predictable. The books balanced the cruelty better and the story went through such moment as a means to an end while the show feels like an excuse to go to these moments. I love the show but I’m starting to feel this way…
Inga,
If the Red God through the Red Woman (not Witch, why did she keep calling her the “Red Witch”?), who is played by Carice, were the one to bring Jon back, then Carice wouldn’t have been able to “completely” deny that question, at least not truthfully.
Jack Bauer 24,
Of course I do
I actually find the comparison quite interesting that they’re so secretive this yer about season 6, understandably.
HotPinkLipstick,
I guess the repetion it can annoy you
But others not so much, like me
And that’s prob his way of passing the lack of news time
Hahaha, I also hear that Sophie is in Montreal doing some xmen work. Montreal is about 1.5 hours from me and one of the best places to party – so I’m sure her and her youth made the best out of it hahaha
I’m 28 and still have a blast there
Ginevra,
Kit has less experience with this unpleasant type of questions, which sometimes quite resemble harassment. I suppose it has something to do with how self-possessed the person is. Now I remember that Nikolaj, older and with much acting experience, was so embarrassed when asked about Jon being dead. Maybe Carice has reached a stage when she can’t bear such questions and educated herself to candidly lie about it. Or, as some posters above stated, she bears in mind that it’s not the priest(ess), but the Lord of Light who does the trick.
Joee,
Then please just stop watching the show,trust me you would be doing you and us a favor .
Why so hostile all the time? This is a discussion group with room for a broad range of opinion, not an exclusive club only for people who think that the showrunners can do no wrong. Sheesh.
The Stannis storyline is 3rd in ‘worst arcs of s5’ … really took me out of it, no tension , no immersion .. i got no sense that he was the best military commander in Westeros.. and burning Shireen was a checkbox that didn’t happen organically.
IMO Mel shouldn’t be an overtly hated character, she should be dubious and evil but pragmatic and justifiable. Her burning Shireen over burnt camp supplies or w/e was weak.
They rushed with the intention of writing Stannis off, so I can’t complain too much as he won’t have any further effect on the story.
I don’t understand these comments, we all like the story and show at one point or another – even if we don’t like it now, we want to be able to like it again.
We are all on the same team. Negative criticism should be no less welcome than false praise.
Carice is in this video
I enjoyed Carice’s interview and her appearance as Melisandre at the baby shower with Seth Myers. I am also enjoying the actors’ creative lies/denials/evasions regarding Jon. It is TV, not real life! I would much rather be surprised than spoiled as far as the storylines that have passed the books.
Ginevra,
No, she needn’t. At least Thoros didn’t admit any “being part of it”. He just said, that it’s the red god, not him. (as far as I remember).
Zombies That Were Promised,
No,i just want you and your kind of book purists to stop annoying us with your constant boring drivel that you shit out everytime you post,it’s not criticism,it’s boring drivel from a bunch of idiots . And don’t ever put me in the same kind of place in the fandom with you,moron . You are the same as dog turd .
Shy Lady Dragon,
I’m not quite sure how it works as I’ve never been a part of a fandom that has had to listen to actors lie about their character’s coming events, or rather just never followed anything else on off-season more likely, but if I were an actor that it was found out had straight up lied to the viewers I would not feel good about myself, personally. I would just say “I can’t comment on anything like that.” That said, when one is required to do interviews and understandably feel pressured to be interesting or conversely when they get tired of being asked the same thing over and over, then yes I might be very tempted to either give a little something vague away, or just lie and say no as well.
Wow. Just wow. This level of nastiness is totally uncalled-for.
Tywin of the Hill,
I think Lena’s more beautiful, at least in the show. I find her features more striking. Perhaps it’s because I sorta resemble Carice, well more so when younger, and wouldn’t mind being a blonde. Though no doubt if born one I’d probably want brunette. Such is the way with us women 🙂
Jack Bauer 24,
How did you like the movie?
Firannion,
I agree 🙁
ygritte,
Maybe for them it’s just an innocent game, they have to act when they answer to reporters and show they are good at it. Or maybe I’m too understanding because they are our beloved stars and we couldn’t have GOT without them.
It’s very hard for me to say if I consider Lena or Carice more beautiful. And they are also so talented and adorable, it’s a pleasure to watch an interview with any of them. They are both very funny, but Carice is more delicate both in her features and in the way she speaks and moves. Lena is a tough girl, I pity anyone who dares to mess with her.
Serge,
Beautifully acted, but I didn’t get the reason for her murdering him.
Bending Knee,
Why not hat Joffrey or Ramsey? It means Jack and Rheon did a great job portraying them, right?
Shy Lady Dragon,
I just watched the interview and when she was asked the question she says “I’ll deny that” but when she followed up with… but I can say anything right now, like I eat a dragon, etc…. I thought bam so she’s hinting around that we can’t believe what she says. But then she talks about the fact that Melissandre never raised anyone from the dead and there’s so much pressure on her to now do this thing it almost seems like she’s afraid the fans will be disappointed. So I still don’t know how to read her here 🙂 But yeah, I think she’s even prettier outside of her role. And I never noticed her eyes were such a vivid blue. I think she’d look better with a mauve or rosy shade of lipstick than the orange-y color here. It probably suits her coloring, I’m just not a fan of that shade.
Always happy to see Milfsandre.
Yeah I get the impression she’s afraid the fans will be let down if she isn’t the one who resurrects Jon.
I’d have to say Carice. Lena looks good too (I think she looks much better as a brunette than a blonde), but Carice is gorgeous, IMO. And they are both good very good at playing their respective characters. I have grown so used to Lena as Cersei, she is so brilliant in that role, I cannot imagine anybody else playing it, even Carice.
Are you joking? Jack got SO much hate mail and people on the street sneering at him. Don’t ask me to find it because I never could, but I seem to recall an interview where he said something like, that wasn’t real ‘the hate’ but it felt that way and he didn’t care for the negativity.
Way to make use of your extensive vocabulary. This isn’t high school and individuals should have the right to their own opinion, including you – it would have been nice if you showed a little class towards another human being. Instead you make yourself look small and insignificant.
I would love Carice and Lena to do a photoshoot together dressed as their characters. I don’t think they will ever cross paths in the show, so they should definitely do a photoshoot together to satisfy the fans!
“I’ll completely deny that” and “That doesn’t happen” are two very different phrases.
ghost of winterfell,
I also prefer Lena as a brunette – and obviously she does, when she chose her hair colour in real life. But I don’t like blonde hair, my natural hair colour is blonde and I dye it chesnut.
Galli,
They should be great in photoshoot! “I’m the biggest bitch!” “No, I’m the biggest bitch!”
Shy Lady Dragon,
But who would actually be the beta bitch?? (Watch out!)
Carice is awesome. Not really surprised at the hate mailS. The Shireen situation was pretty rough. Redemption coming S6.
Sister Kisser,
Exactly because of the sought redemption I think there’s a chance Mel won’t survive a certain resurrection. I’d feel sorry not to see Carice again, which is a swell actress and a fine woman.
Even if it comes late, happy birthday with lots of GOT cakes!
Shy Lady Dragon,
There is that vision which Mel has seen in the flames, herself walking the battlements of Winterfell. I think she will survive
. Besides, she has told Arya that they will meet again, which will definitely not happen next season. She could very well be around till S7 at the least.
ghost of winterfell,
I hope you are right with Mel meeting Arya, it would be interesting. About the battlements, I think she might be there inside of somebody else – not as a possession, but as her soul paying for another. I’m not sure about it, but I don’t dismiss the possibility…
Shy Lady Dragon,
That could be also be possible, but I still think it will play pretty straightforward.
Let’s see 🙂 . Besides, Carice has repeatedly said that S6 is the best season for Mel. Her surviving seems more likely, I guess?
ghost of winterfell,
Yes, she could see only snow in the flames.
Don’t believe Carice, she can lie so innocently! Just my opinion with no evidence, we shall see.
Ginevra,
The ride from winterfell to the wall is at least 2 weeks i believe….? I could be wrong and D&D are very detailed and know that true fans would pick up on Melisandra making that journey in 1 day. I don’t think they would defy the laws of time and put a hole in the storyline if it was extremely important to have her ride through the gates get focused on just before Jon gets stabbed. It would be ridiculous If they did all that just to make us believe then it not happen.
ghost of winterfell,
Hey hope you are doing great i took a little internet break, you know yourself always good to focus on the world around us now and again. Hey hoping on the trailer this weekend, what do you think? It has to happen really soon eh.
ghost of winterfell,
That was meant for shy lady dragon sorry ha ha
The first sword of Ireland,
Welcome back, mate! I’m glad you’re around, hope you enjoyed the focus on the real world.
IIRC this Sunday it’s the Academy Awards Gala, so I don’t know if HBO would consider a good idea to release the trailer when the audience’s attentions is on something else. I’m afraid we’ll have to wait a little longer.