Carice van Houten discusses the Melisandre stories and explains why she was so “intrigued” by her character.
One of the stunning cast members of Dangerous Liaisons is Carice van Houten. She portrays one of Paris’ most devout women.
Carice van Houten plays Jacqueline de Montrachet. (STARZ)
“What intrigued me was mostly the fact that she’s very suppressed. Even though she’s high society, she’s up there, she lives in good conditions, she lives in a loveless marriage,” Carice said. She has dedicated her life to the church, but she also carries a lot of unresolved emotions, trauma, and secrets.
In addition to the fact that the show is, of course, so wonderfully written, she continued, “I believe that tension of someone trying to keep it together is something that interests me. The cast and the two main characters are so radiant, and it was written from a feminine perspective. Everyone else has been affected by them in some way.”
Carice had not read the 1782 book that served as the show’s inspiration before assuming the role of Jacqueline. She had, however, seen the John Malkovich and Glenn Close-starring 1988 movie adaptation.
Carice said that the STARZ series had “a really current vibe to it and it’s very inclusive. Naturally, we have never seen individuals of color in these kind of presentations. Naturally, Bridgerton is where it all starts to come together. However, a lot of research suggests that it was indeed true. That’s something that white folks seem to have forgotten. That is undoubtedly new, as is the fact that we have never truly depicted it in a genuine manner. Even though it’s from long ago, it feels quite modern to me and has a lot of weight.
For her part as Melisandre in Game of Thrones, Carice is well recognized. Many viewers speculated that a young Melisandre might appear in the first season of House of the Dragon, which went on to become one of the most popular television shows of 2022.
“I realize that combining those two worlds can be somewhat satisfying. However, as much as I’d want to return,” Carice said, “I believe it could be more interesting to see a young version of my character, to see her as a child, since there’s a whole slavery history there that we never touched upon. I once brought it up. So, if at all, I believe that would be the best course of action. Again, as much as I would like to dress up in reds and put the wig back on, I believe that might not be the best course of action.” On STARZ, Dangerous Liaisons will air every Sunday.