Renée Soutendijk

Life and career Early life Soutendijk was born in The Hague, Netherlands, on 21 May 1957. In her youth, Soutendijk was a qualifying Olympic gymnast. She studied acting at the Academy for Podium Formation in The Hague.

Television and film beginnings Soutendijk made her television debut in the Dutch television series Dagboek van een herdershond (English: Dutch the Shepherd Dog (1979–1980). and The New York Times saw her "stylish performance" of a "compelling character" as a focal point of the movie. In the early 1980s, Soutendijk, Monique van de Ven, and Willeke van Ammelrooy were the three best-known actresses in Dutch cinema, and most Dutch movies featured one of the three. From 1981 to 1989 she played in Zeg 'ns Aaa, one of the longest-running and most popular Dutch sitcoms. In 1983, Soutendijk gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Caro. She sought a career in Hollywood and lived in the United States for a year and a half. She played opposite Academy Award nominee Chris Sarandon in the Holocaust-themed movie Forced March (1989), and the title character in Eve of Destruction (1991), in which she portrayed an android opposite Gregory Hines.

In the late 1990s she played in another Dutch film (De Flat). She also acted in German television movies (and series, including Tatort) in which, she said, she was rarely typecast and played more interesting characters.

2000s and later career Soutendijk subsequently played roles in television shows and as a stage actress, playing for instance Queen Juliana (2006) and a woman dying of cancer in Margaret Edson's Wit (2010). In 2011, Soutendijk was given the Rembrandt Award for her body of work. That same year, news came that Soutendijk was to star in a television series for RTL 4, Moordvrouw, a police drama. In 2018, Soutendijk had a supporting role in Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria, a reimagining of the Dario Argento film of the same name.

She appeared in the 2022 photography game show Het perfecte plaatje.

In September 2023 Soutendijk was the recipient of Golden Calf for Best Leading Role (the most important Dutch film award) for her main role in the critically acclaimed film Sweet Dreams.

In 2025, Soutendijk was appointed as a member of the jury at the 78th Locarno Film Festival for Concorso Internazionale – Main Competition.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1978 Pastorale 1943 Marie Bovenkamp Renée 1979 A Woman Like Eve Sigrid 1980 Spetters Fientje 1981 The Girl with the Red Hair Hannie Schaft Corrie 1982 Inside the Third Reich Eva Braun Television film Hedwig: The Quiet Lakes Hedwig 1983 The Fourth Man Christine Halsslag An Bloem Loedie 1984 The Cold Room Lili Television film Out of Order Marion 1985 Private Resistance Trudi 1986 Op hoop van zegen Jo Motten im Licht 1987 Scoop Ishmaelia - Kätchen The Second Victory Traudi Holzinger A Month Later Liesbeth Juliane Mundt Der Fall Boran ( Boran – Zeit zum Zielen) Linda Mars 1988 King of the Olympics: The Lives and Loves of Avery Brundage Linnea Dresden Television film Nina 1989 Murderers Among Us: The Simon Wiesenthal Story Cyla Television film Forced March Myra Grave Secrets Iris Norwood 1991 Eve of Destruction Dr. Eve Simmons / Eve VIII Keeper of the City Vickie Benedetto Television film 1993 The Betrayed Olga Grond Television film Seventh Heaven Charlyne 1994 House Call Roos Hartman 1996 The Little Riders Beatrix Hunter 1998 Hauptsache Leben Corinna 1999 Dance of the Dolphins Claire Strauss Television film 2000 Anna Wunder Sophie 2001 Els Hochzeit zu viert Susanne Berthold Hanna - Wo bist Du? Erika Strom Television film 2003 Jane Television film 2008 Vera Scholte 2009 Hannelore Kohl Television film 2013 A Perfect Man Martha 2018 Redbad Idwina Suspiria Miss Huller 2023 Sweet Dreams Agathe Neem Me Mee Nienke

Television Year Title Role Notes 1985 The Hitchhiker Sara Kendal Episode: "Murderous Feelings" 1986 Peter the Great Anna Mons Miniseries 1999 Eva Marsfeldt Episode: "Sehnsucht" 2000–2005 Eva Maria Klein / Evelyn 2 episodes 2002 The Enclave Ilse Terhoef Miniseries 2008 S1ngle Edith 5 episodes 2008–2009 Leipzig Homicide Maja Peters 4 episodes 2009 Vienna Crime Squad Wanda Wolf Episode: "Preis der Schönheit" Ein starkes Team Katarina Kamm Episode: "Geschlechterkrieg" 2012 Van God los Ellen Episode: "D.I.S.C.O." Moordvrouw Carla Vreeswijk 50 episodes 2016–2017 Centraal Medisch Centrum Emily Zomer 16 episodes

Accolades + Award ceremony Year Category Nominee Result Locarno Film Festival 2023 Pardo for Best PerformanceSweet Dreams Netherlands Film Festival 1985 Golden Calf for Best Actress Private Resistance 2023 Golden Calf for Best Leading Role Sweet Dreams