Carice Van Houten plays Leni Riefenstahl in Jesse Owens Biopic

Carice van Houten, who plays priestess Melisandre on HBO’s Game of Thrones, will portray infamous German director Leni Riefenstahl in Race, the Jesse Owens biopic.

The drama, being directed by Stephen Hopkins, is currently shooting in Berlin with Stephan James playing Owens. Among the cast are Jeremy Irons and Jason Sudeikis.

Riefenstahl directed Triumph of the Will, the infamous Nazi documentary that is considered one of the best pieces of propaganda ever put to screen.

The director was invited by Hitler to film the 1936 Olympics and she delivered with Olympia, which was innovative for its use of tracking and slow-motion shots.

Van Houten appeared in Paul Verhoeven’s 2006 World War II drama Black Book as well as opposite Tom Cruise in 2008’s Valkyrie.

More recently she appeared with Benedict Cumberbatch in The Fifth Estate and recently wrapped Incarnate, the Jason Blum-produced horror movie that stars Aaron Eckhart.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter