"It's my first one": Amsterdam Empire star Famke Janssen opens up about returning to her native place in the latest Netflix crime drama

Netflix's latest Dutch crime drama, Amsterdam Empire, premiered yesterday, and the Famke Janssen-starred film is garnering quite some social media attention. The story revolves around a former pop icon named Betty (portrayed by Famke Janssen) whose life goes into a tumult following her long-running relationship with eminent businessman Jack van Doorn (played by Jacob Derwig).

With the crime series currently trending in top spots, fans are already considering the show to be the perfect Sopranos replacement that is also the best weekend binge-watch material. Amsterdam Empire has been filmed across various parts of Amsterdam, Netherlands, and in a recent interview with ScreenRant, lead star Janssen shared her feelings about returning to her native place.

As the star said:

"It's my first one, and it's odd, because I left Holland when I was about 18 years old — way before I was an actress. I've never actually acted in Dutch before."

Famke Janssen talks about returning to her native place with the recent Netflix crime drama Amsterdam Empire

According to ScreenRant, Famke Janssen has been offered several roles throughout her acting career. But speaking of the Amsterdam Empire, Netflix played a vital part, as the streaming platform naturally allows for garnering the attention of "an international audience," as per her statement.

To quote her exact words:

"Over the years, people had offered me roles, and some things had come and gone, but it just wasn't quite the right thing. But I think Netflix was the primary factor here because it allows for an international audience in the way that we wouldn't have had in the past. "

Even though Janssen felt "odd" to return to her native place for the latest crime drama, the award-winning star (known for her iconic roles in the James Bond and the X-Men franchises) talked about the scope of the project on a global scale. While discussing the same, Famke Janssen cited the example of Squid Game's success and how the survival thriller "changed everything."

Janssen not only led Amsterdam Empire, playing the role of Betty, but also executive-produced the show and "co-designed" her own costumes. While speaking to ScreenRant, she also clarified why she chose to star in a series in "a foreign language" helmed by "an international production." Janssen considers that before Squid Game broke a major streaming convention, the audience was "reluctant to watch" a TV show or a movie using "subtitles."

However, times have changed, and with the present dynamics of OTT platforms featuring international entries, Janssen feels the moment is right for Amsterdam Empire to reach the viewers. The Netflix series concluded with an explosive finale, leaving a lot of questions behind, and speculations about a second season are already building up, even though nothing is confirmed yet.

Set against the backdrop of a drug-inflicted Amsterdam, the crime drama uses glamor as a major element to narrate this unique storyline. A major portion of Amsterdam Empire was reportedly filmed across various parts of South Holland's capital city, The Hague, which further added a modern touch of vibrance, along with its intrinsic historic charm, to this intense drama.

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