In Amsterdam Empire, Famke Janssen returns to the Netherlands for her first television role performed in Dutch. She plays Betty Jonkers, a former pop star pulled into a fight over her husband’s Amsterdam coffeeshop business. The role brings her international screen career—from GoldenEye and X-Men to a Dutch crime drama—back to the country where she grew up.
What is Amsterdam Empire about?
Netflix describes Amsterdam Empire as a Dutch crime drama centered on Jack van Doorn (Jacob Derwig), owner of The Jackal coffeeshop empire. When Jack has an affair with journalist Marjolein Hofman (Elise Schaap) and seeks a divorce, his wife Betty (Janssen), a former pop star, pursues revenge and control of the business. That is the series’ setup, not a description of how the conflict ends.
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Netflix lists the series as seven episodes, with a premiere date of October 30, 2025. Its US title page lists Dutch as the original audio and offers English and other language options; availability and dubbing or subtitle choices can differ by territory. Netflix’s title page has the listing for viewers to check in their region.
Why this role is a homecoming for Janssen
Janssen left the Netherlands at 18. In a Digital Trends interview published November 1, 2025, she described returning to acting in Dutch as a new and intimidating experience: she worried about how her Dutch would sound and was self-critical as she learned her lines. It was her first television role performed in the language.
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That uncertainty connects to Betty’s sense of isolation. Janssen said her own experience of leaving young had left her feeling that she no longer fit fully into either place: “Even though I am Dutch and was born and raised there, I left when I was 18. How Dutch am I still? Am I really Dutch? I’m neither American nor Dutch. I’m sort of a world citizen.” The feeling is a personal point of connection she identified with Betty, not a claim that their lives are the same.
From Jean Grey to Betty Jonkers
For many viewers, Janssen remains closely associated with Jean Grey in X-Men, as well as her appearance in GoldenEye. The Digital Trends conversation addresses the persistence of questions about Jean Grey and Janssen’s growing appreciation for fans who recognize themselves in outsider characters. That perspective helps explain why Betty’s isolation may resonate with her, while leaving room for viewers to bring their own experience to the character.
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Amsterdam Empire also gives Janssen a role beyond performing. Netflix credits her as an executive producer. In the interview, she additionally describes collaborating with the creative team and co-designing costumes, giving her involvement in the series a creative dimension beyond her work on camera.
Why the series’ original language matters
Janssen welcomed the growing interest in watching stories in the language in which they were made. “What I particularly love at this moment, and where I think Amsterdam Empire fits in so well, is the authenticity aspect of it,” she told Digital Trends. She added: “Everyone is just starting to watch more authentic shows in their own language with subtitles.”
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For viewers who want to hear the performances as recorded, Netflix’s US listing identifies Dutch as the original audio and lists subtitle options. The available audio and subtitles may vary by country, so check the language menu on the local Netflix listing or in the player.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who made Amsterdam Empire?
Nico Moolenaar, Piet Matthys, and Bart Uytdenhouwen created the series. Netflix lists Janssen and Moolenaar as executive producers. In its 2024 announcement, Netflix described the show as the first series from its creative partnership with Moolenaar. Moolenaar called bringing Janssen back to the Netherlands to act in a Dutch production a long-time ambition.
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