Romana Vrede Biography: Films, Child, Height, Parents, Age, Net Worth, Siblings, Awards, TV Series, Books

Romana Vrede is a Dutch actress, theater maker, writer, and activist who has left a big mark on the Netherlands’ arts scene.

Born in Suriname, she brings passion and heart to her work, from powerful theater roles to film and TV.

Her groundbreaking play Who’s Afraid of Charlie Stevens? about her autistic son touched many, and she made history as the first Black actress to win the Theo d’Or award.

Profile

• Full Name: Romana Vrede
• Stage Name: Romana Vrede
• Born: October 24, 1972
• Age: 53 years old
• Birthplace: Paramaribo, Suriname
• Nationality: Dutch
• Occupation: Actress, Theater Maker, Writer, Director
• Height: 168 cm
• Religion: Jehovah’s Witness
• Parents: Mr. and Mrs. Vrede
• Siblings: Three older siblings
• Spouse: None
• Children: Charlie Stevens (son)
• Relationship: Single
• Net Worth: $200,000 to $600,000

Early Life and Education

Romana Vrede was born on October 24, 1972, in Paramaribo, Suriname. She moved to Rotterdam, Netherlands, at age four with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Vrede, and her three older siblings. Her father was Creole, and her mother was South American, giving her a mixed Surinamese-Dutch ethnicity.

She joined the Jehovah’s Witnesses at 16 for three years but later left the faith and now identifies with no religion. Romana studied history and sociology for two years before switching to acting. She graduated from the Arnhem Drama School in 1999, building the skills that launched her theater career.

Career

Romana began acting with Onafhankelijk Toneel, performing in plays such as Melanie Klein and Penelope. She worked with groups such as Compagnie Dakar, Bogaerdt/VanderSchoot, Bonheur, Artemis, and Noord-Nederlands Toneel.

In 2016, she created Who’s Afraid of Charlie Stevens?, a play about her autistic and intellectually disabled son, Charlie. Since 2017, she’s been part of Het Nationale Theater, starring in The Nation (2017), Race (2017), Oresteia (2018), Our Street (2019), Trojan Wars (2021), and Oustfaust (2022).

Her 2023 play Tijd Zal Ons Leren, about colonial resistance heroes, became a podcast, talk show, and TV special. She made her directing debut with The Story of Travis (2023) at Theater Rotterdam, which was a hit.

On screen, she’s appeared in films like The Matchmaker (2018), Anne+ (2021), I Don’t Wanna Dance (2021), and Bad Boas (2025), and TV shows like Overspel (2011), Moordvrouw, Santos (2023), Arcadia (2024), and Nemesis (2024).

Awards & Nominations

• Theo d’Or for Best Lead Actress (2017) – Won for Race (first Black actress to win)
• Colombina for Best Supporting Actress (2018) – Nominated for The Nation
• Golden Calf for Best Supporting Actress (2021) – Nominated for I Don’t Wanna Dance
• Theo d’Or for Most Groundbreaking Performance (2024) – Nominated for Tijd Zal Ons Leren (with OTION)
• Toneelschrijfprijs for Best Original Dutch Play (2024) – Won for Tijd Zal Ons Leren
• Opzij Top 100 (2017) – Named Most Influential Woman in Culture
• Nederlands Theater Festival Selection (2023) – The Story of Travis
• Nederlands Theater Festival Selection (2024) – Tijd Zal Ons Leren

Social Media

• Instagram handle: @romanavrede
• TikTok handle: Not available
• Facebook: Romana Vrede

Personal Life

Romana Vrede, 52, is single and has one son, Charlie Stevens, who is autistic and non-verbal. Standing at 168 cm, she lives in Rotterdam and is deeply devoted to her son, often sharing their story to raise awareness about autism. She identifies as a lesbian and a single immigrant mother, proudly embracing her Surinamese-Dutch heritage. Romana loves teaching, dancing, and advocating for diversity in the arts.

Net Worth

Romana Vrede’s estimated net worth is between $200,000 and $600,000. Her income comes from acting in theater, film, and TV, directing, writing books, and teaching at drama schools. Her awards and growing influence in the arts contribute to her financial success.

Filmography

• TBS (2008) – Supporting Role
• Oom Henk (2012) – Supporting Role
• De Eetclub (2010) – Supporting Role
• Hiernamaals (2018) – Supporting Role
• The Matchmaker (2018) – Supporting Role
• Crows Nest (2018) – Supporting Role
• I Don’t Wanna Dance (2021) – Lead Role
• Anne+ (2021) – Supporting Role
• De Zitting (2022) – Supporting Role
• Bad Boas (2025) – Daphne de Koning
• Jimpa (2025) – Supporting Role
• Almost Cops (2025) – Supporting Role

TV Series:

• Overspel (2011) – Supporting Role
• Moordvrouw (2012–2018) – Supporting Role
• Suzanne en de mannen (Year Unknown) – Supporting Role
• Follow the SOA (2021) – Conrector
• Santos (2023) – Supporting Role
• Arcadia (2024, Season 2) – Supporting Role
• Nemesis (2024, Disney+) – Supporting Role
• Amsterdam Empire (2025) – Supporting Role

Documentary:

• Dit Is De Leven (2019) – Creator, Narrator
• Theater (Selected):
• Melanie Klein (Onafhankelijk Toneel) – Lead Role
• Who’s Afraid of Charlie Stevens? (2016) – Creator, Performer
• The Nation (2017) – Supporting Role
• Race (2017) – Lead Role
• Tijd Zal Ons Leren (2023) – Creator, Performer
• The Story of Travis (2023) – Director