“Sunflowers”, from the beginning, focuses on the Dutch-style directness already established by Jan Maas’ (David Elserdoorn), making it difficult to find a Dutchman who could be a romantic interest for Rebecca. Fortunately, the show cast Matteo van der Grijn in the role. Matteo van der Grijn is a very prolific actor who has dozens of credits. However, his Dutchness makes him so unique that he does not have a Wikipedia English page. Though this means you’re unlikely to know his work unless you’re really into Dutch cinema and TV shows, well — suffice it to say that he’s the guy the Netherlands call when they need someone to voice Buzz Lightyear for the local dub of “Lightyear.” Fun fact: His very first role in a movie was 2008’s “Tiramisu,” which heavily featured…a houseboat.
Van der Grijn’s quintessential Dutchness, combined with his star power, makes him a perfect match for Hannah Waddingham, who has a combination of Hollywood glamour, as well as comedic skills. As a result of this, even without script-mandated similarities in their histories, Rebecca and the Dutch stranger have a palpable chemistry, even when he is delivering blunt messages about Alzheimer’s or strange women on bicycle lanes.