French actress Vahina Giocante, who performance in “Lila Says” was liked by its New York Times’ reviewer to that of Brigitte Bardot in “And God Created Woman,” is to play exotic dancer, courtesan and spy Mata Hari in a TV drama miniseries that is to shoot in Portugal and Russia. reports Variety.com 

The drama follows the life of Margaret Zelle, later known as Mata Hari, who was born in the Netherlands. After her mother died she was abandoned by her father. She married a Dutch army officer and went to live on the island of Java. She later ran away from her tyrannical husband, and lost custody of their daughter.

She became an exotic dancer and performed in theaters across Europe. She moved to Paris, where she gained access to French aristocratic circles. After being accused of spying for Germany, she was executed in 1917, at the age of 41. 

The cast of “Mata Hari,” which is produced by Russia’s Star Media, also includes Rutger Hauer, Christopher Lambert, Oisin Stack, Alexei Guskov and Fedor Bondarchuk. The series is directed by American helmer Dennis Berry, whose credits include “Highlander” and “Stargate SG-1.”