Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Danish pronunciation: [ˈneɡolaɪ̯ kʌsdɐ ˈʋaldɑʊ̯]; born 27 July 1970) is a Danish actor, producer, and screenwriter. He attended Statens Teaterskole in Copenhagen in 1993. In the United States, he played Detective John Amsterdam on the short-lived Fox television series New Amsterdam, as well as appearing as Frank Pike in the 2009 Fox television film Virtuality, originally intended as a pilot. Since April 2011, he became known to a broad audience by playing the role of Jaime Lannister in the HBO series Game of Thrones.
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film, Bodil Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Peo...
Movies
Gods of Egypt, The Other Woman, Mama, Oblivion, Headhunters, Black Hawk Down, Kingdom of Heaven, Nightwatch, A Second Chance, A Thousand Times Good Night, Virtuality, Blackthorn, Misery Harbour, The Headsman, Enigma, The Baker, Klown Forever, My Name Is Modesty, Wildside, Shot Caller, Ved verdens en...
TV Shows
The Left Wing Gang, New Amsterdam, Lock, Stock..., Game of Thrones, The Left Wing Gang, New Amsterdam, Lock, Stock..., Game of Thrones
What's great about 'Game of Thrones' is they change the perspective, the POV, all the time. So you will have one story told by one character and you'll go, 'Oh my God, horrible', and then maybe the season after you have the same story told but from the person you thought was just the most horrible, vile creature.
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The more secrets and twists in a character, the better.
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There's something liberating about watching someone not following the rules.
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When I was a kid I was always afraid of small dogs, because they always seemed like the ones that would attack.
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You always dream of being part of a show that reaches and thrills an audience.
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I couldn't pick up a sword and go fight anyone, let me put it that way. It's choreography and it's acting. The best sword fights you see look amazing, but it's the acting that sells it more than anything.
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It's beautiful being out in the wild.
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One thing George R. R. Martin does is surprising things to main characters. But he says so himself.
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Most female actresses will have a very difficult time being made unattractive.
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If you look at most of the Royal Houses in Europe, the inbreeding was pretty outstanding.
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I've never understood why you would turn down a great role.
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I try not to regret too much. I find that feeling guilty takes up so much of my time already.
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I was 15 or 16 when I first saw 'Once Upon A Time In America,' so I was quite young, but I was completely blown away.
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I'm a fan of great storytelling.
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I love political dramas. I love good story-telling.
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I like to be comfortable.
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I think we all have the capacity of evil in us.
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As an actor, secrets and obstacles fuel the character.
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All actors tend to be the same messed-up people.
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A villain to me is someone who actively seeks to hurt someone or does things for his own gain.
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Ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to be an actor.
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The only thing I find difficult to watch - horror movies - not that I don't like them. Like 'The Shining,' it's one of my favorite movies, but it's terrifying. I feel like I've watched a marathon afterwards.
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What I love about acting is that you are exposed to so many different things. Horse-riding, sailing, travelling to amazing places.
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I like to wear beautiful clothes, but I don't have that many.
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I'm a huge 'Breaking Bad' fan; I would be really annoyed if anyone told me anything about what was going to happen in the last eight episodes.
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I know nothing more annoying when people I don't know jump to conclusions on my person based on nothing but gossip or speculation.
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[on having to play 'Game of Thrones' character Jaime Lannister, having lost his normal fencing hand in the story] It's great. As an actor you have a character who's defined by his skills as a swordsman, and then you take away that one thing. It's great because it creates this huge obstacle. It's difficult for him to deal with as a person, but as an actor you live for those moments. Physically, it was a nightmare at the beginning because I had to have my arm down my left leg and my stump up here, but now it's fine.
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[on his ideal 2013 Emmys] I just watched the Louis C.K. special [Louis C.K. Oh My God (2013)]. If he doesn't win... He was just so brilliant. I'm also a huge Breaking Bad (2008) fan. They only had half a season, but even half a season of that is worth 10 of most other shows. Those guys and girls could easily throw a few more Emmys at them.
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Fact
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In 2001, he began his U.S. career in Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down (2001) as Medal of Honor recipient Gary Gordon.
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Coster-Waldau was educated at the National Theater School in Denmark from 1989 to 1993. He made his stage debut as Laertes in Hamlet at the Betty Nansen Theater. His role in movie Nightwatch (1994) brought him fame in his native country. He later transitioned to United States film and television.
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Was under consideration to play the real life screenwriter Whitfield Cook in the Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren film "Hitchcock" (2012).
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