Unlike most actors from Game of Thrones who found success after the show ended, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau was already internationally well-known. By the time Game of Thrones entered his life in 2009, the Danish actor had already built a steady international career, appearing in projects such as Kingdom of Heaven and collaborating with director Ridley Scott.
Yet even with those credits to his name, he found himself at a professional crossroads. A major rejection had left him disheartened, questioning what might come next. Then came a phone call about a new HBO pilot.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau expected a gangster show from HBO
Credits: HBO
Back then, shows like The Sopranos and Breaking Bad were making all the right buzz. So, when HBO reached out to Waldau for a pilot, he thought the show would be another crime drama with gangsters and mafia wreaking havoc. Sharing the experience of how he came to be a part of one of the biggest shows in the world, the actor shared,
“Game Of Thrones came into my life after I’d had a major rejection and was so bummed. Then the pitch mentioned dragons and I was like, ‘Jesus Christ, no gangsters?’”
What changed his mind was the character. Jaime Lannister, as introduced in the pilot episode, was hardly designed as a quintessential hero. “He’s a dark, twisted and arrogant tw*t who is having sex with his sister, then tries to kill a little boy,” Coster-Waldau says bluntly. “What a great way to start a character.”
It was a bold entry point, to say the least. In the very first episode, Jaime pushes young Bran Stark from a tower window to protect his incestuous relationship with his twin sister, Cersei. It is a shocking moment that defined the ruthless moral landscape of the series, and prepared the audience to always expect the unexpected. What’s more, Jaime’s character had a lot of growing to do over the course of eight seasons. Not just his redemption arc, but his journey helped shape the lives of everyone he met along the way.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau realized the potential of Game of Thrones at Comic-Con
Credits: HBO
After a series of auditions, he secured the role, unaware of just how seismic the show’s impact would become. The scale of its popularity hit home during an early cast appearance at San Diego Comic-Con. Waldau shared,
“When the cast and I went to Comic-Con in San Diego for a panel and walked out to a room of thousands of screaming people, I knew this was special.”
What began as a risky fantasy pilot quickly evolved into a global phenomenon, redefining television storytelling and launching its cast into international stardom.
For Coster-Waldau, Jaime Lannister began as television’s ultimate villain. But after 8 years of understanding and living with that character, he helped shape one of the greatest character arcs of all time.
Read More: “I was a massive, huge fan”: Peter Claffey on joining the Game of Thrones universe
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