Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
(46 years)
(46 years)
27 July 1970
Rudkøbing, Denmark
6' 1½" (1.87 m)
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau was born on July 27, 1970 in Rudkøbing, Denmark.
Trivia*
He got his acting education at Statens Teaterskole.Has two children, with wife Nukâka, daughters named Saffina and Philippa.
Friend of Danish painter Thomas Kluge.
Was under consideration to play the real life screenwriter Whitfield Cook in the Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren film "Hitchcock" (2012).
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.
In 2001, he began his U.S. career in Ridley Scott's Black Hawk derribado (2001) as Medal of Honor recipient Gary Gordon.
Personal Quotes*
[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.
[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.
I know nothing more annoying when people I don't know jump to conclusions on my person based on nothing but gossip or speculation.
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.
I like to wear beautiful clothes, but I don't have that many.
What I love about acting is that you are exposed to so many different things. Horse-riding, sailing, travelling to amazing places.
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.
Ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to be an actor.
A villain to me is someone who actively seeks to hurt someone or does things for his own gain.
All actors tend to be the same messed-up people.
As an actor, secrets and obstacles fuel the character.
I think we all have the capacity of evil in us.
I like to be comfortable.
I love political dramas. I love good story-telling.
I'm a fan of great storytelling.
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.
I try not to regret too much. I find that feeling guilty takes up so much of my time already.
I've never understood why you would turn down a great role.
If you look at most of the Royal Houses in Europe, the inbreeding was pretty outstanding.
Most female actresses will have a very difficult time being made unattractive.
One thing George R. R. Martin does is surprising things to main characters. But he says so himself.
It's beautiful being out in the wild.
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.
You always dream of being part of a show that reaches and thrills an audience.
When I was a kid I was always afraid of small dogs, because they always seemed like the ones that would attack.
There's something liberating about watching someone not following the rules.
The more secrets and twists in a character, the better.
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.
[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.
I know nothing more annoying when people I don't know jump to conclusions on my person based on nothing but gossip or speculation.
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.
I like to wear beautiful clothes, but I don't have that many.
What I love about acting is that you are exposed to so many different things. Horse-riding, sailing, travelling to amazing places.
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.
Ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to be an actor.
A villain to me is someone who actively seeks to hurt someone or does things for his own gain.
All actors tend to be the same messed-up people.
As an actor, secrets and obstacles fuel the character.
I think we all have the capacity of evil in us.
I like to be comfortable.
I love political dramas. I love good story-telling.
I'm a fan of great storytelling.
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.
I try not to regret too much. I find that feeling guilty takes up so much of my time already.
I've never understood why you would turn down a great role.
If you look at most of the Royal Houses in Europe, the inbreeding was pretty outstanding.
Most female actresses will have a very difficult time being made unattractive.
One thing George R. R. Martin does is surprising things to main characters. But he says so himself.
It's beautiful being out in the wild.
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.
You always dream of being part of a show that reaches and thrills an audience.
When I was a kid I was always afraid of small dogs, because they always seemed like the ones that would attack.
There's something liberating about watching someone not following the rules.
The more secrets and twists in a character, the better.
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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