Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Danish pronunciation: [neɡolaj kʌsdɐ ˈvaldɑw] a Danish actor, producer, and screenwriter born on 27 July 1970. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau had graduated from the Danish National School of Theatre in Copenhagen in 1993. Coster-Waldau’s role in the film ‘Nightwatch’ (1994) in Denmark was his breakthrough performance. Even more, Coster-Waldau has appeared in numerous films in his native Scandinavia and Europe in general, including Headhunters (2011) and A Thousand Times Good Night (2013).
In the United States, he debuts his role in the war film ‘Black Hawk Down’ (2001), where he portrayed as Medal of Honor recipient Gary Gordon. Later, Coster-Waldau played the role of Detective John Amsterdam in the short-lived Fox television series ‘New Amsterdam’ (2008). Similarly, Coster-Waldau appeared as Frank Pike in the 2009 Fox television film ‘Virtuality,’ intended initially as a pilot.
Coster-Waldau is widely known for his role as Ser Jaime Lannister in the HBO series ‘Game of Thrones.’ so he received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2018.
Height
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) tall.
Early life
Coster-Waldau was born in Rudkøbing, Denmark. His father’s name is Hanne Søborg Coster, a librarian. His mother’s name is Jørgen Oscar Fritzer Waldau, who died in 1998.
Coster-Waldau has spoken in interviews about his father’s problems with alcohol. Moreover, he has also talked about his parents’ divorce.
Coster-Waldau’s mother raised him, and he has two older sisters. He grew up in Tybjerg, a small village between Ringsted and Næstved in southern Zealand.
When Coster-Waldau enter the Danish National School of Theatre and Contemporary Dance (Danish: Statens Teaterskole), he was the youngest actor there, where he educated from 1989 to 1993.
Career
Early career and breakthrough (1993–2000)
Coster-Waldau made his stage debut by portraying the role of Laertes in ‘Hamlet’ at the Betty Nansen Theater. Most importantly, His role in the film ‘Nightwatch’ (1994) gave him fame in his own country.
Coster-Waldau then went on to play in Simon Staho’s ‘Wildside’ (1998). He has also co-written and starred in Danish films such as ‘Misery Harbour’ (1999).
Later, Coster-Waldau made his British début together with Clive Owen, Jude Law, and Mick Jagger in ‘Bent.’
Transition to the United States film and television (2001–2010)
Coster-Waldau began his U.S. career in 2001, in Ridley Scott’s ‘Black Hawk Down’ as Medal of Honor recipient Gary Gordon. Waldau said that his first U.S. movie was ‘Black Hawk Down,’ and a friend helped him put himself on tape up on the attic over his apartment in Copenhagen.
More importantly, Coster-Waldau next landed a lead role in Michael Apted’s Enigma. He also appeared as a villain in the action film ‘My Name is Modesty’, which is based upon the Modesty Blaise comic strip.
Furthermore, Coster-Waldau was made to be back for his 2005 film ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ by Scott brought. Richard Loncraine cast him in ‘Firewall’ in 2006.
In 2007, Coster-Waldau played as John Amsterdam in the short-lived Fox TV drama series ‘New Amsterdam.’ He played an immortal New York homicide detective who will become mortal after he finds his true love. As a result of filming the same series’ pilot, Coster-Waldau received his Screen Actors Guild card.
Later, he was recalled in a 2015 interview in ‘TV Guide’ where he said, “Finally getting my SAG card was huge for me…I got so excited I went straight to the SAG online shop and bought four mugs with the SAG logo. I still have those mugs!”
Average and critical success (2011–present)
Since April 2011, Coster-Waldau has played the role of Jaime Lannister on HBO’s hit series ‘Game of Thrones, ’ which is based on George R. R. Martin’s best-selling ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ fantasy novel series.
Coster-Waldau has commented about the character “What’s not to like about Jaime? As an actor, I couldn’t ask for a better role”. He has received several awards nominations for his role as Jaime Lannister, including a ‘Critics’ Choice Television Award,’ a ‘Saturn Award,’ and ‘People’s Choice Awards’ nominations.
In 2011, Coster-Waldau starred together with Sam Shepard in Mateo Gil’s feature ‘Blackthorn.’ The movie was premiered in Tribeca Film Festival.
The same year he appeared in Morten Tyldum’s ‘Headhunters.’ The film earned the highest-grossing Norwegian film of all-time. The film received very positive reviews, including a ‘BAFTA Award’ nomination for Best Foreign Film.
In 2013, Coster-Waldau appeared in a horror film ‘Mama’ alongside Jessica Chastain, which debuted at number one in the US box office. The film grossed over $140 million worldwide.
Later, Coster-Waldau went on to play Sykes, a military weapons expert in the science fiction action thriller film ‘Oblivion.’
The same year he worked in ‘A Thousand Times Good Night’ by Erik Poppe, co-starred with Juliette Binoche.
In 2014, he appeared as Andreas; a police officer forced to make a difficult choice in Susanne Bier’s Danish thriller ‘A Second Chance.’ Moreover, In 2016, Coster-Waldau worked as Horus in the action-fantasy film ‘Gods of Egypt.’
In early 2017, he appeared in E.L. Katz’s dark comedy ‘Small Crimes.’ The film was premiered at South by Southwest film festival on 11 March 2017. The movie received positive reviews.
Coster-Waldau has worked in the Danish film 3 Things. It is a thriller movie which is about a prime suspect of a bank robbery who negotiates the terms of his witness protection deal.
He also appeared in Roman Waugh’s prison film ‘Shot Caller,’ which premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival on 16 June 2017.
Coster-Waldau has been named ‘L’Oréal Paris’s new global spokesperson’ for their Men Expert’s series since January 2018.
Personal Life
Coster-Waldau married Nukâka, who is a Greenlandic actress and singer. They married in 1998, and they live in Kongens Lyngby with their two daughters as well as two dogs.
Josef Motzfeldt is the father-in-law of Coster-Waldau. He used to be a member of the Parliament of Greenland and former leader of the Community of the People party. Furthermore, a supporter of the English football club ‘Leeds United’ and he is also a member of the Leeds United Supporters’ Trust.
Coster-Waldau has signed on to narrate one of the fairytales for GivingTales in September 2017. It is the celebrity storytelling app for children and adults alike.
Upcoming stories
By the end of 2019, Coster-Waldau is set as the star in a Thriller movie The Silencing directed by Robin Pront and Suicide Tourist by Jonas Alexander Arnby. Moreover, he is filmed in secret the upcoming movies Notat based on events surrounding the 2015 Copenhagen shootings.
In late 2019, he will portray Macbeth in a production of Shakespeare’s tragedy directed by Matt Shakman.
Official sites
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau seems to be active only in twitter:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nikolajcw
News
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau has promised a satisfying Games of Thrones Finale, a report says. However, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who has been playing the role of Jaime Lannister on the ‘Games of Thrones,’ has gone on record to promise us that whatever ends up happening, viewers will ultimately be left satisfied, with all the pieces fitting into the puzzle nicely.
Trivia
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau got his acting education at Statens Teaterskole.
Coster-Waldau’s wife is Nukâka. They have two daughters, whose name is Saffina and Philippa.
Coster-Waldau is a friend of Danish painter Thomas Kluge. However, Coster-Waldau was under consideration to play the real-life screenwriter Whitfield Cook in the Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren film ‘Hitchcock.’
Coster-Waldau got his education at the National Theater School in Denmark from 1989 to 1993. He made his stage debut as Laertes in Hamlet, which was played at the Betty Nansen Theater.
Coster-Waldau earned fame due to his role in the movie ‘Nightwatch’ in his native country. Later he transitioned to United States film and television.
Coster-Waldau began his U.S. career in Ridley Scott’s ‘Black Hawk Down’ (2001) in 2001. He played as Medal of Honor recipient Gary Gordon.
Coster-Waldau ‘s native language is Danish but he can also speak fluent English and German.
Coster-Waldau has played two roles as American convicts in the films ‘Shot Caller’ and ‘Small Town Crime,’ which came out in 2017.