'Heart-throb? I don't think about it'
Game Of Thrones' Nikolaj Coster-Waldau says his wife is more bothered than he is over his female fan base
If there's one reason to watch the hit TV series Game Of Thrones (GOT), it's to have the baddest of the bad boys Jaime Lannister come into your living room once a week.
The knight of the Kingsguard is no hero, mind you.
He has killed and tortured, and had kids with his twin sister Queen Cersei (Lena Headey). He is then kidnapped and held in captivity. He has had his hand cut off, lost his daughter and talked about his terrible childhood.
To most (female) viewers, he is completely redeemable. And if not, there's that face.
Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, 45, has been famous in his native country for a long time, but like the rest of the cast he broke out internationally only with GOT. This, despite having played supporting roles in a few Hollywood movies.
The sixth season of the show is airing on HBO (StarHub Ch 601) on Mondays at 9pm.
ANTICIPATION
And what's interesting is that the storyline is now ahead of the books as writer George R. R. Martin hasn't caught up with the show, so no one knows what's going to happen.
The cast has been gagged from disclosing too many details about the new season but Coster-Waldau was happy to talk about his character.
"Jaime went to Dorne last season and had to bring back his dead daughter," he said.
"There was that brief, brief moment of joy where he finally told her, 'I am your father,' and her response was, 'I know and I am happy,' and he was like, 'Yay,' and then she died. Nothing lasts forever."
Then there was the rift with Cersei, the situation in King's Landing and the religious uprising to face off.
"They have one kid left, who happens to be the king. He is a teenager - not equipped to deal with that kind of pressure - and he is also in love, which is even harder," said Coster-Waldau.
His last movie, Gods Of Egypt, where he played blind god Horus who went up against Gerard Butler's evil usurper Set, was released in February.
Coster-Waldau said: "You never know. It's just that specific mix and chemistry with the people, the story and the timing.
"I had a fantastic time shooting it and obviously it would have been wonderful had it connected with a lot more people than it did.
"Thank God I am not a heart surgeon, so nobody got killed. The only bruises were maybe a bit of hurt pride somewhere but that we can deal with."
Coster-Waldau also downplays the whole heart-throb status thing and says his wife of 18 years - with whom he has two children - finds it more annoying than he does.
"I don't really deal with it and I don't know how to deal with it. I mean, I don't think about it. And I am old now," he said.
"It's got nothing to do with me. It's about the show and the success of the show rubs off on me.
"I think anyone else playing my character would have been in the same situation. It's a weird thing."
When asked how he would like to die on Game Of Thrones, should he die, he said: "Old age. That is the one I am hoping for.
"But I doubt that's going to happen.
"It would be nice, though, wouldn't it? I am sure Jaime is not going to make it to the end.
"I have been on the show for so long, I kind of want to hang on to the end and now you get curious to see what happens. But no, I wouldn't put money on it.
"You try to get storylines out of the writers and they are just not going to go there. I have tried everything but nothing can be done. Once you go, you go."
It's got nothing to do with me. It's about the show and the success of the show rubs off on me.
- Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
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