Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
A Danish actor who transformed a charming, morally complex swordsman into one of television's most compelling and unexpectedly human anti-heroes.
Born 1970 (age 56)·Danish actor·Birthday: July 27·Generation X
Biography
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau spent years as a respected actor in Danish film and theatre before a role in a global phenomenon redefined his career. His portrayal of Jaime Lannister in 'Game of Thrones' was a masterclass in nuance, taking a character introduced as a villain and gradually revealing layers of honor, trauma, and tragic love. Coster-Waldau’s performance made Jaime's journey from kingslayer to redeemed knight the emotional backbone of the series' middle seasons. Before Westeros, he had built a solid foundation in European cinema, including the original Danish film 'Nightwatch.' Since the show's end, he has chosen eclectic projects, from survival thrillers to domestic dramas, avoiding typecasting and leveraging his fame to produce and star in films that explore very different, often grounded, human conflicts.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Nikolaj was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nikolaj Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Nikolaj's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed Jaime Lannister across all eight seasons of HBO's 'Game of Thrones,' receiving two Primetime Emmy nominations.
- Starred in the Danish film 'A Second Chance' (2014), a critically acclaimed domestic thriller.
- Served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), focusing on climate change and inequality.
- Produced and starred in the film 'The Silencing' (2020), a thriller set in the remote wilderness.
Did You Know?
He is a skilled football (soccer) player and co-owns a minority stake in the Danish club BK Frem.
He and his wife, singer Nukâka Coster-Waldau, have two daughters.
He graduated from the Danish National School of Performing Arts in 1993.
He is an advocate for environmental causes and sustainable development.
“The only thing that’s interesting is change. Stagnation is death.”
