NIKOLAJ COSTER-WALDAU
Date of Birth: July 27, 1970
Despite enjoying critically-successful career, Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is only now getting the public recognition he deserves.
Coster-Waldau began his career as Laertes in Hamlet at the Betty Nansen Theater shortly after graduating from Denmark’s National Theatre School. He became a household name in his native country with his portrayal of a student night watchman in the critically-acclaimed feature film Nightwatch.
His North American success began when he was cast in Ridley Scott’s war drama Black Hawk Down , which also starred Josh Hartnett, Eric Bana and Ewan Mcgregor. He was handpicked by Scott again for the epic action movie Kingdom of Heaven starring Orlando Bloom and Eva Green.
Coster-Waldau was a favorite for director Richard Loncraine as well, who cast him first in his romantic comedy, Wimbledon, and then again in the thriller, Firewall, both of which also starred Paul Bettany.
Additionally, Coster-Waldau has starred alongside Kate Winslet in Enigma about code breakers in World War II, was the lead in the cancelled Fox drama New Amsterdam about an immortal New York homicide detective and plays Jaime Lannister in the hit HBO drama Game of Thrones.
He stars as Sykes, a military weapons expert, in the science fiction action film, Oblivion, starring Tom Cruise and as Lucas/Jeffrey in the suspense thriller, Mama (2013). He starred in The Other Woman (2014) and more recently, in Gods of Egypt (2016).
A talented and versatile actor, Coster-Waldau is also an accomplished writer and director of films in Denmark and is the Executive Vice President of Hemmingsen Entertainment Corporation and its affiliate Hemmingsen Creek Productions.
In 2011 he was ranked #85 on BuddyTV’s list of the year’s sexiest men. He lives in Denmark with his wife, actress and former Miss Greenland, Nukâka Motzfeldt, and their two daughters Saffina and Phillipa.
Filmography:
Gods of Egypt (2016)