Bio
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is a Danish actor best known to international audiences for his starring role as Jaime Lannister in the medieval-fantasy television series Game of Thrones.
He was previously best known for his role as Detective John Amsterdam on the television drama series, New Amsterdam, in 2008.
Coster-Waldau is a graduate of the prestigious National Theatre School in his native Denmark. After leaving his handprint on the European film and television industry, he made his transition to American cinema.
In 2001, Coster-Waldau began his U.S. career with a starring role in Ridley Scott's critically acclaimed, multi-Academy-Award-winning Black Hawk Down. Next, he landed a lead role in Michael Apted's Enigma co-starring Kate Winslet, Dougray Scott and Saffron Burrows.
Scott brought Coster-Waldau back for his 2005 epic film Kingdom of Heaven starring Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson and Eva Green.
Additionally, Richard Loncraine, who first cast Coster-Waldau in his 2004 film Wimbledon alongside Paul Bettany and Kirsten Dunst, brought him back for Firewall, a thriller starring Harrison Ford.
Coster-Waldau's additional credits include leading roles in the films Night Watch; Vildspor (Wildshot), which he also co-wrote; Misery; Harbours; Foreign Fields; 24 Hours in the Life of a Woman; Rembrandt; and Manden Bag Dren.
Coster-Waldau lives in Denmark with his wife - actress and former Miss Greenland Nukâka Motzfeldt - and two daughters, Saffina and Philippa.