Nicolaj Coster Waldau on telling stories that matter and making a difference

Best known internationally for his iconic role as Jaime Lannister in HBO’s cult series Game of Thrones, Nicolaj Coster Waldau is currently on Nordic screens with Christoffer Boe’s A Taste of Hunger. His next English language feature projects are the survival drama Against the Ice by Peter Flinth, produced by Baltasar Kormákur’s RVK Studios for Netflix, and Nick Cassavetes’ action thriller God is a Bullet.

The Q&A conducted as a group interview was edited for clarity.

You’re working on many new projects. But how was it to say goodbye to Jaime Lannister?
NCW: It was absolutely fine. We came to the end of that story. I’m very grateful for the chance I had to play that character and the whole experience, but still, Jaime is not a real guy. It was more bittersweet to say goodbye to all the people that I worked with and spent time with. I saw a teaser to the new prequel to Games of Thrones [House of the Dragon]. It looks great! It will be a great addition to the world of Game of Thrones.

TV shows are in demand all over the world. Being a Danish national, do you feel you have a duty to be part of prominent stories from your country?
NCW: No. But what’s interesting is that before we used to think that for a show to travel, it had to be American. Then we found out that it was all about access. Now, because of streaming, one of the biggest shows is South Korean [Squid Game]. You have shows from Iceland, Germany, all over that people love, so that’s really positive.

Here at Canneseries, we watch series for around the world in competition. I’ve watched a show from Russia, which I had never done before. It might be banal, but it’s nice to be reminded that we do live in different cultures, circumstances. That the struggles we have in our lives are the same for people everywhere. We all share the human experience.

Could you tell us about your creative choices? What drives you?
NCW: It’s the same as always-great stories. I do enjoy developing, finding a great writer, a great book, going through the adaptation and original content. Together with Joe Derrick and our small company [Ill Kippers, Productions] we write together and are interested in dilemma that we face all the time. We ask ourselves: how do you take an original spin on something that we all deal with? Let’s take for instance, the opening of the film Marriage Story [by Noah Baumbach]-I felt that was an incredible piece of writing. It deals with a troubled relationship. But the way the characters describe what they love the most about each other is just beautiful.

One thing I’ve learnt is that you never know for sure what works or not. Game of Thrones is a good example. We hoped it would do something but did ‘t know for sure at the beginning. Then I’ve done films that I thought were great, but for questions of timing, whatever, they didn’t do as expected. In any case, you have to follow your instinct and your heart. I love my job. Whatever you do, you put your heart and soul into it, and then, you have to learn to let go.

I’ve also learnt not to rely on success or failure to build my happiness or self-esteem.

How do you alternate major English language-projects and projects you do in Scandinavia?
NCW: There is no real plan. The only time there was a conscious choice was after the final season of Game of Thrones. It was so big. I very much needed to do something small. It was called Suicide Tourist. It was a real arthouse movie that I enjoyed doing-then I did the documentary Through Greenland. Those two things cleansed my palate in a way. But generally speaking, I’m not very patient in terms of waiting for the next part to come.

Would you be interested in being more involved in Nordic films or TV shows and supporting local talent?
NCW: Of course. I don't think in terms of nationality. I'm just looking for great stories. I do love working at home for obvious reasons. So yes is the answer:)

How was your experience on Taste of Hunger?
NCW: We have amazing chefs in Copenhagen and I was lucky to spend some time with a couple of them. It’s a fascinating world. I can’t say I’m a great chef myself! But I’ve learnt to pretend.

You’re attached to Nick Cassavetes’s God is a Bullet? How did this project come your way?
NCW: I did a comedy movie with him ages ago, The Other Woman, and at the time Nick showed me the script. It’s a project we’ve wanted to do for a long time. We shot in Mexico and New Mexico and will continue a couple of days of shooting in December. It’s a dark epic story. My character is a cop, his daughter has been kidnapped and he has to find her. It was one of the most intense shoots I’ve ever experienced in my life. The character has to change himself to be able to pass not as a cop but as one of the people from the satanic cult he infiltrates. It is an intense, violent, and extreme story. Then we shot it in Mexico, where I had never been, during Covid.

What can you say about your first production under your production banner-the film Against the Ice produced by Iceland’s RVK Studios for Netflix, that you’ve adapted with Joe Derrick from a book by Danish explorer Ejnar Mikkelsen?
NCW: It’s a passion project, based on a true story [the 1909 Alabama expedition in North East of Greenland]. It’s an incredible story, which took a long time to develop. With my co-writer, [director] Peter Flinth, [producer] Baltasar Kormákur we’ve made this movie as authentic as possible, and shot it in the arctic in Iceland and Greenland. It’s about two men, faced with the fact that at the end of the day, nature is stronger than us. It’s very much about what makes us human. I’m very proud of it. It comes out in February via Netflix.

Can you tell us about your attachment to Greenland?
NCW: I love Greenland. I’ve been with my Greenlandic wife nearly 25 years and I have a big family there. When I was a kid, my father worked at an American air force there and it’s always been part of my life. We have a second home there. I’ve done two films there.

What do you think of the new generation who is so actively involved to protect our environment?
NCW: Climate change is finally on people’s agenda all over the world. We can see it. There seems to be a political will to take action. The youth has always stood up. But because of the web and social media, they have a bigger and stronger voice and more impact, which is fantastic.

When I was young, we always wanted to change the world, but having 100 people marching down versus 100 million on social media that’s a real voice to be reckoned with. I don’t want to oppose young vs older. We have all to take responsibility.

Are you still Goodwill ambassador to the UNDP (United Nations Development Programme), dedicated to raising awareness and support for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals
NCW: Yes. A lot of people ask me about the positive aspects of being in a show. But perhaps one of the biggest one's for me has been to be Goodwill ambassador for UNDP. I’ve been so lucky to travel around the world and meet passionate people, living under incredibly difficult circumstances, but trying to make the world a better place. It gives you hope.

I saw a survey recently, saying that more than 50% of 18-25 years-old think that human kind is doomed…that’s sad. We can take action and make a difference.