Alessandro Safina: “In Italy I have a wife, but in Russia I am single!”

Biography of Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is one of the most famous Danish actors, in demand on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. His sparkling acting, excellent command of foreign languages ​​and attractive appearance brought him worldwide fame. All these qualities came together in the role of Jaime Lannister from the Game of Thrones series.

The pride of Danish cinema – Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Awards and nominations

Childhood and youth

The small Danish village of Rudkobing, the existence of which not all residents of Denmark know, is notable for two names: the famous physicist Hans Oersted was born here in the 18th century, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, one of the best Danish actors of our time, was born here in 1970.

Young Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Even in adolescence, Nikolai’s parents, who rightly judged that their family had nothing to do in their “small homeland,” moved to the capital Copenhagen, where their only son underwent his professional development.

It is quite remarkable that Nikolai began his long journey to the heights of cinema with... athletics. Even at a young age, he achieved good success in this area. As the actor himself admitted, he always dreamed of the “big screen” (although he kept his desires secret from everyone), and therefore went in for sports in order to feel confident and relaxed when the time came to appear on the theater stage or in front of cameramen.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau was an excellent athlete

Of course, sports activities alone were not enough for success in this field. Realizing this, Coster-Waldau intensively prepared to enter the Copenhagen Theater School. In 1989, he successfully passed the entrance exams and began to learn the basics of acting.

Carier start. Unexpected success

Nikolai performed his first role (Laertes in Shakespeare's Hamlet) while still a student at the Copenhagen Theater School, on the stage of the Betty Nansen Theater. Subsequently, he repeatedly appeared in front of the filled auditorium of this institution, quickly taking a place in the central composition of the troupe.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau began his career in theater

In 1993, he graduated from school and intended to continue his theatrical career, but in 1994, famous Danish producers noticed him and invited him to the casting of the film “The Night Watchman,” however, without making any promises. Nikolai agreed, and the actor’s instincts did not let him down - he turned out to be exactly what the film crew was looking for. Acting contrary to all the unspoken norms of cinema, the producers of the film immediately offered Coster-Waldau the main role in the film.

Film debut of Nikolai Waldau (film “The Night Watchman”)

Unexpectedly for the creators themselves, the low-budget thriller collected a good box office at the worldwide box office and brought the aspiring actor Coster-Waldau fame outside his native country. In 1997, the director of the film, Ole Bordenal, signed a contract with a major American film studio and, together with Steven Soderbergh, released a Hollywood remake. Scottish actor Ewan McGregor took up the baton from Nicholas.

After The Night Watchman, Nikolai Waldau was invited to Hollywood

Simultaneously with the release of the remake, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau was invited to film the Japanese-British drama “Addiction,” which tells the story of the life of sexual minorities in a German concentration camp. The collaboration with the film’s director, Sean Mathias, turned out to be successful: while working on the project, Nikolai became friends with Mick Jagger and Clive Owen, and the film received a prize at the Cannes Film Festival in the Foreign Film category.

Still from the film “Inclination” with Nikolai Waldau

In 2001, Nikolai was noticed by the legendary Hollywood director Ridley Scott, who had just begun work on the film “Black Hawk Down.” The plot centered on the characters of Ewan McGregor and Josh Hartnett, while Waldau brilliantly played Sergeant Gary Gordon. Although this was a supporting role, he established himself as an actor worthy of his colleagues on the set, among whom were recognized masters (Orlando Bloom and Ewan Bremner) and emerging talents, such as Tom Hardy, for whom this film became debut.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in Ridley Scott's Black Hawk Down

In 2005, Coster-Waldau again agreed to collaborate with Ridley Scott. This time, the director’s plans included creating an epic historical action film under the working title “Kingdom of Heaven.” Viewers saw a handsome man with a courageous Nordic appearance not in the company of the crusader Orlando Bloom or Queen Sibyl - Eva Green; he appeared in the image of the sheriff of the village, a cameo role, but memorable. Interview with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau: visiting Jimmy Kimmel For the next five years, the actor starred a lot in films in his homeland, and also appeared in several projects by American directors, among which, however, critics noted only the main role in the TV series “Immortal”, where Waldau played 400-year-old New York detective John Amsterdam.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as the immortal John Amsterdam

Jaime Lannister and Game of Thrones

On August 20, 2009, fans of the fantasy novel series “A Song of Ice and Fire” learned information that had been worrying them for a long time: the directors of the upcoming film adaptation announced the names of the key actors. The role of Daenerys Targaryen went to young Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage was cast as the “half-husband” Tyrion Lannister, and his older brother, the knight of the royal guard Jaime Lannister, was to be played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau on “Game of Thrones” The actor’s character, a tall, muscular blond, an unsurpassed swordsman who effortlessly knocks out any opponent, an arrogant heir to an aristocratic family, at first glance seemed one-sided and predictable to the audience. But with each season - largely thanks to Waldau's acting talent - the sympathies of an increasing number of fans of the series began to side with Jaime.

Jaime Lannister – Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

He has repeatedly won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Cast in a Drama Series (together with Lena Headey, Sean Bean, Kit Harington and other actors from the acclaimed film adaptation). In 2014, Waldau was nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Television Series, but the jury awarded the win to Aaron Paul for his role as Jesse Pinkman from the drama Breaking Bad.

Ser Jaime is not as simple as it seems at first glance

In 2013, three full-length films starring Coster-Waldau were released: the international family drama A Thousand Times Good Night, the horror film Mama, and the space action film Oblivion. World premiere: Oblivion with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Joseph Kosinski's Oblivion, which grossed more than $250 million worldwide, turned out to be an outstanding film. The partner of Tom Cruise, who played the main role of retired infantryman Jack Harper, was the Ukrainian-French actress Olga Kurylenko - their performance kept the audience in suspense until the last minute. Waldau got the small but charismatic role of the brutal warrior Sykes.

Filmography

Actor

Personal life of Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Despite his expressive appearance, which often gave rise to rumors about the actor’s stormy personal life, Nikolai remained faithful to one single woman for many years - his wife, a model with the unusual name for a Russian-speaking person, Nukaka Motzefeld.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau with his wife in a cozy home environment

Coster-Waldau's wife comes from a family of Greenlandic Eskimos. She was not only a popular model on the ice island (Nukaka is a former Miss Greenland), but also a jazz performer and actress. Viewers could see her in the film “Lost,” released in 1998, in tandem with Nikolai. However, they did not meet on the set, as one might think.

Nukaki and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau's marriage is unshakable

The couple remembers not only the exact date, but also the time of their first meeting: half past nine in the morning, March 17, 1997. Invited to record a radio play, Nikolai sat in the studio and waited for the girl who was supposed to voice the main role. She was late, and Waldau was already beginning to lose his temper, when suddenly a charming brunette with slanting brown eyes entered the studio. As the actor admitted, Nukaka seemed to bewitch him from the first moment, and since then, every minute spent apart from his beloved was torture for him.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau with his wife and children

In the marriage, Nikolai Coster-Waldau had two children: daughters Philippa and Saffina. The eldest decided to follow in her father’s footsteps, making her debut at the age of 14 in the short film “The Girl and the Dog.”

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and his daughters

The impressive fee for “Game of Thrones” allowed the couple to restore the Waldau family nest – a cozy 19th century mansion – and move there with their daughters and two dogs.

Nikolai Waldau - a loving father and an exemplary family man

Social activity

Currently, the Coster-Waldau family lives in Denmark and is actively involved in social activities. Thus, Nikolai has been supporting the Danish Red Cross since 2003, and Nukaka actively defends the Greenlandic Eskimos, whom many Danish residents are unkind to.

Since September 2020, Nikolaj Coster Waldau has been a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Program and has been leading the fight against poverty, inequality and climate change. The last point is especially important for Nikolai and his family, because they are residents of a unique climatic zone, which in modern times is at risk. In 2017, Nikolai worked with Google to raise awareness and document global warming in Greenland.

View gallery

Also in 2020, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and his family (with his wife and children) were engaged in activities aimed at empowering Kenyan women. They asked Kenyan fathers to stop controlling the freedom of their wives and daughters, and also called for restrictions on child marriage, which is common in African countries.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau now

In January 2020, the world premiere of the science fiction film “Gods of Egypt” took place. Waldau took pride of place in the pantheon of ancient Egyptian deities, playing the god Horus, son of Osiris (Bryan Brown) and nephew of the evil Set (Gerard Butler).

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as the god Horus

In April 2020, the final, eighth season of Game of Thrones with the participation of Nikolaj Coster-Waldau premiered on HBO. His hero Jaime is one of the few surviving key characters from the saga.

Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones season 8