While multiple spin-offs of Game of Thrones have been released, none have quite matched the global phenomenon the original fantasy epic became. Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, best known for playing Jaime Lannister, tells Mumbai Mirror that he hasn’t really kept up with the new additions to the franchise. “No—and not out of spite, like, ‘oh no, I don’t want to watch it’,” he says. “I saw the trailer of House of the Dragon and I thought—it looks so similar to what I know, but it’s clearly the wrong people.” He adds, however, that one spin-off did catch his attention. “I saw the trailer of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and I thought that looked incredible. That looked really good because I sensed a great sense of humour. We had fun stuff in Game of Thrones. I’ll check that one out.” Ask him if he’s still in touch with his former co-stars, and he responds instantly, “I speak to Gwen—Gwendoline Christie—quite a bit. I write with Lena Headey sometimes. We all live in different parts of the world, but we’re always going to have a connection.” Beyond Westeros, Coster-Waldau has steadily carved out a diverse body of work across film and television, from dramas like Shot Caller and Against the Ice to character-driven roles that lean into his range beyond the sword-and-armor persona. More recently, he has turned to a different kind of storytelling with The Optimist’s Guide, a docu-series that sees him travel across the world exploring cultures, ideas, and what drives human optimism. The show offers a quieter, more reflective side to the actor—far removed from the political intrigue of Westeros—as he engages with real people and real stories, driven by curiosity rather than conflict.
