Best known from arguably one of HBO’s greatest TV shows of all time, Game of Thrones, two-time Primetime Emmy nominee for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nikolaj Coster-Waldau has turned in his fair share of amazing performances over the years. With roles ranging from action to fantasy and horror, Coster-Waldau certainly has gained quite the following over the years. In his latest film, the Netflix Original Against the Ice, which has received mixed reviews from fans, Coster-Waldau faced the icy tundra of Greenland.
After losing the lead role in The Last of Us to Game of Thrones co-star, Pedro Pascal, fans were disappointed to see that Coster-Waldau would not play Joel in the upcoming movie adaptation. As we await his upcoming filmGod Is a Bullet, let’s refresh our memories on Coster-Waldau’s diverse filmography. Here is a list of his best performances to date.
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7 Mama
Universal Pictures
Coster-Waldau certainly knows how to perform in action and drama roles, but in addition to these kinds of films, Coster-Waldau has also starred in a few horror and thriller genre films. In the 2013 supernatural horror Mama, Coster-Waldau plays alongside Jessica Chastain as the adoptive parents to their two nieces. The nieces were left stranded in the woods for the last five years after their father suffered a psychotic breakdown, killed his co-workers and wife, and then stole his children, hiding them in a cabin in the woods. Over time, the couple starts to suspect that a supernatural spirit named Mama has latched onto their family and has been with the girls in the woods the whole time.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
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MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
6 Against the Ice
Netflix
Coster-Waldau’s most recent role takes him back in time to a newly discovered Greenland. Based on a true story, Coster-Waldau plays explorer Ejnar Mikkelsen who played a part in proving that Greenland was one piece of land and not part of Peary Land as claimed by the Americans. Mikkelsen and mechanic Iver Iverson went on an expedition further into the country to find this proof left by a past explorer who passed away. By the time the two make it back to their boat, they find that the crew has left them. It turns out that ice crushed the boat which froze over the seasons. The additional crew was picked up by a whaler and left behind a year’s worth of food and hut put together by the salvaged wood from the boat. The two remaining explorers survive for nearly three years until they are rescued by some of the original crew.
5 Shot Caller
Bold Films
Shot Caller features a transformed Coster-Waldau, which includes a horseshoe mustache, tattoos, and slicked-back hair. Ironically, the film’s plot also centers around a transformed character. In the film, Coster-Waldau starts out as Jacob, a successful white-collar businessman who is happily married and with a family. After a catastrophic event, Jacob lands in jail, where he is forced to adapt to survive. In jail, he joins a gang in which he earns the nickname “Money” and eventually rises to second-in-command after committing a series of crimes that turns his 16-month sentence into seven years. Once he is released, his prison life follows him and Money/Jacob finds himself fighting to survive and protect the ones he loves.
4 The Silencing
Saban Capital Group
On the other end of the horror spectrum are thrillers, a genre that Coster-Waldau has also expertly starred in. The Silencing is an intense and suspenseful mystery that uses a hunter to catch a killer. After the disappearance of his teenage daughter years ago, Rayburn, played by Coster-Waldau, is living in isolation in a wildlife sanctuary when he becomes involved in a game of cat and mouse. He and the sheriff set out to track a serial killer who may have kidnaped his daughter those years ago. This slightly slower-paced film showcases Coster-Waldau as a guilt-ridden father who refuses to accept that his daughter is dead. It’s this drive that helps push the movie forward and keep the tension high.
3 Oblivion
Univeral Pictures
Coster-Waldau plays a supporting role in the 2013 film Oblivion, starring Tom Cruise. Cruise plays Jack Harper, a drone technician and one of the last remaining people on Earth after aliens invaded and destroyed it. Coster-Waldau plays Sykes, a weapon expert and not all that fond of Cruise’s character. This sci-fi film is 100% a Tom Cruise Movie with the star taking up almost 100% of the film’s screen time. While we would have loved to have seen more of Coster-Waldau in this film, his few scenes helped add tension between himself and the main character.
2 Headhunters
Nordisk Films
In the Norwegian action-thriller Headhunters, based on a novel by Jo Nesbø, Coster-Waldau plays Clas Greve, a former CEO of a GPS company and the owner of a famous painting worth millions. The film’s plot centers around the painting and how the main character will stop at nothing to obtain it. The film is spoken entirely in Norwegian and Danish and has received a number of accolades, including a BAFTA nomination for Best Film Not in the English Language. Coster-Waldau was in fact born in Denmark, so his knowledge of the Danish language was put to great use in this film.
1 Game of Thrones
HBO
Coster-Waldau’s role in the HBO series Game of Thrones is arguably some of his best acting work to date. He plays Jamie Lannister, also known as the Kingslayer for his hand in slaying a previous corrupt king. Throughout the eight seasons, his character goes through one of the better character arcs. His first introduction highlights his incestuous relationship with his sister and how he will do anything for her — including pushing a kid out of a window. As the seasons progress, however, Jamie’s character lightens a little the longer he is away from his sister. He is a great fighter and tries to be a good man to his friends and to the people he loves. In the series, Coster-Waldau shows us his full range of emotions from vulnerability to love and betrayal. The actor has a few upcoming productions, but it will be hard for him to top his two-time Emmy nominations for his role in GOT.
