Or, rather, the actor playing Jaime Lannister, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, doesn’t want to die. Because there’s been a weariness about Jaime this season, right? Up until the end of the last episode, that is. He seems wrung out. To me, in his eyes, he looks like he knows he’s not going to make it. He’s the one who’s openly carrying the grief of losing all of his children. Cersei won’t acknowledge it because she’s consumed by anger and revenge, but Jaime’s the one who’s really shouldering the pain for both of them. Which is why that was such a great scene in episode 5, when Cersei tells him her secret. Really well acted on his part. The flicker of excitement that he couldn’t contain. Then the way he subtly braced himself for what he thought would be her plan to name another father. And then …the relief and actual joy on his face when she said there would be no concealment. I mean it’s f-cked up, obviously. But also? Kind of understandable. Here’s a man who’s never been a real father to any of his kids. And couldn’t save any of his kids. And just came home from not being able to save his family’s army. And is constantly a f-cking letdown to his sister. Finally he thinks he gets to have a claim. This will probably be the claim that ruins him.
The question is… how long will be make it?
The Hollywood Reporter interviewed Nikolaj Coster-Waldau earlier this week about the most recent episode and working on the battle with Drogon and what it was like to shoot with Peter Dinklage again. It’s a great read for all the detail in what it’s like to be a part of that cast. My favourite is when he talks about getting his scripts and skipping to the end and going to the next one to see if he’ll survive – and how badly he wants to survive, or at least get to the first episode of the next season just so that he can be at the script read because he too, even though he’s on the show, wants to know what happens next.
Let me tell you what I hope will happen next: Jorah dies and becomes a zombie.
Here's Nikolaj at a screening of Shot Caller and at Extra yesterday in LA.
