“You want to be proud”: Even Tyrion Lannister Will Salute Peter Dinklage’s Ballsy Move That Could’ve Ended Acting Career Before ‘Game of Thrones’
- Even before 'Game of Thrones', Peter Dinklage rejected stereotypical roles for people with achondroplasia, prioritizing his principles over career.
- Dinklage's portrayal of Tyrion Lannister earned him recognition and redefined the concept of a leading man in Hollywood.
- Staying true to his principles, Dinklage continues to choose meaningful roles, with 2024 projects like 'Brothers'.
In the world of entertainment, actors and performers are often seen in real life based on the roles and characters they portray on screen. For Peter Dinklage, it is the way he portrayed the witty and complex Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones that made him synonymous with the character in real life as well.
The rise of the TV series changed audiences’ outlooks of leading characters. But when Dinklage was first trying to make it in the entertainment industry, opportunities were not like today. Many years before he became the beloved Lannister, Dinklage made a decision that could have risked his acting career.
Peter Dinklage Refused to Compromise to His Principles
Peter Dinklage faced the societal prejudices that come with achondroplasia, but he did not allow himself to be paralyzed by those limitations. Dinklage has always been brutally honest with how the industry looks at people of his size. This set the foundation for a career that would be built on breaking stereotypes.
However, during his early years of struggle, Dinklage took a risky decision that could have left him “eating canned soup for the rest of my life,” as he said during an interview with The Talks.
It’s tricky, but it’s important to say no – especially earlier in your career – because life is short and you want to be proud of things that you have done, not ashamed of them. I thought I was going to be eating canned soup for the rest of my life and I worked a variety of other jobs to supplement my income, but I’d rather be doing that than working on certain acting jobs.
I loved acting, so I didn’t want to tarnish it with bad experiences. You just want to feel comfortable with who you are at the end of the day, if you can. I was always attracted to great writing and storytelling and the stuff for people my size was limited.
It finally paid off and got him the role of Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones. The character also dismissed stereotypical heroism and male strength. He is powerful but not physically muscled. Talking about the impact of the rise of television and roles like Lannister, Dinklage told The Talks, “There is a different definition of the leading man now. It’s fantastic.”
His portrayal of Tyrion Lannister earned him four Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe award, which proves his principle has paid off well. To some extent, the character transformed into a message of deconstructing stereotypes and reconstructing the concept of what it means to be a leading man in Hollywood.
Peter Dinklage’s Continued Success and Future Projects
Dinklage’s path to success is very similar to Lannister’s story of not letting others’ perceptions define him, as the actor says during the interview, “My size does not define me. It’s just part of who I am.”
2024 is shaping up as quite a year for Peter Dinklage already. He has appeared in 3 films so far. From a cameo role in Unfrosted to producing and staring in The Thicket and Brothers, he still opts for roles that align with his principles.
Brothers, his recent comedy with Josh Brolin shows how his approach has evolved with time. The movie has Dinklage as Jady Munger. Brolin plays his twin named Moke. The two actors showed perfect chemistry as criminal brothers, which made the movie one of the year’s best underrated comedies.
The movie is about the brothers’ journey, family drama, legal troubles, and a dangerous heist. Dinklage’s role as Jady is impressive, as it shows the way the actor easily transitioned from drama to comedy. Brothers, which got a limited theatrical release, has been creating a buzz lately through word of mouth.
Loyalty to authenticity and quality storytelling shaped Dinklage’s career. Up next, Dinklage will be seen in Wicked in the role of Doctor Dillamond the goat. According to Deadline, the actor was also recently cast alongside Channing Tatum in Miramax’s crime movie Roofman.
Game of Thrones is available to stream on Max.
Brothers is available to stream on Prime Video.
