"Prince Charming"

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is "Prince Charming." That's the first thought that occurs to you when you see Jaime Lannister in season 1 of Game of Thrones. Throughout the season you can't get rid of this annoying idea when you see his charismatic smile  that resembles "Schrek 2" character. The way he pushes the kid from the rock saying "The things I do for love..." twists and turns you upside down. It's immediate disgust with the Kingslayer's cynicism and arrogance that make the character unfortunately quite one-sided. Afterwards you may see that evil is evil, good is good. Well isn't that all too simple for a highly acclaimed "Ice and Fire" series? Certainly not.

Mr. Coster-Waldau's character is more than just a handsome man who can fight, court women (only one actually) and speak to the rest of them as if they all were earth worms regardless of their nobility. In fact, he may find it a hard task to portray a rather complex character revealed in later books. Who are we about to see? That's not a spoiler, not at all... We shall see a compasionate (oh, yes!) Jaime, a Kingslayer who disregards a lifetime oath punishable by death for love of a family, a Kingsguard who betrays laws for love of a little brother hated by everyone, a warrior who still dreams, a traitor (blast from the past), a simple man who would risk his life for someone other people would never risk lives, a man eaten alive for things he does and things he's done... In the end "the things I do for Love" may not sound as cynical as you would think.

I've seen Coster-Waldau in "Headhunters," and I truly believe that his stardom is yet to come for this Danish actor has a lot of talent unexplored, unrevealed. His Jaime is just like that. More surprise is to come while your hatred may fill with more understanding of the hard choices he had to make in his life.

That's what makes "Ice and Fire" so special. I wish Nicolaj all the best in that quite daunting task to show how colourfull his character is. The tough thing is you have to wait a lot if you want to see it onscreen, because it won't be in season 2, but much later, season 3-4, or read a book. Nevertheless Jaime will attract a lot of attention onscreen and you will not regret it.

pic from: http://www.radiatorfilm.com