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In 2011, Peter Dinklage achieved mainstream success and fame on a global scale after starring in the first season of HBO’s Game of Thrones as Tyrion Lannister, the good-hearted and witty younger brother of the Lannister twins, Jaime and Cersei. Before doing GoT, Dinklage also had acting credits in several other successful projects, though he’d never done anything quite on the scale of this show before.
Now that GoT is over, Dinklage is taking his career in other directions. Playing Tyrion has been just once chapter—albeit, a very impactful chapter—of his impressive life as an actor. Check out these 10 crazy details you never knew about Peter Dinklage’s career.
He’s Dreamed Of Acting Since He Was Young
Some actors fall into their passion later in life. But for Peter Dinklage, this was a dream that had consumed him since he was a child. He was only in the fifth grade when he played his first lead role in a stage production of the Velveteen Rabbit. It was the audience’s positive response to his performance that evoked him to fall in love with his craft.
What gave him the final push to pursue a career in acting was the play True West. Dinklage continued to nurture his acting at the Catholic preparatory school that he attended.
He Got Knocked Back Many Times Before Finding Success
It’s true that some people seem to get lucky and find success instantly. But the majority of the time, even the most talented people deal with rejection and setbacks again and again and again before they finally get to where they want to be. Peter Dinklage falls into the latter.
In the early 1990s, Dinklage moved to New York City and tried to build his own theater company with a friend. But he was unable to pay the rent and so had to take another job to make ends meet.
Before He Was A Full-Time Actor, He Worked In Data Processing
Dinklage wasn’t able to make a living as an actor right off the bat. In fact, after he moved to New York City, he had to take a job in data processing. He worked at the company for six years before his career as an actor took off.
During the time he was working in data processing, it would have been easy to give up on his dreams of becoming an actor. But instead, he never gave up. Dinklage is a great example of how it’s never too late to chase after your dreams. You never know what could happen!
He Didn’t Want To Be Typecast As An Elf Or Leprechaun
Dinklage suffers from a genetic disorder known as achondroplasia, which is a form of dwarfism that gives him shorter than average limbs. Standing at 4 feet and 5 inches tall, Dinklage is the kind of actor that is usually sought out to play fantasy roles such as elves and leprechauns. But a serious, talented, and determined actor, Dinklage understandably didn’t want to be typecast this way, according to The New York Times.
This is one of the reasons why he originally struggled to find work in the entertainment industry. He did not want to take the roles that were offered to him and had to keep hustling until he was offered something that actually sat right with him.
He Appeared In The Movie Elf, But Didn’t Play An Elf
Before he starred as Tyrion Lannister in Game of Thrones and earned international fame, Dinklage appeared in the Christmas flick Elf. However, staying true to his desire to get away from the typical fantasy characters that actors with dwarfism are usually given, he did not actually play an elf.
Instead, Dinklage appears in the film as a children’s author who gets offended when Buddy Hobbs, played by Will Ferrell, mistakes him for an elf. Dinklage also appeared in several other successful films before signing onto GoT, including the British and American versions of Death at a Funeral.
Before Playing Tyrion, He’d Never Read George R.R. Martin’s Books
Playing Tyrion Lannister turned out to be a game-changer in Dinklage’s career, turning him from just another actor into a household name. But before playing Tyrion, Dinklage had no knowledge of the rich world George R.R. Martin had created with his A Song of Ice and Fire epic fantasy series, upon which the TV show is based.
The TV show did end up deviating quite a bit from the books, but it still would have been easier for Dinklage if he’d at least had some idea of what was going to be expected of him.
He Accepted The Role Almost Instantly
Even though Dinklage was unfamiliar with the source material, the producers wanted him for the part of Tyrion. At first, Dinklage was skeptical about signing on as he didn’t want to play elves, leprechauns, or other beings that are common in fantasy. When he found out Tyrion was a fleshed-out character with his own personality and values, he was convinced.
Before the first meeting had even concluded, Dinklage had a feel for the charismatic character of Tyrion Lannister and knew he wanted to accept the role, despite his earlier hesitations.
He Uses His Platform To Speak About Real Issues
Peter Dinklage isn’t what you’d call an outspoken activist, but he has used his platform to bring up important issues in the past. Notably, at the Golden Globes in 2012, Dinklage asked the audience to do a little research on a man called Martin Henderson while he was on stage accepting the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film.
Henderson suffered from dwarfism and was badly injured during a dwarf-tossing incident. Eventually, he passed away from his injuries. Dinklage succeeded in drawing attention to the sad situation.
He Thinks Oversharing Might Ruin His Work
Although Dinklage gives his fair share of interviews, he’s not exactly one for oversharing. In fact, he doesn’t partake in the social media tradition the way many of his fellow celebrities do because he believes that oversharing details from his life might have a negative impact on his work.
In an interview with Vulture, the actor said, “I worry about actors revealing what’s behind the curtain … It’s no one’s business. That’s my life. You lead yours.” He also explained that when fans don’t know much about an actor, it helps them to believe the performance they’re seeing.
He Likes To Take On Acting Projects That Are Controversial
As we’ve established, Peter Dinklage is not interested in taking on roles that are normally allocated to actors with dwarfism. Instead, he is passionate about taking on projects that are controversial. In the same interview with Vulture, he explained that, in addition to loving a great script, he is attracted to “works of art that divide people.”
“If everybody loves something, are you doing something right?” he said. And you could argue that, despite its popularity, Game of Thrones ended up being an extremely controversial show, dividing fans across the world.