Nikolaj Coster-Waldau for Men's Health


Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who plays the evil knight Jaime Lannister on HBO medieval fantasy series, Games of Thrones, graces the cover of the May issue of Men’s Health. He is photographed by Nino Munoz.


Here is what the 42-year-old Game of Thrones actor had to share with Men's Health.
On why it took him so long to admit he wanted to act
I always wanted to be an actor, but I just never told anyone. I had this superstition that if I said it out loud, it wouldn’t come true.
On his favorite movie, Once Upon a Time in America
Here I was growing up in a tiny village in Denmark. And I’m identifying 100 percent with this gangster from New York. And I think how amazing would it be to explore human behavior in that same way.
On how he prepares to shoot a scene
You have to be sharp when the camera’s rolling. I want to be totally unselfconscious, like a child playing. I do as much prep as possible so I can lose myself for those seconds.

Men's Health editor Ben Court learns the basics of sword fighting from Nikolaj.