Jaime Lannister is a romantic

The season finale of Game of Thrones last year showed Jamie Lannister having some of the worst days of his life. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime had just set sail from Dorne, accompanied by Myrcella, one of the three children he had thanks to an incestuous relationship with his sister Cersei, portrayed by Lena Headey. After a rare tender moment between father and daughter, Myrcella died in Jaime’s arms, poisoned by a Lannister foe.

Even as the latest episode of Game of Throne’s sixth season premiered, Nikolaj explained to Late Show host Stephen Colbert that he doesn’t categorise Jaime as a completely good guy or a bad one. “I don’t think he is either or”. He explains this further, “What’s interesting about Jamie is the first time we see him, he has this very intimate relation with his sister and then this kid comes in and he pushes him out the window while he says ‘The things I do for love’ which I found was really interesting and I was like wow that’s sold, its beyond dark.”

Nikolaj talks further about the consequences of Jaime pushing Bran Stark, the son of Ned Stark, out of a tower window. “But then later you find out, well he tried to kill this kid. You shouldn’t do that. But what if the choice is either I kill this kid or my own kids die. Then suddenly it’s not easy anymore and that’s probably why he did it,” he says.

On being asked if Jaime is a romantic, Nikolaj replies in the affirmative. He also added that it was no surprise that women have taken a liking to the show too. Nikolaj puts it down to the strong presence of female characters on Game of Thrones, like Lena’s portrayal of Cersei, Gwendoline Christie’s Brienne of Tarth and the septuagenarian Diana Rigg’s depiction of Lady Olena. “The women on the show are amazing,” he says. “They’re very, very strong powerful women, as women are. They’re not just the wife applauding the husband. They’re taking control,” to which Stephen joked, “This show is a breakthrough because they get to chop up people and do horrible things.”