Game of Thrones Star's Unexpected Bengaluru Moment Goes Viral
Last June, Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, globally renowned for his portrayal of Jaime Lannister in Game of Thrones, was photographed enjoying idlis at a humble Udupi café in Bengaluru. This candid image swiftly captured national attention, becoming a widespread topic of discussion across India.
A Deepening Connection with India Across Centuries
Reflecting on that visit from Denmark a year later in an interview with Bombay Times, Coster-Waldau expressed enduring wonder. "I had briefly visited India first 20 years ago, and then I came back to the country last year," he shared. "Having travelled widely, I still find India the most surprising and intense place — full of extremes unfolding all at once. It didn’t disappoint."
His initial journey two decades ago was for the British documentary series Who Do You Think You Are?, where he traced his family lineage. "I learnt about an ancestor who travelled to India in the 1600s, when a small Danish trading settlement was set up there," the actor revealed. "No ships were returning — it was all about spices — so the king sent my distant relative to investigate. It took him two years to arrive."
Culinary Adventures and Social Media Frenzy
During his recent Bengaluru trip, Coster-Waldau was seen relishing a traditional South Indian meal of idli-vada, sparking playful reactions online. Fans humorously noted, "The Kingslayer has both hands?" in reference to his iconic Game of Thrones character.
He enthusiastically embraced the local food scene, sampling Bhajji Mirchi, Dosa, and various street items. "I ate everything. I had zero issues with my digestive system," he quipped. "I absolutely loved it. I could eat Indian all day. It is one of those cultures, one of those countries, you can travel anywhere in the world and you can always eat Indian. There's always an Indian restaurant."
Life After Game of Thrones: Seeking Balance and Purpose
Despite the monumental success of Game of Thrones, Coster-Waldau chose to focus on the docuseries An Optimist’s Guide to the Planet for its second season, filmed during his India visit. "I love acting and telling stories. Obviously, you want to reach a big audience. But first of all, something like Game of Thrones, you’re never going to be able to replicate that kind of success," he explained.
"Who knows if that will ever happen again. It's all about balance and it's about finding ways that can afford me to do something like this show," he added, noting the series originated from his work as a UNDP goodwill ambassador.
On the Polarizing Game of Thrones Finale
Addressing the much-debated finale, Coster-Waldau stated, "I don't think about it too much to be fair. I had such a wonderful time on that show. I made some good friends. It was such an incredible journey."
"I think before the end I knew and I was convinced that it was going to be very polarizing. It was not going to please everyone for sure," he acknowledged. "Everyone is entitled to their opinions. This is a television show. They made up an ending. I understand that you can be disappointed if and when things don't go your way."
He attributed the intense debate to deep audience investment, saying, "They love the characters; they wanted their character to end in a way and then usually it wasn't exactly what they saw. And I understand it. If people have real anger and hatred towards it, it's a television show, it is not that important."
An Optimist's View on Humanity's Progress
Filming his documentary worldwide led Coster-Waldau to challenge pessimistic narratives about the future. "I just found it very difficult to pass on my experience of how incredible it was that people were doing good job. It was the negative storyline that always gets the most traction," he observed.
"When we talk about AI and the future, everybody imagines the dystopian future. And why is that? Every story is telling us that we are doomed or that something bad is about to happen. It can only be a self-fulfilling prophecy. I just don't believe that's true," he asserted.
Highlighting historical progress, he noted, "If we look back in our history, yes humans are violent, we're doing a lot of terrible things, but there is hope. There are humans who believe in the future."
"If you look at so many of the parameters over the last 100 years, if you talk about extreme poverty, access to education, access to health care, gender equality, we're doing so much better than we did. We are actually evolving in a positive way. There is reason to hope," he concluded optimistically.
Bollywood Dreams and Future India Plans
The actor expressed a desire to return to India for a holiday, stating, "I was talking to my wife about it, and I told her that we have to go on a holiday and explore. I would love to just go and hang out on a big Bollywood movie set to see how things are done in India. Everyone I spoke to in India was very passionate about movies."
When asked about starring in a Bollywood film, he responded without hesitation, "In a heartbeat!"
