Interview
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau discusses climate change, COVID-19 and more with Ursula von der Leyen
The world has changed a lot since the beginning of the last year. Humanity was struck by disasters and disease one after another. The Red Wedding year is finally taking a leave, and we’re hopeful for a better future. Game of Thrones celebrities have joined the cause to help rebuild our world once again. Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) read excerpts from the UN’s Green New Deal. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister) is not far behind. He joined with Global Citizen Prize winner Ursula von der Leyen to discuss COVID-19 and climate change.
Ursula is the President of the European Commission. The award recognizes a leader who uses their political influence to advocate for improving the lives of those in poverty. The GCP award ceremony was hosted by UNDP Goodwill Ambassador Coster-Waldau. He introduced Ursula as, “one of the most powerful leaders in Europe [who] more than rose to the occasion and response to COVID-19.”
“As much as a Global Citizen award is a moment of celebration — and, we’ll do that! — we cannot stop our work until we’ve overcome this pandemic & its impact.” #GCPrize World Leader winner @vonderleyen & @undp Goodwill Ambassador @nikolajcw discuss leadership during COVID-19. pic.twitter.com/VKLeZJQroh
— Global Citizen (@GlblCtzn) December 20, 2020
“She knew a global problem needed a global response. In Brussels amid the crisis it was business as usual,” he continued. “Challenge after challenge landed on her desk. She took them on as a leader with a profound sense of purpose.”
“I remember very well a year ago when I started as president of the European Commission. The world was completely different,” President von der Leyen told Coster-Waldau. “The corona crisis was unprecedented for all of us. Yes, as a medical doctor I might have had some advantages in understanding the dynamics and the challenges of the pandemic.”
We all have to work together to build a better tomorrow. Tell us about your hopes and wishes for 2020 in the comments below!
Interview
Kristian Nairn praises Game of Thrones stars as being down-to-earth despite massive success
Humility is a virtue possessed by few. Even though Game of Thrones reached great heights, the show’s cast was always humble to their roots. They have won the admiration and respect of fans all over the world due to their down-to-earth nature. For example, Jason Momoa reached out to a young Aquaman fan battling cancer last year. Kristian Nairn (Hodor) talked to Digital Spy about the show’s success and praised his co-stars.
He said, “It didn’t happen overnight, and I think for us that was a good thing. I mean it was always immensely popular, I just think as the seasons went on it moved from a really amazing TV show into a kind of phenomenon. It sort of turned into that thing that everyone talks about, people say over the watercooler at work. “
“It’s crazy, because every TV show you watch these days, every single TV show or movie, they all reference Game of Thrones. It always blows me away. I watch a show I love and there’s a reference to Hodor, there’s a reference to Khaleesi. It’s become such a huge part of the public psyche. I don’t think we ever dreamed before season one was out that that would happen. It still happens!”
“It kind of grew, it really doubled per season. But we grew into it, which made it kind of easy. The cast was really down to Earth. I can say hand on heart we’re all really down to Earth. I think that’s a really nice thing. Just the whole Hollywood thing, we’re all kind of aware of that… Game of Thrones is so brutal and real. It’s important to keep it real.”
Have you ever met a Game of Thrones star in real? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
Interview
Isaac Hempstead-Wright was intimidated by Game of Thrones’ success
Game of Thrones was an enchanting journey that lasted for nearly a decade. Some of the show’s cast was very young when the show began. They sort of grew up with the show, like Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner and Isaac Hempstead-Wright. Stardom can be a bit scary when you are young. Especially for someone as studious as Isaac Hempstead-Wright. He revealed about his nervousness in an interview with Digital Spy.
Isaac (Bran) said, “It was actually a little bit intimidating. I remember seeing the show go interstellar. Especially when you’re separate from it a bit [Bran was off-screen during season five], you really just see how huge it is when you’re not in the midst of the whole thing.”
“I really think season five was when it had its meteoric rise. So coming back into season six – and I hadn’t acted for a year; I’d been doing my GCSEs – coming back in was kind of like, ‘Argh! I’ve forgotten how to act!’”
He continued, “I think also there had been a lot of bonds forged in that season, and a lot of people had grown up. I’d kind of grown-up, but I had that key year of being 15, 16 away from it. So it was a weird one to come back to. But after a couple of days, it was business as usual.”
Did you ever find your job to be intimidating? Talk to us in the comments below!
Interview
Gwendoline Christie (Brienne) and Kristian Nairn (Hodor) recall their Game of Thrones auditions
Game of Thrones ended more than one and a half years ago. It was a beautiful journey for both the fans and the crew that lasted for a decade. The fantastical series still holds the record for the most number of Emmy Awards won. On the occasion of New Year, the cast of the show came together for an interview with Digital Spy. They shared their experience while shooting for the fantasy epic. Gwendoline Christie (Brienne) and Kristian Nairn (Hodor) talked about how they were cast for their roles.
Gwendoline recalled, “I immediately rang my agent and said, ‘I want to do this’. My agent said, ‘What are you talking about? I’d never ever put you up for this. She’s ugly, her nose is broken, her teeth are broken and you’ll need to use a sword’.”
Nairn remembered, “I was a first-time actor. I was glad I didn’t know anything about the show at the time. Because if I had I would’ve realised what a huge audition I was going for. I had no idea what Game of Thrones was. I had auditioned for a part in another movie called Hot Fuzz, and I didn’t get the part. It was the casting director Nina Gold who remembered me – she called me in for this audition. I didn’t know it at the time, but when you’re called for an audition, that’s really in your favour.”
What are your best memories from the show? Talk to us in the comments below!