15+ Things About Peter Dinklage That Made Us Love Him Even More

Tyrion Lannister is probably one of the most popular characters from Game of Thrones and the entertainment world in general. Likewise, it has been a milestone in the career of Peter Dinklage, the New Jersey native actor who played the Tyrion the series needed. His dramatic personality, wit, and somewhat arrogant look combined make him an unforgettable character.

That’s why Bright Side wants to tell you about Peter Dinklage’s life to show you that he is much more than Tyrion Lannister.

1. He was the first and only choice to play Tyrion Lannister.

George R. R. Martin, the author of the book series on which Game of Thrones is based, has said that, from the beginning of the series, Peter Dinklage was the first choice to play the witty Tyrion as he could not imagine any other actor in that role.

2. He recommended Lena Headey for the role of Cersei Lannister.

Peter had worked with Lena Headey on Pete Smalls is Dead, and they became good friends. When the Game of Thrones opportunity came his way, he also convinced the producers that Lena had what it took to play his fictional sister, Cersei Lannister, and the rest is history.

3. He is a vegetarian and loves animals.

He is committed to not eating meat. In an interview, he said, “I like animals, all animals. I wouldn’t hurt a cat, a dog, a chicken, or a cow. And I wouldn’t ask someone else to hurt them for me. That’s why I’m a vegetarian.”

He is an animal rights activist and has been an ally of animal rights organizations, and he also has a dog named Kevin, with whom he walks the streets of Manhattan from time to time. He eats a tofu-based product when he has to eat meat in front of the camera to play a character.

4. He was the front man of a punk band.

Acting has not been Peter Dinklage’s only approach to the artistic world. During the 1990s, he was the leader of a punk band called Whizzy. During a concert, he was jumping on stage and had an accident that left him with a scar from his neck to his eyebrow as a souvenir.

5. He is a Batman fan.

The actor admitted that he has a soft spot for Batman, “He doesn’t have superpowers, he’s just a person, and he’s dark.” Peter said that the trilogy of Batman movies directed by Christopher Nolan is the best superhero movie. He would like to appear in a Batman movie, especially if it’s in a villain role.

6. He has turned down roles because he didn’t want to be the “magic dwarf.”

Peter was always clear that he would not accept roles in which his height was an element of humor, so he rejected some elf or gnome roles, even if they paid a good salary. It was years before Tyrion arrived, the character that brought him great fame. Peter had a simple request to play him: “No long beards, no pointy shoes,” and it paid off.

7. His friends think of him as a very loyal man.

The actor has a close circle of friends in the film and theater scene in New York. They have had a strong friendship for years and collaborated on various projects. Peter has said that artistic endeavors foster friendships that last forever, and that loyalty is a superior character trait.

8. He is the only one in his family with dwarfism.

He has a condition called “achondroplasia,” a form of dwarfism in which the body develops normally, except for arms and legs. Neither his parents nor his siblings have the same condition, nor do his wife or children.

9. He finds the Game of Thrones books confusing.

With Tyrion Lannister being Peter’s most iconic character, perhaps some would assume he’s a fan of the books, but that’s not exactly true. In an interview on the David Letterman Show, Peter said that he found the books confusing and, up to that point, hadn’t finished reading them. “My character will probably be killed off in the series for saying this,” he joked afterward.

10. He does not claim to be a spokesman for short people.

When asked in an interview for the New York Times if he hoped to be a spokesman for the rights of short people, Peter responded that that would be arrogant. “Everybody is different. Everyone my size has a different life, a different story, different ways of dealing with it. Just because I’m apparently comfortable with it, I can’t preach how to do it.”

11. His successful career is more than just a stroke of luck.

Peter Dinklage worked hard to prepare himself as an actor and practice his craft. He studied acting at Bennington College in Vermont and moved to New York with a friend who envisioned creating a theater company. They lived in an apartment that vibrated every time the train passed over a bridge above them and threw parties to pay the rent.

12. His brother Jonathan is a professional violinist.

His brother, Jonathan Dinklage, has played violin on movie soundtracks and albums by stars such as Rod Stewart and Amy Winehouse. Peter has said that his brother is the actual performer in the family, and his passion for the violin is the only thing that kept him from being an actor.

13. He is passionate about theater.

From the moment he was in his first play, he knew what he loved. Today, he is a respected stage actor who has starred in original Broadway plays and shared the stage with Meryl Streep. He is even married to Erica Schmidt, a theater director with whom he has collaborated on several projects.

14. He made puppet theater for his neighbors.

Peter and his brother made puppet plays for their neighbors, little musicals with “the loudest songs they could find.” They made a version of Quadrophenia, the Who’s album, and built a small drum kit out of tuna cans.

15. He appeared in a remake of a movie he played in.

In 2007, Peter appeared in the British dark comedy Death at a Funeral, playing the main antagonist (also called Peter). This film was remade in 2010, and Peter returned to play his original role, only now under the name of Frank.

16. He wants to keep a discreet and hermetic life.

Peter prefers to keep his private life, his wife’s, and his children’s confidential at all costs. He married secretly in Las Vegas, in 2005, before achieving fame with GOT. He also has two children, whom he keeps out of the public eye, so he and his wife decided to move to a rural area outside New York.

17. He is married to theater director Erica Schmidt.

Both respect and admire each other, but they have different world views. While he prefers television as an acting space, she is passionate about theater.

“She is very inspirational. She is definitely the artist in the family,” he said. The actor also confessed that before meeting Erica, he used to sabotage his relationships by falling in love with people that didn’t love him back. However, once he found the right person, he stopped doing so. “If someone has been lucky enough to experience love, it just grabs you. You don’t control how you feel, but you can choose what to do with it,” he said.

And while many may believe that height was an issue, in reality, it wasn’t. “Pete is an incredibly handsome, charming, funny guy, but when he does shoots for a magazine or something, it’s like, ’Isn’t it amazing that he’s six feet tall and so handsome?’ You know, that’s just how Pete is. And the rest of the world has to catch up,” his wife commented in an interview.

18. He has two children, but we know very little about them.

Peter’s eldest daughter was born in 2011, but to date, her name and even the exact date of her birth remain unknown. He also welcomed a son in 2017, but the couple has never confirmed details about that. Still, some media managed to get a much-prized phrase about fatherhood out of the actor: he said that being a father is something “incredible, life-changing.”

Which of the fun facts about Peter caught your attention?