Claim: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau's first starring role was in the film "Nightwatch" in 1994.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau -LRB- -LSB- neɡ̊olaɪ̯ kʰʌsd̥ɐ ˈʋald̥ɑʊ̯ -RSB- ; born 27 July 1970 -RRB- is a Danish actor , producer and screenwriter . He graduated from Danish National School of Theatre in Copenhagen in 1993 . Coster-Waldau 's breakthrough performance in Denmark was his role in the film Nightwatch -LRB- 1994 -RRB- . Since then he has appeared in numerous films in his native Scandinavia and Europe in general , including Headhunters -LRB- 2011 -RRB- and A Thousand Times Good Night -LRB- 2013 -RRB- .   In the United States , his debut film role was in the war film Black Hawk Down -LRB- 2001 -RRB- , playing Medal of Honor recipient Gary Gordon . He then played Detective John Amsterdam in the short-lived Fox television series New Amsterdam -LRB- 2008 -RRB- , as well as appearing as Frank Pike in the 2009 Fox television film Virtuality , originally intended as a pilot . He became widely known to a broad audience for his current role as Ser Jaime Lannister , in the HBO series Game of Thrones . In 2017 , he became one of the highest paid actors on television and earned # 2 million per episode of Game of Thrones .