“I have a tender spot in my heart for cripples and bastards and broken things,” Tyrion Lannister said in Game of Thrones. He had just created the design for a movable chair for Bran Stark to sit on after he was crippled from the fall. The imp is the closest the hit show came to creating a hero. The man who was so wild and funny yet so wise, kind and compassionate, Tyrion Lannister was the best character in Game of Thrones. The man tasked with portraying that face, Peter Dinklage has a story nearly similar to Tyrion’s.

Humble Beginnings

Peter Dinklage’s dad sold insurance while his mum was an elementary school teacher. The family struggled financially so Peter didn’t grow up enjoying TV and children’s drama school. He only saw a TV in the house as a teenager after his parents bought and hid one in their closet. That didn’t mean he wasn’t a great actor though as he acted in school plays. He was born with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism that prevents limbs from growing to their normal size, but his head and torso developed normally.

Becoming Tyrion Lannister

Peter Dinklage hates calling himself lucky and landing his role as Tyrion wasn’t luck at all. It seems to have been destiny from the start as everyone voted to have him as Tywin’s sharp-tongued last-born son. George R R Martin, the author of the books himself proposed Dinklage as the right man to play the imp. David Benioff, the creator of the show agreed without question because he knew Peter well. Dan Weiss, the other GOT creator also agreed and so did the rest of the world as Peter Dinklage received over 60 nominations for his performance and won four Emmys consecutively.

His Opinion On Dwarfs In Film

In most films, people expect to laugh for one reason or another when a dwarf is included in the cast. That makes Peter Dinklage angry as he hopes the whole world would look at dwarfs as normal people and give them normal roles on the screen. He hates dwarf-tossing jokes and even used his victory speech after winning the Golden Globe Award to condemn a dwarf-tossing incident in the UK that left a man wounded. He is very outspoken about the need for the film industry to normalize the role of dwarfs in film and doesn’t take on any roles he feels are demeaning to dwarfs.

Family And Love Life

Just like Tyrion who had Jaime as a loving and protective brother, Peter has an elder brother Jonathan who is also a great artist. He is into violins rather than a theatre though, and his music was used in the 2012 film The Last Man. Dinklage has been married to Erica Schmidt since 2005 and is a father of two. He likes to keep his personal life private hence not much is known about his wife and daughters. He is still close with his parents though.

His Opinion On Game Of Thrones

Tyrion Lannister was one of the things that made Game of Thrones worth watching, but that didn’t prevent fans from complaining when the show hit its 7th season. The final season was a disaster according to most fans and Peter Dinklage wasn’t spared from the backlash. However, as far as he was concerned, David Benioff and Dan Weiss did a good job of keeping the show going considering the source material ran out before the show actually ended. He was also satisfied with his role as Tyrion and thanked George R R Martin saying he owed him a big debt for creating the role. It is the show that changed Peter Dinklage’s career forever.

He Is An Animal Rights Activist

Peter Dinklage is probably the most famous PETA spokesperson of all. When GOT fans started seeking out huskies that look like Dire Wolfs, Peter Dinklage encouraged them to adopt them from animal shelters and help save animals rather than buying them. He is also the spokesperson for Farm Sanctuary helping in promoting awareness for the need for kindness to farm animals. His participation in a “face your food,” video for PETA portraying how meat factories torture animals was one of the most graphic ones ever created.

His GOT Diet

Peter Dinklage has been a vegan since he was 16 which made it difficult for the producers of the medieval-themed GOT. He couldn’t promote his diet on the hit show, and couldn’t change his decades-old diet just for the show either so provisions were made to accommodate him. Dinklage only eats fake meats while on the show, but he couldn’t do anything about the leather-based clothing.

Life After GOT

Peter Dinklage was already famous before GOT but not as famous as he is now. He won more nominations and awards on GOT than most actors do in their whole careers. Dinklage hates it when paparazzi sneak up and take photos of him and his family. He is still grateful for all the fans he has gained thanks to GOT. He has received lots of offers for big roles because of his performance in Game of Thrones but he is not taking any roles that may end up being cheap competitors to his GOT fame.

Playing Elves And Leprechauns

In 2003, Peter Dinklage starred in the film elf but not featuring as the typical dwarfs you find on the screens who are only looked at as objects of jokes and ridicule. He is always very strict about the type of roles he accepts which is why he was considered for the role of Tyrion Lannister. A man with a sharp tongue and a unique sense of humour who still demands dignity. Dinklage also fights hard for his fair share of respect from the industry and hence rejected many roles that came his way requiring him to portray elves and leprechauns.

Self-Acceptance

Most people wouldn’t consider dwarfs as persons with a disability although most people look at them as disadvantaged. Others however are outright evil that laughs and demeans them. While Peter Dinklage has come to accept his condition and is now considered the spokesperson for little people, it doesn’t mean he hasn’t had his share of struggles. He used to hate his condition but he learned that all he had to do was have a sense of humour and know that if someone didn’t like his physique, then it was their problem and not his.