Peter Dinklage

Peter Hayden Dinklage, born on June 11, 1969, is an American actor renowned for his portrayal of Tyrion Lannister in the HBO series "Game of Thrones" from 2011 to 2019. His remarkable performance earned him four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, a Golden Globe Award in 2011, and a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2020. Dinklage, who stands 4 feet 5 inches tall, has achondroplasia, a common form of dwarfism, and has used his fame to advocate for awareness and acceptance of people with dwarfism.


Dinklage's journey into acting began with studies at Bennington College, where he participated in numerous amateur stage productions. He made his film debut in the black comedy "Living in Oblivion" in 1995 and achieved widespread recognition with his starring role in the 2003 comedy-drama "The Station Agent." His filmography includes diverse roles in movies such as "Elf" (2003), "Lassie" (2005), "Find Me Guilty" (2006), "Penelope" (2006), "Death at a Funeral" (2007), "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" (2008), "X-Men: Days of Future Past" (2014), "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" (2017), and "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" (2023). He also appeared as Eitri in the Marvel film "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018) and portrayed Hervé Villechaize in the biopic "My Dinner with Hervé."
In addition to his film and television work, Dinklage has made notable contributions to theater. He has tackled roles such as the titular character in "Richard III" (2003) at the Public Theatre, Rakitin in "A Month in the Country" (2015) at Classic Stage Company, and Cyrano de Bergerac in "Cyrano" at the Daryl Roth Theatre in 2019. Dinklage has also lent his voice to video games, notably providing voice acting for "Destiny" and portraying Scourge in "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" (2023).


Peter Hayden Dinklage was born on June 11, 1969, either in the Jersey Shore region of New Jersey or in Morristown, New Jersey. He was born to John Carl Dinklage, an insurance salesman, and Diane Dinklage, an elementary school music teacher, and he grew up in the historic Brookside section of Mendham Township alongside his older brother Jonathan. Dinklage is of German and Irish descent and was raised in the Catholic faith.
During his childhood, Dinklage and his brother Jonathan entertained their neighborhood with puppet musicals, with Jonathan being described as the true performer of the family due to his passion for the violin. Despite his early interest in acting, Dinklage's brother's dedication to music initially diverted his own focus from pursuing a career in acting. Dinklage had his first taste of theatrical success in fifth grade when he played the lead role in a production of "The Velveteen Rabbit," which sparked his interest in acting.


He attended Delbarton School, a Catholic preparatory school for boys, where he honed his acting skills. It was during a production of Sam Shepard's "True West" in 1984 that Dinklage became inspired to pursue acting professionally. Subsequently, he pursued a drama degree at Bennington College, where he participated in numerous theatrical productions before graduating in 1991. After college, Dinklage moved to New York City with his friend Ian Bell to establish a theater company. However, financial difficulties forced them to leave their apartment, and Dinklage eventually worked for a data-processing company for six years before fully committing to an acting career.


Peter Dinklage initially faced challenges in finding acting opportunities, as he was reluctant to accept the stereotypical roles typically offered to actors with dwarfism, such as "elves or leprechauns." Despite this, he made his credited film debut in the low-budget independent comedy-drama "Living in Oblivion" in 1995, alongside Steve Buscemi. The film revolves around a director, crew, and cast filming a low-budget independent movie in New York City, with Dinklage portraying a frustrated actor with dwarfism who voices his dissatisfaction with the clichéd roles he is offered.
In the following year, Dinklage appeared as a building manager in the crime drama "Bullet," which starred rapper Tupac Shakur. Despite receiving positive feedback for his performance in "Living in Oblivion," Dinklage struggled to secure representation, as he could not find an agent willing to represent him. However, following a recommendation from Steve Buscemi to director Alexandre Rockwell, Dinklage was cast in the comedy "13 Moons" in 2002.
During an interview for a theater website, Dinklage was asked about his ideal role, to which he responded that he aspired to play the romantic lead who wins the affection of the leading lady. This statement reflected his desire to break away from the limiting stereotypes associated with dwarfism and to pursue more diverse and substantive acting opportunities.


Peter Dinklage's breakthrough came with his role as Finbar McBride in the 2003 film "The Station Agent," directed by Tom McCarthy. Initially, the film was not written with Dinklage in mind, but McCarthy decided to tailor the role to fit him after being inspired by his performance. Dinklage was drawn to the character of McBride because it defied the typical stereotypes associated with dwarfism in film. McBride was depicted as a complex character with romantic feelings, anger, and flaws, which resonated with Dinklage's desire for more diverse roles. His portrayal earned him nominations for the Independent Spirit Award and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Actor. Reviewer Andrew Sarris praised Dinklage's performance, noting his ability to convey both size and intelligence with his facial expressions.


Despite his success in "The Station Agent," Dinklage encountered challenges in the film "Tiptoes" (2003), which received negative reviews, particularly regarding Gary Oldman's portrayal of a person with dwarfism. Dinklage expressed disappointment with the film's re-editing and defended Oldman's casting, stating that he was happy to work with such a talented actor.
In addition to his film roles, Dinklage appeared in off-Broadway productions and made appearances in various television series, including "Elf," "Threshold," "Nip/Tuck," "Entourage," and "30 Rock." He received critical acclaim for his role in the courtroom drama "Find Me Guilty" (2006), directed by Sidney Lumet, where he played the lead defense attorney. Despite the film's commercial failure, Dinklage's performance was praised for its professionalism and articulation.


Dinklage continued to diversify his roles, appearing in films such as "Penelope" (2006), "Death at a Funeral" (2007), "Underdog" (2007), and "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" (2008). He also took on stage roles, including playing the title character in "Uncle Vanya" (2008), directed by his wife, Erica Schmidt.
In 2010, Dinklage appeared in the Australian film "I Love You Too," showcasing his versatility as an actor across different genres and mediums.

References

1.  Maron, Marc (January 24, 2022). "Episode 1299 - Peter Dinklage". WTF with Marc Maron Podcast. Retrieved January 25, 2022. Time stamp 18:31: 'I was born at the and the school system in the 60's wasn't very good back then. My mom moved us north.'
2. a b Guthmann, Edward (October 12, 2003). "'Station' actor draws big attention / Peter Dinklage a Sundance hit in first-ever lead role for a dwarf". SF Gate. Archived from the original on August 13, 2014. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
3. a b Dawson, Tom (October 28, 2014). "BBC - Films - Peter Dinklage". BBC. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
4. ^ Turchiano, Danielle (September 23, 2019). "Emmys: Peter Dinklage Sets Record With Supporting Actor Win for 'Game of Thrones'". Variety. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
5. ^ Britannica 2017 Book of the Year, p. 21. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2017.ISBN 9781625135308. Accessed February 3, 2023. "Dinklage, Peter (b. June 11, 1969, Morristown, N.J.)"
6. ^ Doyle, Bill. "‘Game of Thrones’ actor Peter Dinklage is a Jersey guy", WKXW, June 11, 2019. Accessed February 2, 2023. "Peter Dinklage, who played Tyrion Lannister, was born June 11th, 1969 in Morristown."
7. ^ "The Garden State at Sundance", The Record, January 18, 2018. Accessed February 2, 2023, via Newspapers.com. "Peter Dinklage of Game of Thrones, was born in Morristown and grew up in Brookside."