Peter Dinklage battled with life for years before becoming famous worldwide for his role as the funny youngest Lannister sibling in “Game of Thrones.” He had neither money nor a future in love. The actor, who later met his wife, hopes to leave something behind for his children.
“Game of Thrones” actor Peter Dinklage has always been aware of his differences. The actor, born in New Jersey with achondroplasia, noticed his development was different from that of his older brother, violinist Jonathan, who continued to grow.
Dinklage had collective leg surgery when he was five since he never grew over a certain height. The actor admitted that people had always looked at him because of his height.
Peter Dinklage on May 9, 2014, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
Being the only dwarf in the family made it challenging to embrace one’s differences. As a result, he had a lot of anger in his youth. Fortunately, he was taught how to deal with his fears and embrace that difference by his parents, who raised him in an Irish-Catholic home.
Dinklage was raised in a working-class home; his mother taught first grade, and his father was an insurance salesman. Although they did not have much money, the average-height couple fought to get their sons into the best schools because they were strict with how they raised their children.
Peter Dinklage on October 4, 2018, in Hollywood, California | Source: Getty Images
The actor stated that his parents abandoned him to figure out life after graduation during his speech at the Bennington College graduation in 2012. He declared:
“Maybe you don’t wanna hear this. Is that once I graduated, I was on my own? “Financially, it was my journey.”
Peter Dinklage Experienced Poverty
Dinklage could have gotten off to a better start as a self-sufficient man, despite having a good childhood, coming to terms with his height, and receiving a good education.
He had no money, a credit card, a bank account, or an apartment when he graduated. The only things he could claim as his own were bills he had built up over the years that continued to increase. He said this:
“A big, hungry, growing-larger-every-moment debt.”
Peter Dinklage on March 22, 2014, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
He squatted with various friends for years, moving from couch to sofa. Peter has always loved writing and acting, so until things worsened, he had no interest in finding a day job.
Peter Dinklage on September 17, 2018, in Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images
Apart from filtering what he feeds her eyes with, the actor is conscious of the legacy he would leave for his kids.
He eventually started working as a piano cleaner in a piano shop before going to take care of a Shakespeare scholar’s property. Later on, he started hanging paintings at a gallery.
Actor Peter Dinklage on June 11, 2022, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
After two years of inconsistent employment, he finally found a position processing applications and data. The former Benington student lasted six years there, even though he detested his work.
The $400 monthly rent in Brooklyn, New York, became more manageable. Dinklage called his first residence, where he resided with a friend who aspired to create a theater company, an “industrial loft.” He clarified:
“It had no heat or hot water.” “We didn’t smell very good, but we had our youth.”
Peter Dinklage on May 13, 2022, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
He had a cat named Bryan, but his house was full of rats. The house shook whenever trains passed, the oven couldn’t be used, and Peter couldn’t look out his lone window because it was too tall. He lived there for ten years without a girlfriend or a wonderful career.
Dinklage frequently denies fantasy film roles despite being jobless. He remained in his New York home because he was afraid of living out his entire career as a magical dwarf stereotype.
Peter Dinklage and Erica Schmidt on September 18, 2011, in Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images
He managed his cheap employment there without achieving his goals. He didn’t even have enough cash for healthy food. The actor revealed that on certain nights, all he could buy for dinner was a bag of chips.
The First Time Peter Dinklage Met His Loved Wife
The “Cyrano” actor suffered from not taking pleasure in love in all of its perfection throughout his years as a young actor. His love never matched when he was younger, which distorted his idea of romance. As said by the movie star:
“You fall for people you know aren’t going to return that, so it’s even more tormented, and you’re not interested in the people interested in you.” That’s how my brain worked because I was a self-saboteur when I was young.”
Actor Peter Dinklage and Erica Schmidt on September 22, 2013, in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
Dinklage was lucky to find his soul mate through Jonathan Marc Sherm, a close friend. When they brought up the “Game of Thrones,” actor Sherm and director Erica Schmidt discussed a playwriting idea.
Actor Peter Dinklage and Erica Schmidt on September 23, 2012, in Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images
Schmidt thought him beautiful despite his height. Since their initial meeting, the director has stayed smitten. She praises his appeal, which in no way implies anything. In her opinion:
“Lately, girls have been, like, licking his face.” But what’s frustrating about it is that Pete is an incredibly handsome, charming, funny guy, but when he does a magazine or something, it’s like, “Isn’t it amazing that he’s four foot five inches tall and he’s sexy?”
At the same time, Dinklage admires his wife. The “Cyrano” actress praised her passion for theater and asserted that she is invested in art rather than just entertainment. While he is “just the TV actor who pays the bills,” he calls her the “artist of the family.”
Peter Dinklage and Erica Schmidt in New York City in 2014 | Source: Getty Images
Projects the couple has collaborated on include “Cyrano” and “A Month in the Country.” Schmidt admitted that she was hesitant to give her husband the scripts because of his success as a movie star during the casting for “Cyrano.”
But after reading it, Dinklage fell in love with the part and gave an excellent performance. The director said that the actor’s character was not specifically written to fit his size, adding, “I think that was part of what he was drawn to.”
The pair has two children: a daughter born in 2011 and a son born in 2017. The gender of the second child is unclear because the couple likes to keep their personal lives private.
Peter Dinklage and Zelig Dinklage on January 15, 2014, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
Dinklage has strongly mentioned the need to protect his children and maintain his family’s privacy. The actor stated a few years ago that his daughter was too young to witness his “Game of Thrones” cameo. In addition to controlling what he feeds her eyes, the actor is aware of the legacy he would like to leave for his children. He said this:
“I have a couple of kids and want them to be proud.” I choose parts much more carefully than I did when I was younger. “It’s to set an example, so they’re proud of their dad’s work.”
Peter Dinklage Prefers a Private Life
Despite being quite reclusive, Dinklage stands out due to his celebrity reputation and unusual height. He dislikes that fans may reach him so readily, but he has managed to provide his family with a very private life.
Actor Peter Dinklage on November 19, 2015, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
They can feel anonymous because they reside in New York. He added that he hates living in the spotlight and prefers to spend alone with his loved ones in the woods.
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