Peter Dinklage on Season 4: Tyrion “reaches a breaking point”

Vanity Fair has released more of their interview with Peter Dinklage, featured in the Game of Thrones April 2014 issue of the magazine.

As we’ve seen in the Season 4 trailers, Tyrion finds himself in a bit of trouble. Peter talks about what we can expect from Tyrion in the upcoming season, and how the trials and tribulations will cause a change in him as he reaches his breaking point.

Can you say something about what happens with Tyrion in Season Four?
He sort of reaches a breaking point. He comes to a point where it’s difficult to have a sense of humor about his circumstances, and he really just wants the truth to be heard. He reaches the point where he’s very tired of all the lies. He become as non-characteristic of a Lannister as you can get.

Up until now, it seems like Tyrion has been able to keep his cool, for the most part.
He definitely reaches a breaking point, which is great, because he’s a character who has always taken everything in stride. So the circumstances around someone like Tyrion have to be really dire for him not to take it in stride or with a sense of humor. What I love so much about this TV show and what I love about any character—the thing I’m drawn to is change. If the character doesn’t change, especially in a TV series, it’s not interesting to me. The reason I like Breaking Bad, which is still probably my favorite show, is Walter White. You watch him transform, and that’s so fascinating. And I think a lot of TV shows that aren’t successful, it’s because the characters become stagnant. If they’re popular at the beginning, writers continue with what is successful, but that becomes tedious to me, as an actor and as a viewer. And our source material and our writers have embraced change.

Will you miss playing Tyrion as a wise guy who always has a quip?
At his heart, he can’t help himself. He will always be that guy, but I certainly don’t mind change. I think everybody goes through changes, and the same should be said for fictional characters, especially ones that you follow on television.

Visit VanityFair.Com for more on why Peter was drawn to the role of Tyrion Lannister, and Thrones’ connection to the White House. The Game of Thrones cover issue of Vanity Fair hit news stands today and is now available for digital download!

Edit: And another fun video from behind the scenes at the cover shoot. The cast answers, which other Game of Thrones character would you like to be?

• Published on 03/13/2014 at 4:44 PM CDT
• Last updated on 10/21/2016 at 12:43 PM CDT