20 Things You Didn't Know About Peter Dinklage

A very small man can cast a very large shadow.

By Kevin Wong /

When Game of Thrones first debuted, Peter Dinklage was not given top billing. It€™s the story of his life €” both in the real world and in the Seven Kingdoms. But after years of toiling at the bottom, Dinklage's patience has rewarded him with incredible opportunities. From playing a loner in the exceptional The Station Agent, to playing the same, lauded role in two versions of Death At A Funeral; from beating up Will Ferrell in Elf, to eradicating mutants in X-Men: Days of Future Past; Peter Dinklage has cultivated an acclaimed, diverse career. But all these minor roles have built to the piece de resistance that is Tyrion Lannister. Like many of Dinklage€™s other characters, Tyrion is a man who is continually underestimated €” by his father, by his sister, and by every other Lannister, Stark, and Arryn who wants his head on a pike. Dinklage's name now sits at the top of the Game of Thrones opening credits, and figuratively, that couldn€™t be more appropriate. In honor of the fifth season of Game of Thrones - and before the blood starts to pour in real terms, here are 20 facts you probably didn't know about the actor. He€™s a private man, but the limited glimpses and tidbits are all the more fascinating for it.