Podcast Summary
The New Yorker Radio Hour
Episode: Peter Dinklage on Cyrano, and Life After “Thrones”
Date: December 20, 2019
Host: David Remnick
Guest: Peter Dinklage
Interviewer: Michael Shulman

Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation between Peter Dinklage and New Yorker staff writer Michael Shulman, focusing on Dinklage's post-Game of Thrones career, his starring role in a new adaptation of Cyrano (directed by his wife, Erica Schmidt), reflections on fame, art, and representation, and memories from his years both off-Broadway and on television’s biggest series.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Background & Transition from Game of Thrones

• Peter Dinklage is recognized for a decade-long portrayal of Tyrion Lannister on HBO’s Game of Thrones, earning widespread acclaim and four Emmys.
• With Game of Thrones concluded, Dinklage expresses excitement and exhaustion about returning to his theater roots:

  “I've done 12 shows in the past eight days. I'm fried.” (06:05)

Reimagining Cyrano

• Dinklage stars in a new adaptation of Cyrano, but does not use the iconic fake nose; instead, the production emphasizes feelings of unworthiness and self-doubt as a universal human experience.
• On the core of Cyrano:

  “We wanted to really strip it all down and get to the core of what it really is about, which is... everybody's capacity to not feel worthy of love.” (06:30)

• Dinklage discusses how the show addresses Cyrano's "difference," allowing the audience to interpret references to appearance in their own way:

  “Let them follow you down the rabbit hole. I don’t think it has anything to do with my height either... I was just cast because they wanted me for it, and I wanted to try something I’ve never done before.” (08:11)

Collaboration with The National

• Erica Schmidt, Dinklage’s wife and the play's director, reached out to the band The National to compose music:

  “Matt’s lyrics are so poetic, much like Cyrano’s words, that it was such a natural fit.” (09:31)

Musical Past: The Band Wizzy

• Dinklage shares stories about his ‘90s band Wizzy:

  “We were punks, but we didn’t play punk rock... we just drank too much and played.” (10:04)

• Asked about the band’s name and song titles:

  “I think our drummer, Jim, did... One was called ‘Dick of the Party,’ about being a loser drunk at a party.” (10:40 & 11:12)

Portraying Hervé Villechaize

• Dinklage discusses My Dinner with Hervé, his long-gestating HBO project about the late actor:

  “It was just the first time I’ve ever played somebody who actually existed, which was a really humbling... experience.” (12:05)

• On the unique and controversial legacy of Villechaize as the most famous actor with dwarfism before Dinklage:

  “He never really let his size define him... he was charming.” (13:29)

• Reflects on growing up seeing Villechaize in popular culture and the broader impact of representation:

  “When you’re eight years old, social justice is not really entering into your biosphere... but then adolescence sort of changes all that. You become hyper aware of the world around you...” (14:12)

• On the limits of “representation”:

  “I’m not an actor to change the world in terms of how somebody my size is presented. I’m really not. Because that would be putting me before the work.” (15:41)

On the Game of Thrones Finale

• Shulman broaches the divisive reaction to the show’s ending:

  “Did you follow the fan response?” (16:44)

• Dinklage’s perspective:

  “You’re never going to make anybody happy with anything we do. Everybody’s going to always have an opinion... but that means they really loved it. It’s like breaking up with somebody. They get upset, and... they didn’t want it to end.” (16:46)

• Comments on Daenerys’ dark turn and fan tattoos:

  “You just gotta maybe wait till the series finale before you get that tattoo or name your golden retriever Daenerys.” (17:41)

• On surviving to the end of the series:

  “No, none of us did. We were all nervous when we got the scripts.” (18:18)

Next Steps & Future Projects

• Dinklage reflects on producing and choosing projects more selectively:

  “I’m producing now, and that inspires me... Acting, perhaps much more selectively than I’ve been doing, which I think is just a natural progression of getting older.” (18:45)

Musical Aspirations

• Dinklage expresses a desire to record a Cyrano cast album with The National:

  “I really want to make a cast album of Cyrano. That’s a goal of mine. Never been on a cast album, so hopefully The National will consider that.” (19:39)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the essence of Cyrano:

  “Everybody's capacity to not feel worthy of love.” — Peter Dinklage (06:30)

• On legacy and representation:

  “He never really let his size define him... he was charming.” — Peter Dinklage on Herve Villechaize (13:29)

• On fan response to Game of Thrones ending:

  “It’s like breaking up with somebody. They get upset, and... they didn’t want it to end.” — Peter Dinklage (16:46)

• On new creative freedom:

  “I’m producing now, and that inspires me... Acting, perhaps much more selectively than I’ve been doing, which I think is just a natural progression of getting older.” — Peter Dinklage (18:45)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Peter Dinklage reflects on theatrical roots: 05:49–06:10
• Adapting Cyrano without the iconic nose: 06:30–08:43
• Collaboration with The National: 09:31–09:53
• On punk band past and Wizzy: 09:59–11:21
• Portraying Herve Villechaize and thoughts on representation: 11:51–15:41
• Discussing the Game of Thrones finale and fan reactions: 16:22–18:18
• Current projects and producing: 18:45–19:33
• Desire for a Cyrano cast album: 19:39–19:53