Jaime Lannister is well used to making enemies, as is always going to happen when you push children out of windows and snog your own sister.
However, the actor who plays Jaime – Nikolaj Coster-Waldau – is now locked in a dispute of his own, although there are reportedly no swords involved, Valyrian steel or otherwise.
The 48-year-old Game of Thrones star is currently being ordered to pay up an approximate sum of $2 million to ex manager Jill Littman for alleged breach of contract. This is of course a hefty amount even for a wealthy Lannister.
Almost $1.75 million of this amount is in back pay, with an additional $225,000 in interest. Furthermore, the dispute has even brought about allegations of immigration fraud.
Coster-Waldau had a contract with Littman and her agency Impression Entertainment for around a decade, however he ended this business relationship as of 2015.
According to Uproxx, Coster-Waldau made the following explanatory statement:
I am nothing but grateful for our many years working together and the success we shared.
And the reason I have decided to leave Impression is not to go somewhere else but to basically take control myself. Game of Thrones is coming to an end now.
However, Littman claimed Coster-Waldau still owed her commission after the business relationship ended, due to the nature of their contract.
While managing Coster-Waldau, Littman was given 10 per cent of his income. Coster-Waldau has stated they had an oral agreement, which did not provide commissions post-termination. However, Littman reportedly disagrees.
Back in April 2018, Littman brought forward a written agreement between the pair, alleging this contradicts Coster-Waldau’s oral agreement claim.
Littman has said the agreement was drafted so Coster-Waldau was able to apply for a 0-1 American visa. Coster-Waldau described the agreement as being a ‘sham’ for the sole purpose of a visa sponsorship.
His agent, Brandon Liebman from William Morris Endeavor (WME), was brought forward in support.
Liebman’s testimony brought further difficulties for Coster-Waldau, after it was revealed WME had originally intended to sponsor him via a similar agreement which they wouldn’t consider ‘real’ or enforcable; opening up issues of potential immigration fraud.
On 4 September 2018, a Los Angeles court found the written agreement to be genuine, with arbitrator Henry J. Silberberg stating:
[I]f it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck. So this is a contract.
The Emmy-nominated actor was then ordered to pay Littman the requested sum in biannual installments. His lawyer will reportedly be appealing the payment and has requested a re-trial.
According to Deadline, Littman and Impression’s lawyer Howard King said:
Although a Lannister always pays his debts, NCW has declined to honor the final ruling of the arbitrator and pay the compensation found to be due his former manager for all the successes she contributed to during her 8-year reign.
Coster-Waldau – who has reportedly been paid $1,066,667 per episode in the upcoming eight season of Game of Thrones – has reportedly chosen to not to comment on this matter.
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Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.