A familiar face from Westeros found himself far from fictional battlefields, sheltering underground in Kyiv. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau spent Wednesday night in a metro station as Russian air raid alerts warned of a possible missile and drone attack.
The Game of Thrones actor visited Ukraine as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme. He joined residents seeking safety underground, experiencing conditions that many Ukrainians have faced throughout Russia’s war.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau spends night in Kyiv metro during air raid threat
Page Six shared photographs of Coster-Waldau inside the station, where he rested on a cot wearing a blue UNDP hoodie, khaki cargo pants and black sneakers. He carried a green backpack and a black bag of supplies before walking past makeshift tents where some residents spent the night.
The actor also described the experience on Instagram Stories. “Spent the night in the Kyiv Metro. Pretty rough night,” he wrote. He added, “I get to do it one night and tell the tale but there are thousands of Ukrainians it’s a necessity to be safe during the shelling.” He urged continued support, writing, “We need to keep helping the civilians and uphold the rules we all agree on.”
Coster-Waldau also shared an image of Kyiv’s air raid alerts, which he said remained at red level for three consecutive days, from October 27 through October 29.
In a Reuters video, the Danish actor explained why he visited. He wanted to raise awareness and ensure “people don’t forget there’s a country in need.” He also praised Ukrainians for doing “amazing” work while stressing their need for international support as winter approached.
Photographs showed Coster-Waldau resting on his cot inside the station as other residents sought shelter.
Audiences know the actor best as Jaime Lannister, whom he played across all eight seasons of HBO’s Game of Thrones, from 2011 to 2019. The role earned him two Emmy nominations for outstanding supporting actor in a drama series, in 2018 and 2019. Coster-Waldau began serving as a UNDP Goodwill Ambassador in 2016, supporting climate action and gender equality.
