Exploring New Amsterdam With Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

In the recent months and weeks before the writers' strike, Fox’s New Amsterdam was one of the most talked about new shows of the year given its fanboy-friendly sci-fi elements. What's not to love about an immortal cop who fights crime on the streets of New York City? Now that the strike is a thing of the past, viewers can finally check out the show on Tuesday, March 4 at 9pm and again two nights later on Thursday, March 6 for a special episode of the anticipated series. Starring Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as the 400-year old John Amsterdam, New Amsterdam centers around an immortal New York detective and his quest to find the one true love he's been searching for and the only person who can turn him into a mortal.

Leading up to highly anticipated pilot, The Deabolt joined a conference call with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau to find out what life is like playing an immortal detective, what drew him to the project, how the recent strike affected the production, and whether he'd ever get bored if he lived to be a 400-year old man.

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau on whether he'd ever get bored if he was 400-years old:

"That’s a good question. I think anxiety would kick in a little sooner, and fear. I guess John Amsterdam is a little lucky, he’s lucky the way he happens to be blessed or cursed in New York. Doing this show, I’ve been reading a lot on the history of New York and it's breathtaking the amount of events that have unfolded in this city. So I’m not sure he’s been bored. But here where I am right now, I think 400 years is pushing it a little bit, yeah. I’ll say 124 years."

Coster-Waldau on whether the show is direct sci-fi or more of a procedural show with sci-fi elements:

"It’s a combination, I think. I think we’re trying to use flavors of each genre. We go back and forth in time in each show, so there is a big element of sci-fi in it."

On whether he has any hidden talents:

"No. I know a lot of bits and pieces everywhere that I’ve taken up. But no, I’m not a specialist in anything. That’s why I’m an actor."

On a specific talent that he would like to have:

"I would love to be really good at history, to be able to quote various people throughout history. That would be great. That’s what I can think of off the top of my head."

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau on what attracted him to the role:

"I liked the script. I heard the concept first and I was a little [like], 'Does this mean I have to have false teeth and all?' But then I read the script and I really liked it. You know that feeling. I was in the attic the other day and I found these old notebooks that I wrote when I was in my teens, and it was funny, because I kind of recognized the guy but still, he was someone else."

"To have a character here, John Amsterdam, where you get to go back in his life, and you go back a long time, you have to find the common ground. Like 100 years ago, for example, he was working as a coachman and there was a whole different set of social circumstances. To do that every week was just intriguing and it’s been really interesting to make some choices that the audience would still recognize John and John Amsterdam but still also make sure that it made sense that he was who he was at that given time. Then, on top of that for the pilot, I’ve been a fan of Lasse Hallstrom a long time. When I found out he was doing the pilot, that was also a big draw and they offered me the part. That’s a big part."

Coster-Waldau on enjoying certain scenes, especially the flashbacks:

"Some of the flashback scenes I really enjoyed. I guess it was a change. But also - it’s always great with a character who has a lot of secrets, and this guy has truckloads. For example, in the first episode we find out that he is a member of A.A., and then four episodes later we find out how he joined A.A. That was a great show to make. Yes, it was a lot of fun to go back in time. Still, running down the streets as a New York detective wasn’t too bad either."

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