Game of Thrones Season 4: Peter Dinklage Admits He Hasn’t Read The Books

Peter Dinklage has, for going on four seasons now, played Tyrion Lannister in HBO’s “Game of Thrones,” a television adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s series of dark fantasy novels, “A Song of Ice and Fire.”Tyrion Lannister is one of the primary characters in both the books and the HBO show, so you might think it safe to assume that Dinklage has done his homework. As revealed last night, on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” that’s not the case.”I haven’t read the books that it’s based on,” said Dinklage. “George R.R. Martin, our author, is probably going to kill my character soon because I’ve mentioned that.”Dinklage went on to say that it wasn’t for lack of trying.”I can’t read them now because our TV show’s my day job,” Dinklage quipped, poking fun at the books’ intimidating lengths. “I started to read it and I got confused, so…” He then tried to recover, adding “They’re amazing books though, George!”What was worse was how Dinklage was forced to admit his ignorance to Martin himself.”I was in a Q&A with him,” Dinklage explained, “sitting right next to him, and I had to confess that in front of him for the first time.””How did that go?” asked Letterman.”Not well,” answered Dinklage. “Not well at all.”In “Game of Thrones” Seasson 4, encouraged by the Red Wedding slaughter in the Riverlands that wiped out many of their Stark nemeses, the Lannisters’ hold on the Iron Throne remains intact… but can they survive their own egos, as well as new and ongoing threats from the south, north and east? While an unbowed Stannis Baratheon continues to rebuild his army in Dragonstone, a more immediate danger comes from the south, as Oberyn Martell, the Lannister-loathing “Red Viper of Dorne,” arrives at King’s Landing to attend Joffrey’s wedding to Margaery Tyrell, and perhaps act on an ulterior agenda. In the north, a depleted Night’s Watch seems overmatched against the inexorable Wall advances of Mance Rayder’s army of wildlings, which in turn is being trailed by an even more formidable foe: the undead White Walkers. As if that weren’t enough, Daenerys Targaryen, accompanied by her menacing trio of dragons and army of Unsullied, is poised to liberate Meereen, the largest city in Slaver’s Bay, which could ultimately provide her with enough ships to sail to Westeros and reclaim the Iron Throne.”Game of Thrones” Season 4 premieres Sunday, April 6 on HBO.Peter Dinklage can also be seen playing Bolivar Trask in “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” coming to theaters May 23, 2014.