He
undoubtedly has. Before he received worldwide acclaim as Tyrion Lannister in
Game of Thrones, dwarves were mostly associated
with comedy and costumes in Hollywood.
Actors
like Warwick Davis, Martin Klebba and Verne Troyer were used in funny and often
degrading roles and the roles that were taken seriously were often in fantasy
movies where they were hiding underneath a costume.
Then
came Peter with a breathtaking performance. A dwarf-like any other, who showed
people like him, many who may have been afraid to fight for their dreams, that
there is a light at the end of the tunnel. That though they’re different, they
matter just as much as any of us, and that they should be given equal
opportunities.
A
few years from now we’ll be seeing new actors thanking him and telling the
public that he was their inspiration.
Here is another of my proof:
“Days of Future Past” was a good, but not a
transformational movie, but one thing that really stood out to me was that
Bolivar Trask was played by Peter Dinklage. The character wasn’t written for a
little person, in fact, in the original comic, he wasn’t. His height wasn’t
part of the plot, or his character, and was never even referred to.
Can you think of another film where that’s ever happened with an
actor with dwarfism? Every film and show I’ve ever seen that’s had a little
person playing a role, that role was clearly written specifically for a little
person, whether it be played for laughs (as with Mini-Me), or playing a fantasy
character (like Warwick Davis’ entire career), or where prejudice against them
is a major plot point (like Game of Thrones).
Casting an actor in a role that wasn’t specifically written for
someone with their characteristics is a fundamental milestone in public
acceptance. The first time that happened for a black actor was in 1960, at
least in American cinema. (A minor role in “The Manchurian Candidate”, in
case you were wondering).
The point is that, though Dinklage’s physical stature is still
the first thing most people think about when we think of him, we’re at least
starting to realize that’s not his only identity.
That does not, of course, change
everything, eliminate prejudice, or anything like that. But it’s a step on the
right direction, which is unlikely to happen until there’s a person who starts
to change perceptions.
