‘Game of Thrones’ Star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau Honors Diana Rigg With Heartfelt Tribute

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau is paying tribute to the Queen of Thorns herself, actress Diana Rigg. Shortly after news broke Thursday that Rigg had died at the age of 82, Coster-Waldau took to Instagram to pay tribute to his former Game of Thrones co-star.

In a post shared with his 3.1 million Instagram followers, the actor wrote that Rigg “always raised the bar with her incredible talent, intelligence and wit.” He called it “an absolute joy and honor to work with,” her, adding, “May her soul Rest In Peace.” He shared the post alongside a gallery of two images of Rigg, including a screenshot from her time on Game of Thrones.

Rigg passed away Thursday morning after having been diagnosed with cancer in March of this year, her daughter, Rachael Stirling, confirmed in a statement, The Hollywood Reporter reported. Rigg’s agent, Simon Beresford, said the actress passed away at home surrounded by family. Rigg, according to Stirling, “spent her last months joyfully reflecting on her extraordinary life, full of love, laughter and a deep pride in her profession.”

After first making a splash onto the small screen in The Avengers, taking on the role of Emma Peel from 1965 until 1968, Rigg went on to have impacts on each generation. Most recently, fans recall her work on HBO’s Game of Thrones, on which she portrayed the fan-favorite character Lady Olenna Tyrell, the Queen of Thorns, from 2013 until 2017. Coster-Waldau had been present in Rigg’s final scene on the series, during which her onscreen counterpart drank a goblet full of poison and confessed to killing King Joffrey, uttering the now-iconic line, “Tell Cersei. I want her to know it was me.”

Coster-Waldau, however, is just one of many Game of Thrones stars paying their respects to Rigg. GoT actress Maisie Williams paid tribute to Rigg with a post to her Instagram Story, with the official Game of Thrones Twitter account writing, “be a dragon. The realm will always remember Diana Rigg.” Set photographer Helen Sloan, meanwhile, said that Rigg was “an absolute masterclass in how to take no s– from anyone.” Sloan recalled Rigg as “hilarious on set” and as being “so quick witted.”