Much like the black-face of old, dwarves and small people have only gotten comedic roles that are typically at their own expense. For one actor in particular, his ability for great acting makes the audience forget his height and focus only on his character. Perhaps one of the most notable big actors who is small is Warwick Davis. He is most famous for his role as Willow, and most recently the Harry Potter movies, but I also remember him from The 10th Kingdom.
This has lead to Peter Dinklage who has become a huge star winning a Golden Globe award for his role in Game of Thrones. I did not start watching Game of Thrones until season 2 had started, and all I had heard about Peter's role was how awesome the character was. I soon found out indeed how awesome he is. He plays a dwarf, but his character is written and acted with such depth and personal history that for much of his scenes, I forget how tall he is.
As for Peter, himself, I had seen him previously in the hilarious UK film Death at a Funeral. In Game of Thrones, I find that Peter's character is perhaps my favorite. It is a testament to Peter Dinklage of his acting ability to play a role so well. It is my hope that in what he does will open doors for other actors such as himself to get roles that are written not for comedy, especially at their expense, but roles that have depth and character. I think Peter himself feels the same way considering his acceptance speech at the Golden Globes to bring awareness to another small person, Martin Henderson, who was injured when someone threw him. That kind of behavior treats them as less than human, and Peter Dinklage, through his acting, has shown audiences that they can act bigger and better than someone twice his height.
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