While viewers have grown accustomed to the refined British accents often found in fantasy epics, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set to break that mold. In a recent interview, leads Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell revealed that finding the right voice for Westeros involved a series of creative pivots.
@templeofgeek While viewers have grown accustomed to a certain kind of British Accent in their fantasy series, A knight of the seven kingdoms has a different approach. Temple of Geek journalist @JJ chats accents with the cast of A Knight of The Seven Kingdoms, Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell. #AKOTAK #aknightofthesevenkingdoms #peterclaffey #dextersolansell #dunkandegg ♬ original sound – Temple Of Geek
Based on the beloved Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas by George R.R. Martin, this half-hour drama takes us back a century before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen. The realm is at peace under the Targaryen banner, and the memory of the last dragon still lingers.
The series follows two of the most improbable friends in fantasy literature, Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey), A naive but courageous hedge knight looking for his place in a rigid social hierarchy. Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell): His diminutive, mysterious, and sharp-witted young squire.
Together, the duo will navigate an era of powerful foes and dangerous exploits, unaware of the “great destinies” that George R.R. Martin has woven for them.
The Creative Choice Behind Dunk and Egg’s Unique Accents
During their first appearance for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, lead actors Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell opened up about the challenges of bringing the archaic and medieval dialogue to life.
A major creative shift occurred early in production regarding how these characters sound. While viewers are accustomed to the regal British accents of King’s Landing, Claffey revealed he was encouraged to use his natural Irish accent.
“I was a little bit nervous about it,” Claffey admitted. “All you ever hear of that archaic language is an old British, like, regal accent. To say those things in my own accent was like something I’ve never heard before… but after seeing the episode, I’m glad we made the choice.”
For young Dexter Sol Ansell, the road to finding “Egg” was slightly more frustrating. After spending weeks rehearsing the entire script in a specific accent, producers changed course at the last minute.
“I come into the room one day and they’re like, ‘No, we don’t want the accent,'” Ansell laughed. “I just took all that time learning!”
Claffey’s response to his young co-star? “Welcome to the movies, man. Welcome to the business.”
Watch the full interview here:
‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Renewed Through 2028 Ahead of Premiere
HBO officially announced the renewal of both House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms through 2028. The first season of AKOTSK is set to debut this Sunday, January 18, at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT. Even before the first episode has aired, HBO has secured a second season, slated for release in 2027.
By extending the runs of both through 2028, HBO is ensuring fans won’t have to wait too long for their favorites to return. Both series will continue to anchor the Sunday night lineup on HBO and stream globally on HBO Max.
