George R. R. Martin shares his thoughts on the casting of the upcoming Game of Thrones spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight.
A Song of Ice and Fire author George R. R. Martin addresses the latest cast news for the next Game of Thrones spinoff, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight. The series will be based on Martin’s novella trilogy, which takes place in the fantasy world of his epic fantasy series. The series recently found its leads in the form of Peter Claffey, a former rugby player who will play Ser Duncan the Tall (also known as “Dunk”), and Dexter Sol Ansell, a child actor who will play King Aegon V Targaryen (“Egg”).
Days after the casting announcements of “Dunk” and “Egg,” Martin took to Not A Blog and reflected on the two A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight leads. He kept his thoughts brief, but he wrote that Claffey was simply tall. He admitted that the actor is not as tall as Ser Duncan, but the author is confident that “movie magic” will make the deficit unnoticeable. Regarding Ansell, he stated that the young actor has a lot of experience for his age and seems committed to the role. Read his full comment below:
Peter Claffey will play Dunk. He’s a former professional rugby player turned actor. And he’s tall. Ok, maybe not quite as tall as Ser Duncan the Tall, but still plenty tall, and with the magic of television … His readings were terrific. I think you’re going to love him.
As Egg, we’ve cast Dexter Sol Ansell. Most recently seen in the HUNGER GAMES prequel, but he’s got an amazing amount of experience for his age. I am told he cannot wait to shave his head. (Love that sort of commitment). His auditions were wonderful as well. Peter and Dexter. They should make one hell of a pair.
George R. R. Martin Is Even More Involved In Game of Thrones Projects & That’s A Green Flag
Martin Has Acted As An Executive Producer For Many Game Of Thrones Shows
However, it’s clear the success would require Martin’s support and creative input, as the Game of Thrones franchise seems to fare better when he’s on board.
Martin was, for the most part, involved with the Game of Thrones series; he served as an executive producer and even wrote four episodes for the hit fantasy series. Toward the end (the last four seasons), however, Martin was reportedly kept out of the loop and didn’t know why. Because of this, it’s said that the latter half of the series faltered, especially season 8 with the controversial Game of Thrones ending.
Game of Thrones Episode That George R. R. Martin Wrote
IMDb Rating
S1E8 – “The Pointy End”
8.9/10
S2E9 – “Blackwater”
9.7/10
S3E7 – “The Bear and the Maiden Fair”
8.6/10
S4E2 – “The Lion and the Rose”
9.7/10
During the development of House of the Dragon, another prequel series based on one of Martin’s books, Fire & Blood, co-showrunner Ryan Condal avoided that mistake and leaned on the author’s expertise. As a result, House of the Dragon oozes with the presence of Martin as the prequel show has received immense critical reception. In one of his blog posts, Martin said, “HotD is all I hoped it would be; dark, powerful, visceral, disturbing, stunning to look at, peopled with complex and very human characters brought to life by some truly amazing actors.”
Currently, Martin is credited as an executive producer on A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight. Martin’s praise for the casting is already a good sign for the upcoming prequel show, emphasizing his involvement in ensuring it reaches the quality of early Game of Thrones seasons and House of the Dragon. The show’s progress is a further indication that it will make it to the silver screen, unlike the recent news about the Jon Snow series being shelved. However, it’s clear the success would require Martin’s support and creative input, as the Game of Thrones franchise seems to fare better when he’s on board.
