In a TV world where shows often swap out actors or jump forward in time, Ira Parker, the showrunner of HBO’s ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘, is doing things differently. He recently made it clear that he has no plans to recast young Dexter Sol Ansell as the fan-favorite Egg, even as the series looks toward future seasons where the character will get older.
“No. Dexter is our Egg,” Parker said. “Or, at least, Dexter is my Egg, I have no controlling interest in this property. But Dexter and Peter are my guys.“
How Dexter Sol Ansell Landed the Role of Egg in ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms‘
Parker’s loyalty to his young star comes from a casting process that he said was an instant success. When the team started looking for the right actor to play the young squire who is secretly a Targaryen prince, they did not have to search for long.
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“Very first email from my casting director, very top, number one, literally, Dexter Sol Ansell,” Parker recalled on the Official Game of Thrones Podcast. “Clicked on the link, watched the audition.” His reaction was quick. “That’s the guy. Great, let’s sign him up.” Even though he was asked to look at other actors just to be thorough, Parker stayed sure of his choice and said “we came all the way back to number one.”
The easy chemistry between Ansell and his co-star Peter Claffey, who plays the big hedge knight Ser Duncan the Tall, locked it in. Parker described the moment, “I mean, my director, Owen Harris, and I were sitting in that room, and we just looked at each other as soon as they, you know, stood next to each other. This is the show. This is easy, good. We can all go home now.”
The Real Friendship Between Dunk and Egg Actors That Makes the Show Work
The close connection between Dunk and Egg that fans loved in season one was not just from the writing. Parker said the chemistry came from a real friendship that grew between Claffey and Ansell.
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“The relationship was also happening off-screen. They were getting to know each other. They were hanging out, they were going to Dave and Buster’s, they were figuring out how to relate to each other. And that continues into season two, which I love, and it changes in a very fun way, as these close relationships do.“
Ira Parker’s Bold Plan to Film Dunk and Egg Over Decades Like ‘Boyhood’
Instead of doing what ‘House of the Dragon‘ did, which recast several main actors to handle a big time jump, Parker has a bigger plan. He wants to take viewers on a journey over many years with the same actors. Parker shared his long-term idea with outlets, comparing it to Richard Linklater’s ‘Boyhood‘, which was filmed over 12 years.
“I would love to do three, four or five seasons with Egg the boy and then come back in five or 10 years and do a few more with Egg the prince,” Parker explained to Variety. “Then come back in five or 10 years from then and do him at the end of his life.” He went on about the plan, saying a break in production will let the actor age naturally. “The idea of taking two people on a journey through their lives, I haven’t seen a lot of that. But I embrace the oldening of Dexter and Egg. He’ll grow older with the character; he’s supposed to get older.“
Parker has said that this bold approach might need a “multi-year break” from production after a possible fifth season, so that both the actor and author George R.R. Martin, who is still writing more Dunk and Egg stories, have time to catch up. “We understand how important that is right now, but hopefully he will develop and the characters will develop, and it will still be a lot of fun.”
Ansell, who was only 9 when production started, has already impressed Parker with how much he has grown. “He’s come in season 2 like an old pro. He’s so confident, calm, and he can give you different versions now. He’s really come into himself,” Parker said. “I think he’s the best child actor on Earth, there’s no doubt about it.”
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