Peter Claffey, who stars as Ser Duncan the Tall in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, has revealed the exact moment during filming when he felt he had truly locked in the character. In a recent HBO FYC panel, Claffey was asked if there was a particular scene where he felt confident he had nailed the role of Dunk. He pointed straight to one of the show’s most memorable moments.
Quick read:
- Peter Claffey talks about rehearsing his iconic horseback speech for audition
- That was the moment that he knew he had got Dunk’s part
- It is one of the most iconic moments of the show
“Are there no true knights among you?”
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The looming ‘Braveheart’ speech
Claffey explained that the horseback speech in the first episode carried enormous pressure because it was a pivotal part of his audition process:
“The speech on horseback was a huge part of the audition process and probably swung on that point.”
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He admitted the scene was “looming” over him for weeks as the filming schedule approached. The team even nicknamed it the “Braveheart speech” because of the dramatic delivery while riding a horse. Thankfully, the production gave the cast plenty of rehearsal time, and the first episode’s key scenes were rehearsed chronologically with the full cast.
The moment he knew he got it
When the day finally came and they shot the scene, Claffey knew they had nailed it. His reaction was pure joy:
“When we got it, I remember when we got it and you (director) were like, ‘I’m happy we nailed it.’ And I took off on the horse and just took off around and pulled out my sword… with all the extras and stuff.”
He was so excited that he galloped around the set on horseback, sword raised in celebration, much to the amusement (and mild concern) of the horse masters.
“Tom Cox, the head of the Horsemen… was like, ‘Yeah, you’re not allowed to do that, but I get you’re really, really happy with that.’”
Claffey concluded that this energetic, triumphant moment was probably when he truly felt he had embodied Dunk. This behind-the-scenes story highlights both the pressure and the joy Claffey experienced while stepping into the iconic role of the honorable hedge knight. The horseback speech still remains one of the standout moments of season 1 for fans.
