You might assume that anyone leading a new Westeros series would have spent hours talking with the people who launched HBO’s fantasy phenomenon. Surprisingly, that’s not the case for Ira Parker. The A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner recently revealed that he has never actually spoken with Game of Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, despite working within the same franchise.
Quick read:
- Ira Parker has not met Benioff and Weiss.
- A visit to set nearly happened.
- He hopes to meet them one day.
A near meeting never quite happened
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Parker revealed that while he has crossed paths with people connected to the original series, he has never had a conversation with the men who helped bring Game of Thrones to television.
“I haven’t spoken to them. I think Dan was in Belfast at one point while we were shooting, and obviously he knows a lot of people in our crew. There was talk of him maybe coming by, but it didn’t end up working out.”
Given how deeply Benioff and Weiss were involved in building HBO’s production pipeline in Belfast, Parker admitted it would have been valuable to hear about their experience firsthand.
Credit: Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images
Add WoT as a preferred source on Google.
Parker wishes he had reached out sooner
Looking back, Parker says he regrets not making contact earlier in the process.
“I wish I had reached out early in the process because, if nothing else, I just would have wanted to pick their brains about what this show was going to be, about HBO, about moving your family to Belfast and, you know, the whole run of it.”
He pointed out that few people understand what it takes to shepherd a Westeros production from beginning to end better than Benioff and Weiss.
“Nobody knows that better than them.”
Despite never meeting them, Parker hopes that changes in the future.
“Hopefully, one day, I’d love to have a coffee with them.”
With A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms earning praise from viewers and already moving toward its second season, that coffee conversation may end up happening sooner rather than later.
Read next: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner reveals favorite Game of Thrones scenes
