When Peter Claffey found out he had been cast as Ser Duncan the Tall in HBO’s highly anticipated Game of Thrones prequel, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, his reaction was humble and grounded, even though it was a lifelong dream come true. He revealed that he was already present at the location of the shoot so it was easier not having to switch comfort.
Quick read:
- Peter Claffey believes doing less is doing more in acting
- He revealed being at Belfast before AKOTSK’s filming even started
- He praises Belfast for being a commendable shooting location
It’s always nice to get the part
Claffey shared in a recent interview with Film Inside that “It’s always a nice thing to get a part, regardless.” But this was far from any ordinary role. Playing the iconic hedge knight Dunk meant stepping into the world of Westeros, set nearly a century before the events of Game of Thrones. Once the initial excitement hit, Claffey immediately began thinking about how to do justice to the character.
In his words,
“You sort of start thinking about what your idea is, how to be good.”
The secret to great acting: Do less
With time, the Irish actor has discovered what he believes is the key to strong performances:
“The key is to sort of do less and that’s really hard to do to sort of get out of your own way. Just turn up and see what happens.”
According to Claffey, this approach requires tremendous trust in the script, the director, and especially in the chemistry with fellow actors. However, “doing less” doesn’t mean being unprepared.
Preparation and responsibility to the story
Peter Claffey stressed the importance of thorough preparation while remaining flexible:
“One has to be very well prepared. I think you have a responsibility to your co-workers and to the story to be as well prepared as you can. But that preparation can take so many different shapes and sizes.”
This balance between preparation and staying present on set has become central to his acting philosophy.
Feeling right at home in Belfast
One factor that made the entire experience feel surprisingly easy was the filming location. At the time he landed the role, Claffey was already living and working in Belfast; the same city where much of Game of Thrones and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was shot.
“I was already in Belfast doing another job. So I knew that place well and I was already set up living there and my family knew it well. And so I felt very at home actually coming into this story. I loved filming in Belfast, the most wonderful city and so it felt very easy actually.”
As fans eagerly await more of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Peter Claffey’s honest reflections give us a glimpse behind-the-scenes of how this new Westeros story is being brought to life.
