In HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the breakout performance of Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg, the clever squire hiding his Targaryen identity, has won over the fans. But behind-the-scenes, it’s Ansell’s maturity and dedication that left a lasting impression on his co-stars.
Quick read:
• Daniel Ings highlighted how the young actor’s smartness and professionalism concealed his age
• He calls Dexter much smarter than the other older actors
• He addressed that the entire cast was protective of Dexter
Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Image: HBO)
Daniel Ings calls Dexter, “A clever and switched-on young guy.”
Daniel Ings, who plays Lyonel Baratheon, shared glowing praise for the child actor in an interview with Collider. Praising Dexter, he said,
“He’s an incredibly clever and switched-on young guy. It’s really super easy to forget how young he is. He’s much smarter than me and has an incredible work ethic. He’s a really sort of fun and confident young man, incredibly impressive and much smarter than the rest of us, much like his character. So in a way, it was super easy. And also, he’s incredibly experienced, like I think he’s 11 now..he was 9 when we shot it. He’s done more stuff than any of the rest of us put together.”
Ings noted how Ansell mirrored his character’s intelligence. This on-set poise made working with him seamless, especially in fun scenes like the tug-of-war competition at the Ashford Tournament.
Dexter’s praiseworthy work ethic
Ings recalled instances where the young actor corrected continuity errors with ease: “He would quite happily be like, ‘Oh, your cup’s in the wrong hand there. You had it in the other hand. You switch it on this line.’”
This attention to detail according to Daniel, showcased a professionalism rare for someone so young, earning him admiration from the entire team.
Ser Duncan “Dunk” the Tall and Egg in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Image: HBO)
Protecting the “little dude” amid the fun
While Ansell’s maturity was evident, the cast remained mindful of his age. Ings noted everyone was “aware to protect this little dude because he is physically little.” He recalled a celebratory scene where Ansell banged his head on Claffey’s shoulder while being tossed in the air. Ings nearly jumped in but was stopped by Claffey:
“Peter, bless him, was like, ‘No! No! No! No!’”
This protective vibe highlighted the close-knit dynamic on set.
Dexter’s hard work and smart attitude helped make Egg feel real and lovable. As season 2 is under the production knife, fans are excited to see more of him.
