Peter Claffey, who plays Ser Duncan the Tall in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, has shared a heartfelt and surprising take on working with his young co-star Dexter Sol Ansell (Aegon “Egg” Targaryen). In an interview clip with Film Inside, Claffey admitted he initially expected to be the one guiding the child actor, only to quickly discover the opposite. He wholeheartedly praised the now 11-year old for his maturity, experience and ability to cope up quickly with his surroundings.
Describing Dexter, Peter said,
“You get to learn loads from Dexter. When you start acting with Dexter, you think…you’re working with a child actor and you’re gonna have to try and help them through things. But then you figure out very quickly that you’re working with someone that has a lot more…that seems like he has a lot more years of experience and a lot more professionalism.”
Quick read:
- Peter Claffey praised Dexter Sol Ansell’s professionalism
- He said the young actor is too mature for his age
- Despite the age-gap, they were able to lean on each other for support
Image: HBO
A role reversal on set
What began as a typical mentor-protégé dynamic due to age, flipped almost immediately. Claffey described how Dexter’s maturity, focus, and professionalism made filming easier and more enjoyable.
“Yeah, it made things so much easier and made me look up to him. We kind of got each other through it because it was quite a tough shoot.”
The demanding production schedule consisting of long days, heavy costumes, outdoor locations, and emotional scenes, tested everyone involved. Claffey noted there were moments when both actors felt tired and down, but they leaned on each other.
“There were times when we were down and we were tired and stuff, but we kind of hung in there together. It was good to have him by my side as well, getting through it.”
Mutual support in a challenging shoot
The genuine mutual respect shines through in Claffey’s words. Far from being a one-way mentorship, the Dunk and Egg partnership on set became a true partnership off-camera too; two actors supporting each other through the physical and emotional demands of bringing George R.R. Martin’s beloved characters to life.
Fans have praised the chemistry between Claffey and Ansell, and comments like these only deepen the appreciation for how the young actor’s talent elevated the entire experience for his adult co-star as well.
