Game of Thrones spin-off A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has officially arrived, introducing fans to a quieter corner of Westeros and a new central duo, Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell.
As reviews and reactions poured in, a hilarious moment between the show’s two leads caught fans’ attention.
In an interview with TV Insider on January 18, Ansell jokingly poked fun at Claffey’s towering height and their real-life size difference.
Highlights
- 11-year-old Dexter Sol Ansell joked that he suffered a neckache from constantly looking up at his towering co-star during filming.
- Standing at 6'5", Peter Claffey mirrorred his character "Dunk the Tall."
- Showrunners leaned into the physical size difference to add "physical comedy" and vulnerability to Dunk’s character.
Dexter Sol Ansell hilariously mocked Peter Claffey’s height while filming A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
Image credits: HBO
Claffey plays Ser Duncan the Tall, a hedge knight trying to make a name for himself after the passing of his mentor. Ansell portrays Egg, the sharp-tongued boy who becomes his squire by the end of the first episode.
During the interview, the two reflected on the first episode and their time filming together in Ireland.
Image credits: Getty/Jeff Spicer
When asked about working as a pair, Ansell laughed about the physical reality of standing next to his co-star Peter Claffey, who is 6’5” feet.
“I had a neckache from looking up at Dunk the whole way through,” the 11-year-old joked.
Claffey immediately fired back playfully, adding, “I had a neckache from looking down at you!”
Peter Claffey’s real-life height closely mirrored Ser Duncan the Tall
Image credits: Getty/Tristar Media
Claffey’s real-life size was not incidental to his casting.
In George R. R. Martin’s Dunk and Egg novellas, Ser Duncan the Tall was described as just shy of seven feet, making him one of the largest knights in Westerosi history.
Though Claffey is several inches shorter than his literary counterpart, he previously acknowledged thinking about the height difference.
“A little bit,” he admitted at New York Comic Con 2025. “It’s quite ambiguous in the book… but we worked around it, and he still looks as huge as he possibly could.”
The height exchange between Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell mirrored the dynamics in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Dunk is physically imposing but socially unsure, while Egg is smaller, quicker, and far more confident than his size demonstrates.
Claffey explained that this contrast was something George R. R. Martin and showrunner Ira Parker actively leaned into while adapting the Dunk and Egg novellas.
Image credits: HBO
“George and Ira are so close and have such a great relationship that the translation from book to screenplay was a combined effort,” Claffey said. “They wanted to have those bits of physical comedy as well.”
He further noted that the show was designed to feel different from Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.
“They were adamant it was going to have a different feel. Dunk tends to lean into the comedic—not by choice—but through insecurity and anxiety.”
The Dunk and Egg relationship is built on contrast in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and evolved quickly
Image credits: Getty/Elisabetta A. Villa
Episode 1 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms features Dunk at his lowest point, burying his former knight Ser Arlan of Pennytree before setting off toward the Ashford tourney.
Egg enters his life not as an admirer, but as a boy looking for a way out.
“Egg just wants to get with someone,” Ansell explained. “He doesn’t really care who it is. He just wants to go.”
As the episode progresses, their relationship evolves quickly. As seen in the first episode, their conversations reveal mutual dependence rather than authority.
Image credits: HBO
While Dunk needs credibility, Egg needs protection and purpose. And their growing trust becomes the emotional spine of the series.
Parker recalled the moment on set when that bond clicked for him.
“It was when Dunk rides up outside the inn, and Egg comes out from the stables,” he said. “It felt right. It gave me a really warm, good feeling.”
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is currently streaming on HBO Max.