A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms takes us to a time when dragons no longer rule the skies, and when the question of whether power is upheld through kindness or fear is very much alive. We spoke with the series’ key figures, Bertie Carvel, Daniel Ings, Sam Spruell, and Finn Bennett, about the depth of their characters, the tension of the tournament grounds, and the weight of the Targaryen legacy.
Westeros has never been simply black and white; but in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, we see these gray areas explored in a more human, more philosophical way. On one side stands Prince Baelor, the “Light and Shadow” figure who seeks to rule through kindness; on the other, the ambitious Aerion, regarded as the dynasty’s “disgrace.” There is Maekar, the embodiment of discipline, contrasted with Lyonel Baratheon, the “Laughing Storm,” who takes joy in the brutality of war. In our conversation with these four figures, we explored how George R.R. Martin built this world of contrasts upon a careful balance, and what personal touches the actors brought to life as they embodied these iconic characters.
Westeros’ “Most Hated” Prince: Finn Bennett on the Dark World of Aerion Targaryen
We sat down with Finn Bennett, who brings to life Aerion Targaryen, one of the most controversial figures in the A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms universe. Bennett spoke about the preparation process, from wigs to armor, behind building this arrogant prince audiences will “love to hate,” and explained why his character is so aggressive.
Aerion is a character audiences will enjoy hating. How did you build him not just as a “villain,” but as a prince who believes he has justifications in his own mind? And what was the trait you enjoyed portraying the most?
That’s a great question. I’d honestly say it took an entire army to build the character of Aerion. It all began with George R.R. Martin writing the character, continued with Ira Parker’s adaptation, and was shaped further by the vision of our directors, Owen and Sarah. Then there were Pip and Lucille, who put that famous wig on me every morning, along with my armor and the work of our costume designers, and finally, I added the finishing touches. Once you step into those magnificent costumes and that armor, it becomes almost impossible not to feel like the character.
As for his traits and his sense of self-justification, I think Aerion sees the current state of House Targaryen as a source of shame. He wants to remind everyone of who they truly are; of that old power and grandeur. And it’s precisely this urge to “remind” people that comes across from the outside as something so strange, aggressive, and excessively arrogant. Playing those completely unrestrained aspects of him was genuinely fascinating.
And it is a huge responsibility because the main series and previous projects have apparent successes. It is quite frightening because you’re putting a great amount of pressure on yourself to do it right. The good thing is you can shoot as much as you like within budget until you get it right, but you still have to achieve that “right.”
I think the main pressure was, after being selected, thinking, “Okay, what I am going to do now? What originality can I bring to the table? What mark can I make on this character?” I’ve always likened the Game of Thrones universe to Shakespeare’s history plays. As you know, these are characters of the kind that end up in history books, much like the figures of the Wars of the Roses, and they now have faces. That’s why this was a question I’d given a great deal of thought to.
Between Joy and Discipline: The Tournament Grounds with Daniel Ings and Sam Spruell
Maekar and Lyonel feel like complete opposites. Maekar is as hard as an “Anvil,” while Lyonel, the “Laughing Storm,” embodies joy. How did you use this contrast in energy within your scenes?
Sam Spruell (Maekar Targaryen): We didn’t actually plan this; it comes completely from George R. R. Martin’s design in his book. He established the balances in his world so well. As actors, we talked a lot about the tone of our performance while waiting to shoot in our tents. Side roles have an advantage; they allow you a lot more moving space, more opportunity to add some “spice” or joy. We stayed faithful to the script, but at the same time we tried to find moments of improvisation, small bits of humor, and different touches that reflected the spirit of the books. That’s what allowed the series to develop its own identity, distinct from its sibling shows.
Daniel Ings (Ser Lyonel Baratheon): To add to what Sam said, there’s a certain weight that comes with my character’s name, the “Laughing Storm.” Ira Parker once asked, “What if the Laughing Storm never laughed?” but that simply wouldn’t work. What mattered was finding the source of that joy. The origin of the name is actually quite dark: Lyonel is a man who laughs on the battlefield, amid violence and death. That’s a frightening thing. Playing with the balance of light and shadow between this darker side, a man who takes pleasure in the horrors of war, and his more joyful presence at the tournament was a huge opportunity for us.
How did you build that sense of tension in the scenes and the contrast between the characters?
Daniel Ings: In conversations with our director Owen and our writer Ira, we kept coming back to Jeremy Renner’s character in The Hurt Locker. I was really drawn to the idea of someone who only truly feels “alive” when they’re in dangerous situations, and who is almost switched off the rest of the time. That led me to think about a kind of madness, almost psychopathy, someone a bit unbalanced and unhinged.
Because of that, I wanted to naturally bring a sense of unpredictability to the character. As in: “What is this guy going to say now? What will he do? Will he punch someone in the face, or clap them on the back and become their best friend?” That quality was already in the DNA of the character as written by George (R.R. Martin) and adapted by Ira. I just wanted to push it a bit further and see how far I could take it, and it was a lot of fun.
I suppose we might even wonder whether he’ll start dancing at any moment; you have a wonderful dance scene in the first episode.
Daniel Ings: Yes, I can dance. I can move. When the idea came up and I learned there would be a dance scene, I felt it was a great opportunity to express who this man is through physicality and a few “sweet dance moves.”
Sam Spruell: Whether you can actually dance is debatable, but it worked brilliantly for the character.
Daniel Ings: I’m sorry, but that’s a scientific fact! (Laughter)
Sam Spruell: I actually felt very lucky to be playing the less successful brother. The one who is second in the line of succession, less loved by his mother, who hasn’t been a good father, and whose children, compared to the child we see with Baelor, are complete “failures.” Exploring Maekar’s shortcomings as a prince, a father, and a human being was something I genuinely enjoyed. These are always fascinating characters to play.
Daniel Ings: Staging the scenes and creating that “mad choreography” was great fun. That choreography really highlights just how different these two men are: on one side, Peter’s (Dunk’s) enormous, humble, and kind knight; on the other, my character’s (Aerion’s) flamboyant, loud, and infuriating arrogance. Peter is an incredibly open-minded scene partner, and pushing those boundaries together was a joy.
The Weight of the Crown, the Strength of Kindness: Bertie Carvel on Baelor
In the Shakespearean political atmosphere of Westeros, Prince Baelor shines both as a warrior and a mediator. We took a closer look with acclaimed actor Bertie Carvel at Baelor Targaryen’s character arc, his dynastic legacy, and his view of knightly honor.
George R.R. Martin’s portrayal of this era is one in which the shadow of dragons has faded. How do you position Baelor within this world?
Bertie Carvel (Baelor Targaryen): George’s engagement with history is about understanding the past in order to shape the present and imagine the future. Baelor is a thinker; he spends every day considering what kind of king he will become. That gives him a sense of unease, because he wants to be a “good king” in a world where kindness is rarely valued. This world closely resembles our own, an unstable place where everything can change at any moment. As the king’s right hand, Baelor is effectively ruling, yet he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders.
The Targaryen family is at a critical juncture: they’ve lost their “nuclear arsenal,” their dragons. All they have left is a reputation for brutality and cruelty inherited from the past. In other words, their only remaining weapon is fear. Baelor, however, is fundamentally a good man. There’s a kind of chiaroscuro, a play of light and shadow, at work here: he knows that to be an effective ruler, one must be feared, but he would much rather be loved. In this world of iron, rain, and mud, the question of how to uphold kindness and chivalry becomes an enormous one.
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