‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Daniel Ings on What George R.R. Martin Teased About Lyonel Baratheon’s Future

After six weeks on the tourney at Ashford Meadow, it is lastly time for Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) to maneuver on. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms wrapped up its first season tonight with a funeral and the start of a brand new chapter for our heroes. Coming in after the violent Trial of Seven, which finally noticed Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett) dropping to Dunk, the finale focuses totally on the aftermath and what occurs now that Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvel), the topped prince, is lifeless. With the tourney winding down, Dunk is obtainable a possibility by Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) to return with him to Storm’s Finish. The scene not solely reveals Dunk’s immense guilt for what occurred to Baelor but in addition Lyonel’s deep disdain for the Targaryens, reminding us of the intrinsic rivalry between the 2 homes.

We spoke with Daniel Ings about his function within the latest Sport of Thrones spin-off. Ings mentioned how he harnessed Lyonel’s braggadocious perspective and what it took for him to painting a monumental character like Lyonel Baratheon. He discusses the Trial of Seven and the place he thinks Lyonel will get his deep hate for the Targaryens from within the finale. He reveals conversations he had with showrunner Ira Parker in regards to the character, in addition to writer George R.R. Martin, who teased Lyonel’s potential return sooner or later. For individuals who know the story, it is a hopeful indication that we would see Ings once more, although seemingly within the distant future ought to the collection proceed previous three seasons.

Daniel Ings on How He Harnessed Lyonel Baratheon’s Perspective

“Yeah, I really feel like there’s undoubtedly a aspect to me that may be bombastic and in your face.”

COLLIDER: Your character, Lyonel Baratheon, is many issues. He is a singer, he is a dancer, he is a fighter, he is received all of it. He is such a bombastic and daring character. Was {that a} function that got here naturally to you, or was that one thing that you just needed to work on? As a result of his character could be very a lot in your face if you first meet him.

DANIEL INGS: I suppose it did type of come naturally. Yeah, I really feel like there’s undoubtedly a aspect to me that may be bombastic and in your face. It is undoubtedly one thing that I am snug tapping into, and I get pleasure from that, significantly with dancing. Dancing was one thing that I was very self aware about. After which once I was youthful, that was a type of alternative, like a change that I made to only select to not be anymore. And me and my buddies used to do ironic dancing, that was my approach in. We might name it “ironic dancing,” significantly after Zoolander got here out; we did dance-offs in the midst of some dance ground someplace. At a sure level, I used to be like, really, perhaps I do not want to do that satirically anymore, perhaps I simply get pleasure from this.

I really like that.

INGS: Yeah, advantageous. Fuck it, you already know? I really feel like I get pleasure from dance. I can not sing, sadly. I am a horrible singer. However once more, I more and more do not actually care that I am not excellent at it. You already know what I imply?

To be honest, within the scene the place you sing within the present, your character is drunk, so he does not actually should be an ideal singer in that second.

INGS: Precisely, I believe, to that finish, with all of these parts, it is a man who, in a approach, he does not want to have the ability to do these issues. He simply must not care what anyone thinks, that is the essential factor. And that is type of liberating, when you can simply let it go and to get to play somebody who does not actually give a shit what folks suppose, it means your focus does not should be on, technically, whether or not it is good, it simply must be enjoyable.

I believe that got here off completely. He undoubtedly has, a type of “I do not give a fuck” vitality, which I believe all people appreciates.

INGS: (laughs)

Daniel Ings Reveals a Behind-the-Scenes Second With Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell

“Everybody was conscious to guard this little dude as a result of he’s bodily little, if extra grown up than the remainder of us.”

If you’re stepping into the realm of Sport of Thrones, you are already toeing the road with what is suitable for a child to be uncovered to. What was it like filming with Dexter (Sol Ansell) and seeing him work as a younger actor?

INGS: He is an extremely intelligent and switched-on younger man. It is actually tremendous straightforward to neglect how younger he’s. He is a lot smarter than me and has an unimaginable work ethic. He would fairly fortunately be like, “Oh, your cup’s within the flawed hand there. You had it within the different hand. You turn it on this line.” It is really easy to neglect how younger he’s. He is a extremely type of enjoyable and assured younger man, extremely spectacular and far smarter than the remainder of us, very similar to his character. So in a approach, it was tremendous straightforward. And in addition, he is extremely skilled, like — I believe he is 11 now — he was 9 once we shot it. He is achieved extra stuff than any of the remainder of us put collectively.

You are aware of it, though plenty of the stuff that I received to do with Dexter was fairly enjoyable, like we have been on the market doing the tug of struggle. He did bang his head at one level as a result of we have been all doing celebrations, and Peter’s throwing him up within the air. And I bear in mind, there was in the future he damage himself fairly badly, I believe he banged his head on Peter’s shoulder. And I had no concept that this had occurred, and I come operating in, able to, like, leap on the 2 of them. And Peter, bless him, was like, “No! No! No! No!” So, everybody was conscious to guard this little dude as a result of he’s bodily little, if extra grown up than the remainder of us.

Daniel Ings Will get Into What It Was Like Filming These Motion Scenes in Armor

“…that type of vitality that you just see within the Baratheon tent is replicated out on the sphere.”

There’s plenty of physicality that comes into taking part in this character, I can solely think about what it is like having to put on the armor and that big crown. What was it like making ready for these motion scenes?

INGS: The motion stuff, I’ve to present credit score to the stunt guys, as a result of they did a lot of it. When you see that massive jousting sequence and the Trial of Seven, it is so bodily demanding, what’s anticipated of those characters, and the way in which that they shoot it. It will have been shit if I attempted to do a load of that stuff. I did a good bit of using in it, and I would achieved some using earlier than, so it was slightly bit of coaching for that. We did some battle coaching, which, once more, I’ve achieved a little bit of earlier than, but it surely’s all the time enjoyable to brush up on that. The factor that I wished to deal with with all of that was the fluidity of it, as a result of this man is a tremendous warrior, however he is additionally somebody who takes nice pleasure within the efficiency of being in that enviornment. Are you aware what I imply? Within the sport of it. He is obsessive about the game of it, and so, very similar to with the dancing, many of the preparation was round making an attempt to make it possible for, even with the stunt staff, there was a type of fluid and florid motion type with this character, that type of vitality that you just see within the Baratheon tent is replicated out on the sphere.

To be trustworthy, it was fairly powerful. The helmet, which I put on on the finish, which is unimaginable, and I fucking beloved it, but it surely’s so arduous. There was so many sequences the place I wished to point out that he’s this man who’s so excited and simply delighted to be there, the place everybody else is shitting themselves. He is similar to, “That is superb!” That is his 50-year storm, after which to see the change into mad canine as he pulls the helmet on. We did so many takes of it, as a result of that factor… I would put it on, after which we might end the take with, like, seven of us in a line, and it is simply flopping over to 1 aspect.

They need to have saved that in. I really feel like that may be type of humorous.

INGS: Yeah, he is the Laughing Storm, like he does not give a shit! In order that was plenty of the preparation, and I imply, you possibly can’t actually inform, however I attempted to type of hit the weights beforehand, as a result of I knew that this was going to be a bodily job…

You have been shirtless in a type of scenes. So perhaps that helped the boldness ranges there if it was intimidating?

INGS: (Laughs) Fuck it, yeah. Precisely. I imply, I am not massively a gymnasium man, however, once more, the factor in regards to the Laughing Storm is, within the books there is a massive deal with his physicality. He is an enormous, and he is bodily imposing. However I believe for for me, and for Ira (Parker), our showrunner, like, I believe he would have beloved it. He did say to me, at one level, he was like, “Are you able to simply begin consuming bagels? I simply wished you to get like fats, like massive.” However I simply misplaced a ton of weight a 12 months or two earlier than. I used to be like, that is not gonna occur.

However for me — and I believe Ira type of got here on board with it — the factor that was extra attention-grabbing was, there’s not a lot we are able to do to change my top. I am like 6′, 6’1″. We’re by no means going to get me as much as 6’6″ with out some large platform sneakers. However really, the factor that is extra vital is, to your level earlier, the sense of bigness in each different respect. You already know what I imply? The voice and the unpredictability and the chaos and vitality that he brings; that was extra vital than getting tremendous jacked.

I can solely think about how turning your head should have been like with that helm on. You’d should have a radius round you the place folks cannot stand close to, lest you knock them out with the antlers.

INGS: Yeah, after which, plus, when you add within the protect, after which your lance in there. I imply, it is a massive radius.

Daniel Ings Reveals The place Lyonel Baratheon’s Anti-Targaryen Sentiment Comes From

“He’s this get together man, however he does see every thing.”

Speaking in regards to the Trial of Seven, at one level when Dunk goes to Lyonel to ask him to hitch him, Lyonel is like, “Oh yeah, it is a as soon as in a lifetime scenario. Clearly I am going to participate in it.” And that is the impression that we get, that he is there for the glory of it. However I am questioning if there’s one thing else in it, as a result of clearly he and Dunk have shaped a friendship that is so unlikely. Is there a little bit of that loyalty, of like, “Yeah, I am gonna stand by you,” or is it extra like, “Nicely, who would say no to this?”

INGS: I imply, I believe it is undoubtedly each, however I believe it might take quite a bit longer for him to let somebody into that second half, proper? Like he, for positive, is impressed by this younger hedge knight, and impressed by his bravery and honor and his naivety, you already know? So I believe, finally, put it this fashion, I do not suppose he might choose to battle on the opposite aspect, like for Lyonel Baratheon. And assembly this man, Dunk, has simply opened up the tourney for him. He does this shit on a regular basis, and it is enjoyable, it is like Glastonbury for him.

However then he meets this man who reminds him that it is about one thing greater. I believe it type of kills two birds with one stone. So I believe it is true when he says, like, “There hasn’t been a Trial of Seven for 100 years. I am not going to overlook out. That is fucking superior,” that I believe is true, however it’s also a handy approach to masks the internal context of what he is saying, which can be like, “You are superior. You’re the best factor that is occurred to this tourney. And, for positive, I am going to stand by your aspect.” When he says, “I knew you would be bother,” what he is actually saying is, “I knew you would be enjoyable.”

Within the finale, we get slightly bit deeper into Lyonel’s character, the place he actually exhibits a deep disdain for the Targaryens. I am questioning when you talked with Ira about that? Or if it was within the script about the place that detest, and even hatred comes from?

INGS: Nicely, I believe it is a good level. We did not discuss it an excessive amount of. I can not bear in mind if the road continues to be in it, however at one level, he type of says, “The one good dragon is a lifeless dragon.” And, you already know, there is a difficult historical past between Lyonel’s heritage and the Targaryens, however I suppose it is a normal type of anti-establishment feeling of animosity in the direction of them, as a result of they’re folks in energy, however their grip on energy is slipping.

Lyonel says, at one level, struggle is coming, and it is slightly minute earlier than it comes, however I believe he can sense that it is a dynasty on the wane, and that tends to create violence and chaos. It is like a dying dinosaur, the final gasp of a dying dinosaur. So, we really did not speak an excessive amount of about it, and, as you level out, it exposes a barely deeper understanding with Lyonel. He’s this get together man, however he does see every thing. He is an observer. He sees what these persons are about, and the dearth of honor within the Targaryens and the distinct sense of honor in Dunk.

Daniel Ings Displays on George R.R. Martin’s Tease for Lyonel’s Future

“Us Baratheons, we’re rebellious people, you already know?”

I do know that Season 2 is filming. Are you a part of it, or has your chapter with the story ended for now?

INGS: I imply, I could not presumably touch upon Sequence 2, however I might love for audiences to get to see Lyonel Baratheon once more. I would like to play this man once more. He isn’t within the second e book or the third e book.

That is why I used to be curious.

INGS: As with the primary, these collection can be very trustworthy to George (R.R. Martin)’s writing. Truly I spoke to George in the future on set. He got here down and was like, (George R.R. Martin voice) “You already know, your character comes again in a while down the road.” And I would achieved slightly deep dive into the Westeros lore on-line, and yow will discover a lot of the historical past that is written even when these books have not essentially been written but, however, yeah, there’s some attention-grabbing story to inform additional down the road with Lyonel and Dunk and Egg. However, you already know, I’ve to attend and see if the story catches as much as it, and if that story ever will get instructed, I would be pumped.

I might like to see you again once more, and I do know the story he is speaking about.

INGS: Oh, cool! It is enjoyable, proper?

Yeah, undoubtedly. I really like George’s world, and I am all the time joyful to see a model of it on display screen.

INGS: Completely, me too. And us Baratheons, we’re rebellious people, you already know?

All episodes of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1 are actually obtainable to stream on HBO.