A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner reveals why there’s no concern about star Dexter Sol Ansell ageing as Egg

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Because filming a TV season – or several – takes so much time, a major issue with shows featuring child actors is that they inevitably get older.

The production of Stranger Things was a long process, taking a full decade to complete, even though the story itself only covers about four years. The young characters on the show aged from 12 to 16 during that time, but the actors who played them were actually growing up much faster – many were in their early twenties by the final season.

Some viewers are worried that the new Game of Thrones series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, might face similar issues, particularly concerning the character of Egg, one of the show’s leads. But the showrunner, Ira Parker, doesn’t share those concerns.

In an interview with Variety, Parker was asked if he was concerned that Daniel Ansell, who was only nine years old during the first season, might grow too old to continue playing the character of Egg.

He believes Dexter has a bright future and will succeed in whatever career path he chooses. He’s incredibly talented and performs with a level of skill and confidence that’s rare for someone so young – he’s like a seasoned professional. Dexter has really matured as an actor, showing versatility and self-assurance, and is, in his opinion, the best child actor in the world.

Parker explained that George R.R. Martin’s planned books follow the adventures of Dunk and Egg throughout their entire lives. He’s often discussed with HBO the possibility of a long-term series, even jokingly suggesting three to five seasons focusing on Egg as a boy, followed by a return to the story in five to ten years to cover Egg’s life as a prince. He admits HBO wasn’t entirely enthusiastic about this idea.

The idea is to revisit the story in five to ten years and film the character at the end of his life, similar to how Richard Linklater films. The actors would live their own lives in between, and then we’d reunite the cast and crew to continue the story. I think that would be a really compelling way to tell it.

I haven’t often seen stories that follow two characters throughout their entire lives, and I’m excited to explore that with Dexter and Egg. As the show progresses, they’ll naturally age, and that’s intentional. I hope their development isn’t solely reliant on a charming voice; I want to see them grow beyond that.

We know this is a crucial moment, and we’re optimistic that the story and characters will grow in exciting ways, continuing to be enjoyable for everyone.

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Recently, Ryan Ansel revealed a conversation he had with George R.R. Martin, the author of the popular ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ series and the ‘Dunk and Egg’ novellas.

Ansell shared that Martin greatly admired his performance, even saying, “You’re fantastic, and you truly seem like you’ve stepped right out of the pages of my books.”

“And that’s amazing to hear from the creator of my character,” Ansell said.

You can watch ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ on Sky and NOW every Monday. Learn how to subscribe to Sky TV to start watching!

Okay, folks, let me tell you, if you’re anything like me, constantly searching for your next TV obsession, you need to download the TopMob: What to Watch app. Seriously, I just added ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ to my watchlist through it, and the app makes discovering new shows and getting daily recommendations so easy. It’s a game-changer for anyone who loves television – trust me on this one.

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, an international TV production company. He has a BA degree in English and Theatre Studies, and a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2026-01-26 14:41