Game of Thrones had one of the best casts in television history; it's almost impossible to think of anyone else playing our fan-favorite characters. But there was a time when casting was ongoing, and some actors naturally missed out on playing key roles. However, a couple of them ultimately found a path into Westeros through prequel series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
Only recently, we wrote about how Daeron Targaryen actor Henry Ashton had a near-miss with playing Jon Snow in Game of Thrones. And now another star of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, Daniel Ings (Ser Lyonel Baratheon) has spoken out about how he missed out on not one, but two key Game of Thrones roles.
Back in the day, when HBO put out the casting calls both Theon Greyjoy and Oberyn Martell, actor Daniel Ings was right in the running for both of them. According to Vulture, Ings had his sights set on portraying either of them, but ultimately lost out on the roles to Alfie Allen and Pedro Pascal respectively. He was magnanimous in missing out, however, gracefully understanding that both actors were well deserving of their roles.
As it happens, Ings had not even watched Game of Thrones before landing a role in the franchise. But when he did finally watch it, he loved it, becoming a fan for life.
If one thing is for sure, Ings certainly landed on his feet in playing Lyonel — he's intense, witty, and brings a contagious energy to the role. His cheeky performance, and his various exchanges with Ser Duncan (Peter Claffey) are easily some of the high points of the season.
Lyonel is a character who runs towards chaos. “They described him as Jack Sparrow meets Earnest Hemingway in the brief when I first read the scripts," Ings told Deadline. "That gave a sense of a swashbuckling, fun character and also someone who is a little battle-hardened and weary — someone who only comes alive in the fight. He’s like an adrenaline junkie. It’s always fun to play a character pulling at those extremes.”
If there's a moral to be taken from Ings' journey, it's to never give up. He kept taking swings at landing a role in the Game of Thrones universe, and when he got the part, he was perfectly cast.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms airs its season finale this Sunday on HBO and HBO Max.