Yes, Tanzyn Crawford Really Is That Tall

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Love stories aren’t common in Westeros, a place known for violence, especially at weddings. But the show A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a departure from Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon – it’s more lighthearted and focuses on the lives of ordinary people rather than royalty. In the town of Ashford, we meet Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford), a puppeteer from Dorne. She captivates the tournament competitors – and catches the attention of Dunk (Peter Claffey) – with her engaging stories.

In the episode “Hard Salt Beef,” the knight, Dunk, asks the artist Tanselle to paint his shield. Their conversation is a bit clumsy and amusing, especially when Tanselle reveals that she was teased as a child for being so tall. Dunk’s young companion, Egg, later jokes that they’re both very large. The actress Olivia Cooke, who plays Tanselle, says she was very aware of discussions about her height online and wanted to make it clear she’s a full six feet tall, not just five-nine – which she considers her “worst nightmare.”

When I first learned about Tanselle, the initial description was simply “A tall puppeteer.” That immediately resonated with me – I’m tall myself and thought I could connect with the role. Physically, it made sense, but I also considered the challenges she likely faced growing up in Westeros, where women are expected to be small and delicate. She’s self-assured, though quiet – I don’t see that as a lack of confidence, but rather a unique personality that doesn’t need to be loud or attention-seeking. I was really interested in exploring her journey: how she went from being a tall, possibly ridiculed child, to the confident woman we see now, who has found her place as a puppeteer in a harsh, male-dominated world. I loved the idea that she’s created her own space in Ashford, where she can be creative and separate from the competitive, male-driven environment.

People have been asking about filming the scenes with the puppets, and it was a lot of fun! I didn’t actually do the puppeteering myself, though. I’m getting a lot of the credit, but huge thanks to the five or six people who were inside that massive dragon puppet in the first episode – it was suspended from the tent ceiling! Someone even operated the fire for the dragon’s breath. My job was pretty easy – I just walked around them, giving them space and helping however I could. As the series goes on, we see more puppet shows and get to explore different sides of Tanselle’s character.

In the second episode, Dunk and Tanselle finally meet. It’s interesting to consider how similar they are, especially regarding their insecurities. Both have faced a lot of attention based on their looks throughout their lives. While they’re both figuring things out, Tanselle seems further along in becoming comfortable with herself and understanding who she is. Dunk is still searching for his place and purpose, but Tanselle has already found a strong support system and something that makes her feel secure. As for their connection, it doesn’t seem like immediate attraction for Tanselle – more like curiosity and fascination with this unusual, tall man.

I never actually had a formal audition with Peter Claffey. I just showed up on set while he was filming. We greeted each other, and he immediately commented on my height! That’s how we met. Luckily, we hit it off and got along really well.

Walking onto the set felt incredibly strange and amazing. It was unlike anything I’d ever experienced, especially because of the sheer size and detail. They had everything – fruit scattered around, animals like pigs, horses, and chickens roaming freely. As an actor, it was a huge relief to focus entirely on my character, without having to worry about imagining the environment. With so many extras and the crew seamlessly blending into the background, it truly felt like being transported to a medieval town – completely immersive and believable.

My first significant part was playing Kathryn Hahn’s daughter in Tiny Beautiful Things. That experience was quite different from later roles. While it wasn’t my very first job, I was still very new to acting and focused on learning everything I could. By the time I started A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, I felt much more prepared and confident in my process. I spent more time developing the character beforehand and came to set with ideas to share with co-creator Ira Parker and director Owen Harris. Ultimately, though, I approach every acting job with the same mindset, so the core experience wasn’t drastically different.

I had a few different challenges with each role. On one show, I used my American accent, while this one required an English accent, and the daily preparation was different too. We spent a lot of time on set discussing how to make the show feel authentic to the time period it was inspired by. Even though it’s a fictional world, I wanted to portray the character as someone who realistically lived during that era, thinking about how she would behave and speak. The script’s language was so detailed that it naturally transported you back in time. Ultimately, I wanted to play a believable person, not an exaggerated caricature.

Can you give us any hints about what happens with Tanselle’s storyline? She’s going to stay true to herself, and we’ll see her continue to grow, become more comfortable, and maybe even challenge things with Dunk. The writers are taking her character in a really interesting direction, and fans will likely enjoy seeing where it leads.

I’m excited to share that I’ve just been cast in the new Assassin’s Creed game! It was announced recently, and I’m really looking forward to working on it. I’m enjoying exploring the fantasy elements of the project right now.

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2026-01-26 22:55