Oberyn's Accent In Game Of Thrones Was Created Out Of Pure Instinct
Before Pedro Pascal guarded Grogu on "The Mandalorian" or protected Ellie (fellow "Game of Thrones'" alum Bella Ramsey) on "The Last of Us," he brought the colorful Red Viper to life on "Game of Thrones." Pascal's depiction of Oberyn Martell was a short-lived and memorable breath of fresh air on a show filled with cold and conniving players. In Season 4, he visits the capital city to celebrate the vicious King Joffrey's (Jack Gleeson) wedding to Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer), with his own concealed plans of revenge.
Pascal portrays the many unique layers of Oberyn by encompassing his charisma, deadliness, and sensuality. This fuels the fires of the castle intrigue and clashes with the schemes already in motion, ending with The Red Viper's untimely demise. In loudly challenging the towering Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance), he sealed his fate by choosing truth and seeking justice for his murdered sister Elia, and her slain young children.
Prince Oberyn is also one of the first major players from Westeros' southern region which adds to his inability to fit in with the many liars at King's Landing. His value in honesty is as foreign as his accent which the talented actor details came to him through pure instinct. In a Reddit Ask Me Anything (AMA), he reveals just how he perfected Oberyn's signature dialect.
Pascal instinctively put his own spin on Oberyn
Reddit's AMAs are a fantastic way for fans to ask acclaimed creative talents about their favorite TV shows, films, and more. For Pedro Pascal's informative session, the questions ranged from how it was working with the outstanding cast, to asking for a picture on the street, to Oberyn's distinctive accent. One user's question prompted Pascal to reveal how he came up with the Dornish prince's way of speaking.
His response was both fun and illuminating. "I think that it was just initially an instinct on my part?" he said after thanking the fan. "I could tell even though I hadn't read the books, I was up to date on the show, when I read the audition sights for the character, and I felt like they were ushering in a very new element with Oberyn Martell, and it seemed like it would be interesting if he sounded different than everyone in King's Landing so that there was a very foreign element."
Pascal went on to explain that he tried to differentiate Oberyn from other characters to make him stand out. "He looks different, he dresses different, and I thought it was important that he sound different," the actor explained. He also added that Oberyn tends to act differently from the average "Game of Thrones" character and is quite unique in his fearlessness. "I thought it would be very unique to have his sound fall in line, and be sort of unique from others," he noted.