Timothy Omundson loosely based King Richard's voice on Sir Peter Ustinov's characterization of Prince John in Robin Hood (1973), a movie that he saw several times during his youth. It wasn't until an interviewer brought it up in a 2016 interview that Omundson realized he'd been mimicking Ustinov.
Following a year-long hiatus after the first season, Timothy Omundson had difficulty re-creating his British accent.
Creator Dan Fogelman was impressed with Ben Presley's audition, but the actor's natural Scottish brogue made him seem ill-suited for the part. Presley was on his way home when he got a call to return and re-audition for the Jester using a posh English accent. He so wowed them that he not only landed the role but was also given the task of performing the show's theme song.
In a 2016 interview with A.V. Club,, Timothy Omundson remarked, "I've been doing this for twenty-three years, and King Richard is the part of a lifetime. This is what I've been waiting for my entire career."
Upon reading the script, Timothy Omundson clearly decided how he wanted to portray King Richard, so he did a run-through for his wife, who questioned, "What the hell are you doing?" Undeterred, he auditioned with his interpretation of the character and won the role.