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.
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.
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."