Determined not to use any big Hollywood names, King looked at many European actors before settling on British actor Rupert Friend. They were aware of him from the 2005 film "Pride & Prejudice". Vallée noted, "I had an image of Albert in my mind, before we cast Rupert, and how the actor might play him and when Rupert came on board he was just right. He had a very good understanding of the character and he did a lot of research to get him right, with the accent and his deportment. He really looks the part, he looks so romantic!" Co-producer Dennis O'Sullivan called Friend "our Scarlett O'Hara search". They believed the actor had the most chemistry with Blunt after selecting several to play chess with her. Friend's height (6 ft 1in) also played a factor in their choice. Friend believed "Albert was a true unsung hero. A great reformer, a doting husband and father, a hard worker and man of real integrity and modesty." The actor also thought their relationship was not "a gooey love story"; rather, their arguments showed it "wasn't an easy road by any means". Friend strove to immerse himself in the role, and learned the prince's particular characteristics, such as the way he rode a horse, walked, and played the piano. He worked with a voice coach and German instructor to perfect his accent, with the intention of "put in as much German as possible, because Victoria and Albert did speak German to each other."