Access Hollywood continues their series of interviews in the run-up to the season two premiere and this time they are interviewing Rory McCann aka The Hound. Rory talks about his character, teases season two a bit and also shares what’s it like wearing The Hound’s makeup all day. Here’s a snippet about whether he’s read the books:
Access: Did you try and read the books or did you rely on the lovely people on set who are researchers for learning more about your character’s back story?
Rory: I tried reading the book, and I read the book and then I read the next one, and I’ve read three now. I’m staying just ahead of the game… And as for the research thing, on set? [It’s] fantastic… A lot of the time, either [executive producers] David [Benioff] or Dan [Weiss] would be on set and [could offer] just a confirmation of what my character was thinking and why he’s doing this and that was fantastic. There’s no guessing. The information was always there. I even went into some forums with the fans. They know the characters so well and I picked up a few tips, a few pointers from them, as well.
Winter Is Coming: Another great interview! Jolie Lash is doing a good job at picking actors that we haven’t really heard from before and it’s great to hear their take on their character, the show and the fans.
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35 Comments
Awesome. I <3 him.
May HadfieldQuote Reply
*just died a little inside*
I’ll give him all the pointers he needs NOM!!!! Long live the Hound!
houndloverQuote Reply
Can’t wait to see more of the Hound!
Steven ScottQuote Reply
Wonder how he feels about the unstoppable mass of Sansa/Sandor shippers…
Theon GreyjoyQuote Reply
I love SanXSan ships, even though I know its so wrong, it makes me smile haha. Oh to be a 13 year old girl in the days of yore…with a burnt drunkerd loving me from afar *whimsical smile*
houndloverQuote Reply
Rory Wolfhound! Very appropriate. : )
FacelessManQuote Reply
LOVE that the etymology of McCann is Canis, so he reall name essentially means “Son of the Hound”! What a cool coincidence.
spacechampionQuote Reply
One of the most fascinating characters! And Rory seems really cool. Can’t wait to see the scenes between the hound and the little bird.
LalannisterQuote Reply
Hm sounds like they are softening his character a bit. *shrug* Oh well I guess that’s what they’ve done with most of the grey characters during the adaptation… I’m afraid if they make him too nice the Sansa-Sandor interactions” won’t feel as creepy and wrong as they ought to.
userjQuote Reply
I think it’s a guessing game for everybody since Sandor doesn’t have any PV chapters. But I dread to think what forums he went to and what he read :D
And yes, I can’t wait for the San/San scenes either. Haters can hate as they always do.
TheBullQuote Reply
A bit OT, but I just saw that the Game of Thrones fan page on Facebook posted that there would be a preview for a NEW trailer tonight at midnight (not sure of the time zone) on HBOGo. Awesome.
Pastor_of_MuppetsQuote Reply
One if the many things I enjoy about the books is how real all the characters are. Even the best of them are faulted in some way; and most of the dark ones, with a few exceptions, are not completely evil. The Hound is an example of this, he is a very bad man, but he sometimes displays latent kindness. He becomes a pitiable character that you want to do better and maybe even achieve a modicum of redemption.
Mostly you want him to not be killed off, but continue as a character in the story.
Will MelmothQuote Reply
“TOMORROW AT MIDNIGHT ET: Get a first look at the new Game of Thrones Season 2 trailer at HBO GO. What are you excited to see? Share this update and spread the word across the realm.”……………….WOOHOO!!!!
Angel AndresQuote Reply
Soo.. any idea as to when this trailer would be available to the unfortunate masses without HBOgo?
sjweningsQuote Reply
my sansan heart is on cloud 9
DBQuote Reply
I love his take on Sandor’s relationship with Sansa, and his motivations for helping her.
Johan SporreQuote Reply
I’m a big fan of Rory McCann. It will be wonderful when the Hound gets a bigger share of the on screen time in future seasons.
LangkardQuote Reply
I just can’t honestly see how an actor could not read the books. Are they really that busy?
GhostQuote Reply
You’re right.
In books Hound wasn’t a professional (like Bronn) doing his job, he was a nasty motherf***er. All his good deeds were odd, strange, more like fooling around than blink of his good nature buried deep inside.
I think that he was one of few characters in the novel who haven’t play any game. That alone makes him special.
GrzebykKQuote Reply
Well, Liam Cunningham said in an interview that he was told *not* to read the book.
I can see pros and cons. Ultimately it’s up to the individual actor – different people prepare in different ways.
msdQuote Reply
Ghost,
Reading the source material isn’t that important to an actor since they aren’t supposed to act according to that, they are supposed to act out what’s in the script. GoT is of course pretty faithful to the source material but that’s far from the norm.
Tywin’s BastardQuote Reply
GrzebykK,
I think that The Hound had a good side in the books as well, but it was buried beneath all the anger he’s filled with. If he had just been angry and didn’t have good inside of him he’d be a lot more like Gregor.
Tywin’s BastardQuote Reply
His comment about Joffrey’s bullying reminding him of Gregor is something that never occurred to me. The books don’t show many clues as to what Sandor thinks of Joffrey– Clegane pretty much totally avoids the subject– and McCann’s take on it seems like a good one.
mummerQuote Reply
Great interview. My only complaint: that we didn’t get a video interview. I guess only Liam Cunningham gave a video interview? Rory seems like such a nice guy (saving the ‘birds’—what a coincidence). Now I really wish there were a gag reel for season 1—I’m sure Rory would have made it on there several times with his practical jokes. How funny that his name is derived from the word for dog.
I agree. I always thought he started out despising Sansa, because he was so used to highborn girls turning away from the sight of him, but then he became attracted to her and wanted to protect her. I think I like the idea that he feels sorry for her, because her abuse reminds him of his own. Rory has great insight into his character.
DreamlifeQuote Reply
Alas: most normal people are too busy to read books. Sad fact of our society. :(
Pink DragonQuote Reply
mummer,
Dreamlife,
Agreed. A friend of mine has just started reading the books for the first time so I’m going to do a reread with her. It will be interesting to see how this particular insight changes the way I read the story.
MiraxQuote Reply
I actually like the Hound/Arya scenes better than the Sansa ones. I love the Hound. And it shouldn’t be uncommon for actors to reads the books based on the characters they are portraying. One reason I hate Kristen Stewert… she botched her Twilight character because she said she didn’t bother reading the books, but I have respect for Robert Pattinson for taking the time to read the Twilight books and the “Edward version” of Twilight (unreleased) before he filmed. Much respect for Rory.
I can’t wait for this new season! Hound is only my second favorite though. Jon Snow will always be top notch in my book.
JewlzQuote Reply
I am also disappointed that we did not get a video interview.
What an incredible coincidence that his last name means “dog”…I just can’t believe that.
Rory seems like a great guy to hang around with; so down-to-earth and with a great sense of humor.
TanjaQuote Reply
yarp
m3shwerksQuote Reply
As great as the clash between The Mountain and The Red Viper is I am still annoyed that The Hound never got to confront The Mountain.
The KingslayerQuote Reply
Yet. Ungregor v Gravedigger is still a pretty real possibility IMO, after Ungregor pounds Lancel into a bloody pulp of course. It won’t have the same emotional heft, I suppose, but it has its own drama and poetry.
Oh, and m3shwerks,
Excellent. And so succinct! Yarp indeed.
darrylzeroQuote Reply
I’ve always wondered if performers do that. Whether they’re athletes, movie stars, or musicians, to go out to the fans and see what they think.
Long live the Hound! Such a great tragic hero, always will root for that despicable bas…guy.
breaklanceQuote Reply
Rory Wolfhound! ha!
awesome interview
Thiago SlashQuote Reply
Love the interview & the more I read of this man the more real & down to earth he appears to be. Anyone who feeds wild birds & can swing an ax in the real world & breath life into his characters whether it’s a lurking menace in HOT FUZZ , a frustrated rogue in THE CREW or Uber Warrior mode in GAME OF THRONES is A-OK in my book. I want to see more RORY! I’d gladly tip a few pints with this man AND beat him in a game or 3 of pool….lol
Dee ( Di ) McDowellQuote Reply
Ghost,
Well, give McCann credit where credit is due, he is reading them. A lot of others don’t.
Half of the cast of The Lord of the Rings never touched the books.
Besides he is an absolutely wonderful Sandor Clegane, who is my favorite non POV character in the books.
The rage, the hate, the sarcasm. He’s just such a lost soul, so hurt. This bad ass is more than up to the part, so cheers Rory McCann.
JenQuote Reply
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