Category: Uncategorized

Hi again.

I “sound” a bit too somber there. Things are going okay [knocks on head]. It’s just I get seven paid holidays a year and we’re winding up Independence Day. I keep telling myself I only have three days left to go in my work week and I got paid for doing fuck-all today. Well, not entirely fuck-all. I’ve cleaned some and cooked some. Though I may be about to punt that new slow cooker out the kitchen door. I’ve not decided yet. Anyway, I hate being regimented, and I knew that going in, but I need the job and it pays okay, so here I be. I am apparently doing well for a beginner, if not brilliantly, so that’s a good sign. I’m also paying rent on my apartment now like a normal person. Gasp.

I think I’ve just spent too much time alone if you want to know the truth. It’s not a big deal usually; I may actually be a bigger introvert than Rory is. I KNOW Seriously, though, he still goes out and parties. Or did until fairly recently. Me, I always feel awkward in social gatherings. Maybe that’s why he drinks at parties? He can do that, though. He’s six and a half feet worth of big strong dudely dude. In my experience, men take a drunken woman as an invitation to mayhem and they will not care that I’m fat and frumpy and funny-looking. I’d be easy. No good. So I stay out of that shit. But I could do with some sort of social interaction that my ability to make a living isn’t hinging upon. I’ll think of something.

Anyway! I’m pushing myself hard on this ’cause once I get going, it won’t be so bad… I’m finally beginning work here at the site. I had considered, and posted at least twice about, doing everything in a sandbox WordPress installation and then replacing this all at once. I have decided that that is probably too much planning and possibly redundant effort. Also no good. But it’ll creep up on you from the past moving forwards. I intend to still have some auxiliary pages here to serve specific functions, but most of it’s going to be inline as part of the blog, and I will be making liberal use of tags and categories. It will all be searchable, just as it is now, and hopefully the increased use of tags and categories will make it even more so.

I’m afraid that when it comes to using source material it’s going to wind up looking more like a Tumblr blog and someone get me a fucking eyepatch and a parrot, BUT, I will link to sources wherever I can. And the archived versions of those sources. I want you to go find where this stuff came from. By all means please do. I will make it easy for you.

In the end, well, I don’t want to say “ultimate Rory McCann fan resource” but maybe I’ll get it top ten? I’d like that. That would be fairly awesome.

Okay. I’m gonna go see if that fucking slow cooker is working

[exit to kitchen]

[triumphant re-entry]

IT’S WORKING

Holy shit, Batman! I’m cooking! HOW long has it been. Jesus. I will have my own meal to take to work tomorrow!

It’s the little things.

But not only the little things.

Sigh.

[edit] Couple of very minor changes thus far because I kept getting sidetracked:

1. Installed a plugin that will create a tag cloud on its very own page. Actually, I have to create the tag page, but it’ll have a shortcode on it that’ll display all the tags I use from here on out.

The idea, ultimately, is to give you three ways to search info: (a) broad categories of information, such as filmography; (b) tags for more specific details; (c) search bar, which is not going away and which will search both pages and posts (an important distinction in WordPress).

2. Deleted the previously existing categories. They are likely to be fine-tuned over the next several months, but I wanted to start over from scratch, anyway.

Not terribly important info for most people but if you geek out about this shit, that’s what’s up. Sorry there isn’t more yet. It’s a start.

I guess all my whinging about Scotland not dropping by has paid off. At least three over the past few days. Even saw Irvine and Glesga in the mix for the first time in weeks.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💙🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

(You may or may not be able to see that. It’s the saltire. I see a black flag from my vantage point.)

(EDIT: Never mind. I can see it fine on the site, it’s in the back end that it looks wrong to me.)

I am becoming a consummate professional at wasting my weekends. I did at least get laundry done.

Am now moving to evenings at work. Curious to see how that’s going to go.

No word on the big man really. People recycling one another’s news about him per usual. I did watch this again. Enjoy.

I’m looking at my visitor logs again — and I should repeat this. I’ve said it before, somewhere here, but some of you probably didn’t see it: I can’t see WHO you are. Nor your home address. I can only see your city, state or province if applicable, and country — and still no Scotland, or almost none. This is so strange. I doubt all my previous Scottish visitors would have changed over to anonymous proxies. It could be that some have visited so often that some kind of cookie has kicked in and they just don’t trigger the counter anymore. I don’t really know how all that works. I know bits and pieces but not enough to form a coherent conceptual whole.

But I’m getting a lot from England. Which is even stranger. I have never not gotten visitors from England, but used to be I’d hear about as often from England as I heard from Scotland, and sometimes I’d hear significantly less often. But now as far as UK visitors go, it’s just about all England. One day recently, and I mentioned this at the time, I noted that I’d gotten way more visits than normal from London. Rory’s agent is based there and he probably pops in to them now and again for meetings and to pick up mail, so you understand why I was a little weirded out.

I wonder about that, actually. Is the big man working in England again, and that’s why I get England hits? Like, people see him in public and then decide to google him* and here they come? Is he visiting here himself? I don’t dare hope for that one. I’ve let things get sloppy here. The mind boggles, though!

There isn’t any way anyone could answer these questions in a manner I would trust. I will just have to wonder. Frowny face.

I will admit, I left it an open question as to whether I would ever set up a contact method here. I’ve thought about it. Like, one email address for fan pics, another for questions, that kind of thing. I don’t really want to, or I’d have done it already. Like, part of me is curious what would happen, but most of me doesn’t want to deal with the drama which inevitably would tag along for the ride. People just don’t know how to enjoy things anymore, they’ve always got to shit in someone else’s punch bowl. I’m not interested. I’ve had enough drama the past two years to last me the rest of my life. I just want to have fun now. I also have to work, and I’m not at my best at work if I’m stressed out. So there’s that.

Anyway, those of you who really wanted to get in touch with me figured out how to do it. I don’t always see your emails timely because for some reason they get shunted off into my junk-mail inbox, but I’ve seen a few. Even Emily pops in now and again to catch up, so that’s nice.

Okay. I did absolutely fuck-all yesterday, and I can’t do that today because I need a haircut and a bit of grocery shopping. (WOW it is weird to say that.) I will try and make myself work on this tonight, because I’ve put it off long enough. I think I’m mostly afraid I won’t get it finished, even though by its nature it can’t be finished under present circumstances. I’d elaborate, but that’s really fucking morbid, so we’ll just leave it alone. But I’m not good at putting something down and then coming back to it later, is my point. I should just get the fuck over that. Site needs work. The end.

‘Later.

[edit] Oh hey! I have found something interesting. Independent confirmation of a few things I had been wondering about. Rory’s birth time and middle name and birthplace — and it wasn’t in Glasgow, though close enough and he did grow up in the big city. But look here and here. You’re welcome. I will incorporate them as sources later. Hey, you who mentioned to me he was sighted in Paisley. What do you want to bet his mom lives there and he was visiting? Her or other family, or possibly old schoolmates he’s still in touch with. He may be an introvert, but he values his relationships from what I’ve seen.

Okay, really gotta go now.

—–
*I just checked… and I’m on the first page of search results!!! Well below his Emptage Hallett listing, which is sensible — but, I’m pleased to note, a few entries ahead of that fan-fiction romance about him. Just… don’t ask. Yes I read it. Ten minutes of my life I’ll never get back.

I have been sleeping in my own bed in a real apartment since Saturday and y’all, I don’t know what to do with myself.

We’re still ironing bits and pieces out, though it’s been whittled down by this point to one document that both the landlady and I have to sign. I suspect we’ll have that done by the end of the weekend if everything goes well. This is about the Salvation Army paying my landlady for deposit and first month, so it benefits her if we get it done. I’m going to try very hard not to be fussed. She’s had a rough year too. That’s her story to tell, but maybe that’s why we’ve come to this point. It’s this whole thing that really doesn’t belong here. I should write a book.

Nah. No I shouldn’t.

Never mind.

It’s basically this little wooded oasis in the middle of a city — or, more properly, its northwest edge — and if I told a local my address, just the street name, no house number, and then what my rent is, they’d be amazed. I’m like ten minutes from work, and that only because there are traffic lights between there and here. The trees muffle the worst of the noise. First night I was here I slept like a rock. It hasn’t been much different since.

Numbered among my near neighbors: more than half a dozen chickens, a rooster, two goats, some rabbits (quantity unknown), a pony, TWO DOGS (yellow Labs), and if I don’t watch it there’s gonna be a fucking partridge in a pear tree somewhere. Just you wait.

Work’s going well. Tomorrow will be a month I’ve been there. World goddamn record. I get to use my job to help people, which is really cool. The bizarre bit is that the woman who started the company got her start in Savannah, Georgia, where I’ve lived in the past and which just happens to be one of my favorite cities and my ass would be living there today, and so would the rest of me, if I could stand the heat, humidity, and fucking hurricanes. I love these little coincidences.

And we get free popcorn.

I have no idea why.

…..

Wow. Speaking of world goddamn record. Hey? Scotland? Where are you? Used to be I could count on one of you fuckers visiting daily at least. Suddenly… poof. For days and days. But for some reason I am getting a ton of visits from London. The fuck’s in London? No, I know what’s in London. Don’t fucking tell me. That’s just ridiculous. You’re just random Londoners. Right?

Bueller?

Eh. I’ll never know. Might as well roll with it.

…..

Oh hey. Got the big man’s autographed photo out of storage finally. All my stuff under one roof again. I am waiting for the landlady’s daughter, previous inhabitant of this place, to get the rest of her stuff out before I start deciding where to put my things. So I haven’t set him up yet. Yet.

(This is him signing it)

…..

I cannot take my work home with me, it’s just the nature of the job and I don’t work remotely, so I need to find something better to do with my off-time than natter on social media. Not that I will stop nattering on social media. Just that I need to diversify. So that’s what I’m a-gonna do. So expect more here soon.

SOURCE: The Mirror
AUTHOR: Karen Rockett
DATE: 16 July 2017
ORIGINAL: Click here
ARCHIVE: Click here
NOTE: I share this article with reservations. There’s relatively little quoting of Rory in the story and quite a lot of the writer interjecting their own interpretations of everything, so it is possible they took his words out of context. That said, when you’re a major introvert and every time you turn around people are calling you by the name of an imaginary character and you’re just not in the motherfucking mood, sooner or later you’re going to snap a little. The fact he doesn’t more often is evidence that on some level he likes having fans, even if he’s not so crazy about the extra attention.

Also, in other interviews where he’s been quoted more directly and completely, he’s said over and over what a blessing Game of Thrones has been for him, and how really the worst parts were the latex on his face and the odd way he had to shave his beard when working. Limping and being sore are different from being tired of a show. I dunno. I hate tabloids.

Also see this piece. HMM.

—–

Rory McCann – who has appeared as The Hound since the show’s first series – said he needed to “chill out” after filming series seven

Game Of Thrones star Rory McCann has revealed he is looking forward to the hit show coming to an end after suffering exhaustion and swearing at a fan.

The actor – who has starred as the fierce and towering The Hound since the show’s first series – will return for the penultimate season, which begins tomorrow.

He said he needed to “chill out” after filming series seven and teased that most scenes had been shot “in a blizzard”.

Asked if he was happy the smash-hit show was finishing next year, McCann replied: “Yeah, I’m tired. I’m still limping and sore from this season.”

He added: “I do get recognised and I try to be accommodating but I prefer not to be noticed, to be honest, and disappear.

“Even the other day someone caught me before breakfast in a strange place.

“I didn’t even manage to see him and the guy went ‘you’re The Hound’ and I just said ‘f*** off’.”

And it wasn’t just fans of the show that sometimes got on his nerves, but also the mechanical fans used on the set.

On the upcoming seven episodes, McCann said: “It’s coming together though, it’s getting colder.

“Most of our scenes have been in a blizzard or in a pretend blizzard and six months later we’re dealing with ADR (where dialogue is re-recorded after shooting) because all you can hear is fans.

“We’ve been lip-reading for each other for most of the season because there’s a fan going ‘whirrrrrrrr’ and someone throwing snow in our face.”

Asked if the series had been the most physical so far, McCann responded: “It’s only going to get worse.”

SOURCE: Daily Record
AUTHOR: Steve Hendry
DATE: 08 July 2017
ORIGINAL: Click here
ARCHIVE: Click here
NOTE: The story he tells of how he got into acting is about The Book Group, not Ratcatcher. He had a little bit part in the latter and no director is going to write a script specially for an actor in a little bit part. But we know Annie Griffin did write a script for him and he did take her climbing before that. I don’t know how Daily Record managed to fuck this up. Ratcatcher was his first mainstream acting job, at least according to IMDB, sure. But I don’t think he was credited in that role, and he wasn’t credited in several others until The Book Group came along.

Also, I think this is what that other story was referring to when it said he was “tired” of being in GOT and was swearing at fans. Assholes. But I can’t say for sure.

—–

The Glaswegian actor reveals he stays true to his character by telling fans to “f*** off” when they shout after him in the street.

Throughout his time on Game of Thrones, Scots star Rory McCann has picked up several injuries – but the worst was from throwing snowballs.

Storylines for the seventh series, which starts on July 17 on Sky Atlantic, are being closely guarded.

But the rumour mill about the Glaswegian’s character The Hound has gone into overdrive – with one claim that he captures a White Walker and another that he will fight his burnt brother “The Mountain”.

If they’re true, there’s plenty of scope for rough and tumble for the imposing Scotsman. The 48-year-old laughed: “I’ve been limping for two or three months to be honest.

“But the main injury was my shoulder over-stretching throwing too many snowballs in between takes in Iceland and I’m not getting any sympathy for that.”

The 6ft 6in giant – who became famous for the Scott’s Porage Oats adverts dressed in a vest and kilt – has to be careful when he is taking on physical challenges after he was almost killed in a rock climbing accident in 1990.

But he always seems to hurt or break something during filming of Game of Thrones.

He said: “I used to solo rock climb, which I don’t recommend because when you find out you can’t do the climb … yeah it didn’t work out but I’m still alive.

“I mean, I have a few bumps. I’m in plaster nearly every year. I’m a bit like that.”

Rory is one of the best-known characters in the hit TV show.

His character Sandor “The Hound” Clegane became a firm favourite with fans after his journey with Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) in the fourth series in 2014.

While he ended up being left for dead at the end of that series, he appeared again in series six.

It means Rory is internationally recognised – even though half his face is badly disfigured in the show.

He said: “I’m tall, I get recognised all over the place so I just try and keep my head down.

“I mean you just get people shouting out, ‘Hey you’re the Hound’ and I tell them to ‘f*** off’ and they seem happy and I carry on.”

To escape being hounded, the Hound spends much of his free time on a boat and, this year, was sailing around the west coast of Scotland – where he’s noticed similarities to the names of places in the show.

He said: “I sail a lot in Wester Ross.

“George (writer George R.R. Martin) is a big fan of Scotland and he’s picked up a lot of Scottish names. (Most of the action in Game of Thrones takes place in Westeros.)

“I could see me having a place there actually. There was an island for sale there but it was a bit too much money.”

The Hound’s scenes this year include lots of snow – which is something he loves, even though he shouldn’t be throwing snowballs.

Rory said filming in Iceland has always been his favourite because he lived there for a year, working as a carpenter after acting roles dried up.

The volcanic rock in Iceland has been used as the backdrop for scenes in the Riverlands and the Vale, for much of Arya and The Hound’s road trip and the big fight between The Hound and Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie), one of Rory’s most memorable scenes.

He added: “I had a real gas doing that. I love Gwen and we had fun and ended up in my beloved Iceland so that was just a joy. It was really good fun.”

But there are certain downsides to filming in such cold climes.

He added: “It’s not very nice when you’re wearing a prosthetic head and the sweat that has been accumulating during the morning has literally frozen. There were some horrible times.”

Fortunately, there were plenty of good times, too. During filming this year, Rory, who is a
multi-instrumentalist, formed a band with other actors called The Brotherhood Without Banjos.

He said: “It was really great. We had five or six of the actors all playing. We brought musical instruments with us, yeah it was good, good fun.

“I had to sing for my supper a few times in Seville (where the show also filmed), playing piano and stuff.”

Looking ahead to the new series, Rory understands why fans can’t wait to find out how it unfolds.

But with everyone poring over the new trailer trying desperately to make sense of what is going to happen, the actor is being very careful to make sure he won’t be the one that spills the beans.

He said: “I can feel your frustration already because we can’t tell too much but I’m sore from killing things – or was it just chopping wood?”

From the trailer, there is a lot of fighting and the White Walkers – undead characters brought back to life by the Night’s King – move ever closer to The Wall.

And there are rumours that it will be The Hound who will save Westeros from the White Walkers.

“Really? Rory said. “Nah.” That’s one conspiracy theory put to the sword.

Series seven is the penultimate series – with the final run appearing on screen next year.

But there is hope of spin-off shows and Rory believes something based on The Hound would work.

But he said: “I’d like to carry on with Arya, to be honest, I had a great time working with her and that was a bit of a road trip. That was fun.”

The plotlines involving Rory’s screen character tend to be fairly dramatic, but the story of how he became an actor is arguably more incredible.

He said: “I’d never done any acting but I took a director up a mountain rock climbing one time and then started telling stories about that and she got me six months later, found me cutting down a tree in Glasgow and said, ‘I’ve written something for you.’

“And I remember thinking, ‘This sounds a load of rubbish’.

“But she convinced me to do it and that was my first job.” That was Lynne Ramsay’s Ratcatcher in 1999.

He’s never looked back but with only two series in Game of Thrones, what does he see when he looks forward to the show’s finale?

One thing’s for sure – he doesn’t want it to fade to black like the ending of The Sopranos.

Laughing, he said: “I’ve only just got through The Sopranos and, please God, don’t make it end like that.

“I don’t know. Maybe it will end on, ‘Boom!’ Everybody dies.”

SOURCE: Daily Record
AUTHOR: Sarah Hilley
DATE: 27 April 2017
ORIGINAL: Click here
ARCHIVE: Click here
NOTE: “Swish yacht”? Bit of a drama queen there, yeah? Because I’ve seen that boat, and you have too if you’ve followed the Instagram. It’s beautiful, it’s a very nice boat, but it doesn’t have a “snobby better than you” vibe at all. It has more of a “peaceful home” vibe, I think.

Also, can Rory just fucking exist without someone tall-baiting him for five fucking minutes?

But whatever. Tabloids. Feh.

—–

The towering actor has become a regular at the marina-based Scotts restaurant after anchoring his wooden-masted vessel in the town’s harbour.

Game of Thrones star ‘The Hound’ has docked in Troon harbour after sailing in on his swish yacht.

Towering actor Rory McCann has adopted marina-based Scotts restaurant as a regular ‘dining room.’

Famed for appearances as a riotuous bloodthirsty killer called The Hound in hit Game of Thrones, McCann looked every inch the civilised gentleman as he made a low key entry to the restaurant wearing a cap last week.

And as the 6ft 6” giant tucked into lunch at the eatery on Friday with two other men, diners seemed oblivious to his presence.

After enjoying the Ayrshire grub overlooking the beautiful marina where he is docked, he left quietly without fanfare and headed back to his wooden-masted vessel just yards away.

And he deftly batted off a request for a photo from the Ayrshire Post after being approached by our reporter outside.

The 48-year-old bachelor has gained a reputation for keeping under the radar in the seaside town unlike his savage on-screen character who creates anarchy wherever he roams.

Scott’s restaurant manager Scott Stinson said some of the staff who were fans of the fantasy drama were left starstruck by his custom.

Scott said of McCann: “He comes in now and again as he has a boat in the marina. He pops in for breakfast and dinner. He is a very nice guy. A few of the staff watch Game of Thrones and they were like: ‘Oh My God’ when they saw him.”

The Post clocked two Japanese tourists armed with cameras who may have learned McCann’s whereabouts gazing hopefully in the direction of the marina.

McCann is known for living a quiet life sailing his immaculate wooden masted ketch around Scotland.

Twenty years ago Big Rory became well known as the face of Scott’s Porage Oats.

Like a lot of jobbing actors in Scotland he struggled to make cash and lived in rented accomodation.

But he’s been a huge hit on the Game of Thrones and it’s fair to say he is not short of a bob or two.

He has been in the show from the start and it’s now in its seventh series.

Originally from Glasgow, he seems to enjoy South Ayrshire life and was clocked partying in trendy Ayr pub the Smoking Goat last year.

Fans are eagerly anticipating the next series of the smashbox HBO hit in July.

But it doesn’t look like attention shy McCann is going to spill any spoilers on what his screen character Sandor Clegane will get up to next.

SOURCE: The Daily Record
AUTHOR: Sam Durkin
DATE: 27 June 2016
ORIGINAL: Click here
ARCHIVE: Click here
NOTE: This sighting referenced in this article.

—–

SCOTS actor Rory McCann is best known for killing foes on screen but more recently showed Ayrshire pub-goers he can slay on the dancefloor too.

GAME of Thrones star The Hound lived up to his wildman image when he was spotted roaring like a lion to a Beyonce hit on the dance floor of a backstreet boozer.

Better known for mercilessly slaying opponents on the smash hit TV show, Sandor “The Hound” Clegane – played by Scots actor Rory McCann – let loose to Single Ladies at a pub in Ayr after being egged on by starstruck locals.

A Game of Thrones fan was stunned to see her TV hero boogie in the Smoking Goat pub in Academy Street.

She said: “I recognised him as soon as he walked in – he’s so tall he barely fits through the door.

“He’s a really lovely guy and had some pretty good dance moves.

“He got up to all the Single Ladies and it got a few laughs from the girls.

Another local added: “He let out a few big roars, which the ladies liked – I think he was letting off some steam.”

The actor previously played the kilt-wearing hunk from the Scott’s Porage Oats adverts, and starred as dim-witted Lurch in silver screen comedy hit Hot Fuzz – a far cry from his previous job painting the Forth Road Bridge.

Six-foot-six McCann is known to shun the limelight. But when he hit the town in Ayr, where he docks his boat, he was spotted by two sharp-eyed locals who got in tow with the actor.

The trio made their way to the trendy pub where they partied until closing time and the generous Glasgow-born star slipped £200 behind the bar to keep the booze flowing.

Despite getting a grilling from fellow revellers, he refused to reveal any spoilers.

Game of Thrones fans are baying for blood after speculation The Hound might face off once again with his on-screen brother The Mountain in a much anticipated clash – dubbed the Cleganebowl.

And after his fancy footwork, The Hound is firm favourite to emerge victorious – at least among his Ayrshire fans.

SOURCE: Access Online
AUTHOR: Jolie Lash
DATE: 26 April 2014
ORIGINAL: Click here
ARCHIVE: Click here

—–

While traveling through Westeros in “Game of Thrones,” Rory McCann’s The Hound has found himself in an increasing number of altercations. And the Scottish actor behind the sword-wielding character gave some of the credit for the terrifying nature of those massive, heart-stopping roars he does while fighting, to visits to Britain’s capital city.

“Most of the time, we do all these roars after six months in some studio in London,” Rory told AccessHollywood.com about his impressive battle cry.

“It’s probably getting out my anger of being in London for the weekend. … I do ‘Roaaaarrrrr!’ Yeah, it’ll be — it’s the Highlander in me, must be,” he said.

It’s a pretty impressive sight to see The Hound/Sandor Clegane fighting on the show, but just as impressive in the latest season of the show (Season 4) has been watching the drama between his character and Maisie Williams’ Arya. Whether they are fighting together in an Inn, or she’s taking him to task for breaking his code, they are an engrossing pair to watch.

But while Arya was furious over The Hound’s most recent move – knocking over the man who took them in, and stealing the farmer’s silver, Rory explained how his character justified things.

“He saw them as dead. They’ve got visitors all the time; they’re gonna be killed. He’s on his own, generally. It’s a way of survival. Have to do it. He does it. It’s showing a kind of bad side, but in a way, it’s for the both of them,” Rory told Access. “I think he justified it to himself and still didn’t think of himself as a thief. It was like, ‘That is dead man’s money, so I’m taking it. Thanks for the soup.’

“I think he might have done a couple of chores just before he did that,” Rory added, jokingly. “Maybe he had a sweep around the barn and the barnyard.”

Off screen, other events from the episode — The Hound’s unique way of clearing his nose, and the way he gulped down “rabbit stew” — left the young woman who plays Arya unimpressed, according to Rory.

“Maisie came up to me after that because we did the snot, and all the eating and I was eating loads of food and I remember her just looking at me and going, ‘You’re not embarrassed? You’re not embarrassed with yourself?’ with a really serious face,” Rory laughed, recounting the comments and looks he got from Maisie. “I’m doing the – I call it the ‘shepherd’s blow,’ — and she’s going, ‘That’s disgusting. Disgusting.’ [There were] maybe 10, 15 takes, with the guy going, ‘More snot. More snot.’”

And there’s likely to be much more issues of personal hygiene and fighting as Arya and The Hound continue their Westeros road trip, hoping to get to The Vale.

“They’ve got a run-in nearly every time. Run-ins with each other as well. There’s a lot of arguing,” Rory said.

SOURCE: The Los Angeles Times via The Mercury News
AUTHOR: none given (Los Angeles Times)
DATE: 08 May 2013
ORIGINAL: Click here
ARCHIVE: Click here
NOTE: If you have ever seen that photo of Rory in the beret, scarf, and three-piece suit with vest (outfit color scheme basically greens, browns, and maroons with a black hat) and wondered where it was from, I’m pretty sure it originated here.

—–

GLENCOE, Scotland — The Hound is alive and well in the North. At least for now.

Rory McCann, known to fans of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” as Sandor “The Hound” Clegane, strolls into the parking lot of a popular climbers haunt in the heart of town. The large Scotsman looks every bit the rugged outdoorsman coming in from a Highland winter, dressed in layers of wool, goose down and tweed. Yet his demeanor warms when he smiles, explaining the morning’s adventure in his native Scottish brogue.

“My car won’t start. I had to park it back there on a hill so I can get it going on the roll,” he said. “I may need a push.”

Born and raised in Glasgow, McCann, 44, is home in the northern Scottish Highlands, even mooring his sailboat in a region known as Wester Ross — almost the identical name of the fictional continent, Westeros, at the center of HBO’s hit fantasy series. Yet beyond his size, a nomadic lifestyle and solitary tendencies, he doesn’t see many parallels with his fearsome character, long a fan favorite of the popular genre drama based on the writings of George R.R. Martin.

“The Hound is a tortured soul, bullied as a child and forced to be a bodyguard for someone he doesn’t like. I can’t say I relate, much,” he said. “Though it was meant to be. You know, my name McCann actually translates from ‘canis,’ or ‘canine.’ I am a hound.”

McCann’s path to bad-boy sworn shield is the stuff struggling actors envy. Broke and hitchhiking through Llanberis Pass, Wales, in 1987, he came across the “Willow” movie set and an extra casting call for two tall men to play drunks. At 6-foot-6, McCann got a spot.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t understand how serious the whole business was, and I kept laughing during takes,” he said. “I was eventually chucked off the set.”

Still, McCann was inspired by the experience, and he sought an agent in Glasgow. But acting work was hard to come by for a then-untrained actor, and he spent the next several years working as a forester, tree surgeon, bouncer and even a painter on the iconic Forth Rail Bridge.

Finally, he got a call from Scott’s Porage Oats, which was looking for an actor to portray the man on its package in a series of television commercials. McCann, a dead ringer, soon found local fame as the strapping Porage Oats man, strutting around wintry scenes in a kilt — and sometimes less — kept toasty by his porridge.

A few years later, he landed his first real break, a role in the BAFTA-nominated Scottish comedy “The Book Group.” The show was the brainchild of American filmmaker Annie Griffin, whom McCann once took climbing. While in the mountains with Griffin, he shared tales of his outdoor adventures, including the dramatic story of his near-fatal accident in 1990.

Climbing solo, he had gotten stuck on an overhanging rock face in Yorkshire, holding on until his strength gave out. He dropped more than 70 feet, breaking both ankles, an arm, a wrist and fracturing his skull. With the help of a friend who saw the fall, he lived to tell the tale.

Months after their climb, Griffin sent him a script for the newly developed show, inviting him to play the part of Kenny McLeod, a former climber who became a paraplegic in a fall.

“Reading the script, I couldn’t believe it. Those were my stories, my experiences, my fall, but with an alternate outcome,” McCann said. “Of course I took the part.”

A self-described man’s man, he chooses to live a mostly lone, transient lifestyle, a choice that allows him to fully enjoy the stunning hills, glens and lochs of the region. He says one acting job can sustain him for a year or more as he moves between his sailboat and trailer, hiking, climbing and camping wherever the mood takes him.

“This place feeds my soul,” he said, leaning forward to look up at Buachaille Etive Mor, covered in a fresh coat of January snow. “I’m blessed.”