Season 3 of House of the Dragon

“They do not come into contact with each other. He is a bully in Rhaenyra’s abstract awareness. When you meet someone, the sting is often taken out of their bite. Ormund and Rhaenyra are not physically in the same space. Rhaenyra projects onto him and he probably becomes more terrifying as a result.”

Page to screen

In terms of inspiration for Ormund, the 41-year-old Grantchester actor says there was not much in the book (George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood). “He is described lightly. It was fun because it was a blank canvas, and we were given permission to fill in a lot of the gaps. Ryan (Condal, showrunner) modelled Ormund on a proper English gentleman with a dark, twisted edge.”

Preferring not to lean on other performances as it could lead to mimicking, Norton says, he enjoyed the creators’ permission to go big and bold with Ormund. “After lots of good discussions, a clear character had been found. Sometimes it’s tough and it’s forced. Ormond, on the other hand, happened organically.”

Sense and sensitivity

Ormund’s sensitivity to smell, Norton says, was a hook. “It was something I could lean on. If someone is that sensitive to smell and that terrified of its power, he is constantly on the edge. There is a tightness, paranoia and fear undercutting everything. It is almost like every sinew of my body was ever so slightly taut all the time, which was a helpful thing to play with as an actor.”

His particularity around smell, food, sensuality and taste, Norton says also led to his clothes needing to be incredibly well controlled. “They had to be neat and elegant, as well as clean and smelling beautifully,” Norton says with a laugh.

Making an odd man

“The costume and the props departments gave me this incredible costume. My armor and sword were so ornate and beautifully crafted, that it was almost like Ormund had gone to the blacksmith himself and specified exactly what he wanted. The props department would spray my pomander with lavender oil. We collaborated with different departments to make this odd man.”

What lies beneath

We first see Ormund’s duplicity in episode 3. “There was a moment when Ormund is facing up to Daemon (Matt Smith) and he hands over Daeron, or who we think is Daeron. If you were to re-watch that, I would hope that some of the audience would see a little hint of the lie, which Daemon doesn’t.”

The challenge, Norton says, is to find that subtle, small space where you’re inviting the audience in, but not obvious enough to let the lie be known to your scene partner. “Ormund is aware that he’s going to take Tumbleton. He’s not giving up the fight. He’s obviously lying to Daemon, when promising allegiance and fealty to Rhaenyra.”

Big or small

Stepping into a large, well-loved franchise such as House of the Dragon does not require a change in approach, Norton comments. “Walking onto a monumental set like the one in House of the Dragon was humbling. The Tumbleton set, which was built in a back lot in Leavesden Studios, was massive, like a town in itself.”

Apart from the scale of the production, Norton says, there is also the loyalty of the fans. “I’ve never been in one of these big, fantasy, world-building franchises, which have folklore and family trees around them.”

At one point, Norton thought he should learn as much about Westeros as the most diehard fan. “As an actor, that can be quite dangerous because too much information and research can paralyse you, as you then want to show everything all at once.”

Human story

It is the same as when researching a role, Norton says. “If you’re playing a soldier in the Second World War, there is an infinite amount of research you can do. But when you’re playing the character, you have to throw it all away, and all you’re playing is the human story. And in that moment, you realise it is just like the smallest job you’ve ever done. The one day’s work you did on the tiny soap opera or the first job you ever did is exactly the same as playing Ormond in House of the Dragon.”

It all comes down to playing the human story, Norton says. “Everyone’s a child of a parent. Everyone has interactions with people they love, and those they don’t. You just have to lean into the very simple reference points you have in terms of being human to navigate through the character’s world.”

When the levee breaks

For all Ormund’s tight control, there are moments when it snaps, like it does in episode 4. “The scene between Daeron and me was intense. It was an important scene because it showed what Ormond is dealing with internally. The scene explored where that rage came from.”

The scene, Norton says, shows what happens when Ormund loses control. “In my head, I’m like, okay, ‘I need to really deliver that scene’. When I was smashing that table I was so full of adrenaline, that I nearly fainted,” Norton says laughing. “I had to call ‘Cut’ because when you’re telling your body and mind to go into a state of fury the moment they call ‘Action’, it gets confused.”

Nought to 60

At one point, Norton says, he shut down. “I had no idea where I was. That was quite a hard scene to come down from because you’re literally going from nought to 60. I had to take a moment, have a cup of tea, and a couple of paracetamol because my head was really painful by the end (laughs). Generally, though, I’m quite strict with myself and like to leave work at work.”

Villain or hero

Norton says he is often asked if his character is a villain or a hero and he was asked the same question about Ormund. “As an actor, my responsibility is to forget the show, and the meta narrative of the piece, and just think about what my story is and how I’m relating to these people and circumstances.”

When you do that, Norton comments, very few people think of themselves as the villain. “People do stupid, aggressive, cruel things because they’re traumatised from something in their past, or they’re full of rage or envy. All those powerful and toxic emotions can make us do bad things.”

Morality in that moment, Norton says, is incredibly subjective. “Ormund is fighting for what he believes in. He’s fighting for the Hightower cause. He’s fighting to take down the Targaryen, who he thinks of as a lower class. He genuinely believes that they should not be in power. And so, in his eyes, he’s the hero. Ormund Hightower is the lead character in his life, and if you play it like that, then audiences come on board. They see that there is authenticity behind the journey.”

After all the questions about life, the universe and everything have been answered, only one remains, if he could steal one dragon from Westeros which would it be. “I have a soft spot for Sheepstealer,” Norton says with a laugh referring to the wild dragon Rhaena bonds with. “The guy is obviously a foodie, and there were a couple of scenes where he hands over some delicious roast lamb. I’m a big fan of a roast lamb dinner and would like to sit down and have a little roast with Sheepstealer. And also, Vhagar because she is the biggest and best.”

House of the Dragon Season 3 is currently streaming on Jio Hotstar

Published - July 29, 2026 05:15 pm IST