Rory McCann

Early life

McCann was born in Glasgow, Scotland. He has a sister, Sally-Gay McCann, born in 1972.

Before becoming an actor, McCann was a painter who studied at the Scottish School of Forestry near Inverness. He also worked as a bridge painter (on the Forth Road Bridge), landscape gardener and carpenter. Rory McCann was first trained as an actor by writer-artist Robert Parsifal Finch in The Actor's Workshop, Glasgow in 1998.

Career

McCann's first acting job was as an extra on the film Willow (1988). He was fired because he laughed during the takes. He appeared in an advertisement for Scott's Porage Oats, dressed in a vest and kilt.

Since then, he has taken television roles as Detective Inspector Stuart Brown in State of Play, Peter the Great in Peter in Paradise, and a priest in the award-winning British comedy-drama series Shameless.

He made his Hollywood debut in the 2004 film Alexander, which required the actors to go through training in the African desert, and included shooting in Thailand, Morocco, and a London studio. In 2007, he appeared as Michael "Lurch" Armstrong in Hot Fuzz. In 2008, he played Moby in The Crew and Attila the Hun in the BBC docudrama Heroes and Villains.

McCann portrayed Sandor "The Hound" Clegane in 7 out of 8 seasons of the HBO series Game of Thrones.

Other projects include a BBC TV series by writer Jimmy McGovern called Banished, set in Australia in the 18th century. McCann plays a blacksmith named Marston.

In 2022 he became the narrator of the ITV1 series DNA Journey.

McCann will star in the upcoming second season of the Star Wars series Ahsoka. He will portray Baylan Skoll, succeeding the late Ray Stevenson in the role.

Personal life

McCann's younger sister, Sally-Gay McCann, works on costumes for film and television; he worked alongside her on Alexander and Game of Thrones. McCann is a supporter of the Scottish Green Party, and appeared in its 2007 Scottish Parliament general election broadcast.

In 1990, McCann broke multiple bones in a near-fatal rock climbing accident in Yorkshire.

McCann is the former frontman of a defunct band called Thundersoup.

McCann lives a solitary, transient lifestyle. In 2006, he went to Iceland with Gerard Butler to attend the premiere of Beowulf & Grendel. He ended up living in Iceland for a year, part of the time in a tent after losing his apartment, and working as a carpenter.

Filmography

Film

Television

References

References

1. (7 April 2014). "'Game of Thrones' Q&A: Rory McCann on 'The Hound' and Season Four".
2. (15 September 2006). "Exclusive Interview: Rory McCann ('Shameless', Beowulf & Grendel', "Alexander')".
3. McIver, Brian. (31 March 2014). "Games of Thrones star Rory McCann on his meteoric rise from carpenter to fantasy TV star". [[Trinity Mirror]].
4. Everett, Charlotte. (24 January 2022). "Game of Thrones' Rory McCann looks unrecognisable as porridge model two decades ago". Irish Mirror.
5. (18 July 2017). "Game of Thrones cast: What else have the actors been in? From Emilia Clarke to Kit Harington". [[The Independent]].
6. (25 April 2013). "'Game of Thrones': Meet the Hound, Scottish actor Rory McCann". [[LA Times]].
7. (29 January 2003). "Why he's always up for it: From dubious tree surgeon and Forth bridge painter to giant of porridge commercials, Book Group star Rory McCann tells Lorna MacLaren of his next move". [[Herald Scotland]].
8. (1 January 2005). "Hulk Rory Leaves No Stone Unturned; Scott's Porage Oats Star Rory McCann Spills the Beans on how he won a part in Oliver Stone's movie Alexander by Telling the Great Man to take a Hike.". [[Scottish Daily Record & Sunday Mail Ltd]].
9. "Game of Thrones: Cast". [[HBO]].
10. (4 April 2014). "'Game of Thrones': Rory McCann teases road trip of 'death and destruction' in season 4".
11. (18 March 2014). "Rory McCann Joue Les Petits Rigolos à L'avant-Première de "Game of Thrones" à New York, le Mardi 18 ...".
12. (18 March 2014). "Cast announced for Jimmy McGovern's epic new series, Banished, for BBC Two".
13. (12 January 2009). "Rory McCann – What I know about women". [[The Scotsman]].
14. Scottish Green Party. (11 April 2007). "First Vote Green on the 3rd of May 2007". YouTube.
15. (28 March 2002). "I fell into acting says Oats hunk; Scots actor and climber Rory McCann on the mountain plunge that changed his life.". [[Daily Record (Scotland)]].
16. (19 March 2012). "Rory McCann - Sandor "The Hound" Clegane, Game of Thrones".
17. (23 February 2013). "Access Countdown To 'Game Of Thrones' Season 2: Q&A Rory McCann Talks Sandor Clegane (The Hound)".
18. (29 November 2019). "Heimsfrægur leikari bjó í tjaldi á Íslandi og stal sér til matar".
19. (29 November 2019). "Game of Thrones star Rory McCann says he was living in a tent and 'stealing food' before he landed The Hound role". [[The Independent]].
20. Moreau, Jordan. (20 January 2022). "Critical Role's 'Legend of Vox Machina' Adds Stephanie Beatriz, David Tennant, Tony Hale and More as Guest Stars".
21. Petski, Denise. (22 July 2022). "'Transformers: EarthSpark': Paramount+ Series Sets Voice Cast, Teaser Trailer — Comic-Con".
22. Sneider, Jeff. (January 9, 2025). "Exclusive: 'Game of Thrones' Star Rory McCann to Inherit His Late Friend Ray Stevenson’s Role in 'Ahsoka' Season 2".