Norman chats with AccessHollywood

Designed by: Mark Hammermeister

http://www.markdraws.com/

Norman chats to Leith Forrest (FIVEaa Australia)

I Smell Sheep Interview (By: Katie Dalton)

Katie: Hi, I'm Katie it's nice to meet you.

Norman: Hi, babe, how are you? Nice to meet you.

Katie: I'm from I Smell Sheep (points to my shirt like a moron that clearly says "I Smell Sheep") that's me.

Norman: *chuckles* I Smell Sheep, what is that?

Katie: We're a website that reviews books, movies, comics you name it. (hands some swag to Norman) That's for you.

Norman: Right on. Thank you, that's so sweet.

Katie: So your character Daryl, who's awesome by the way, what kind of training did you do for the weapons you use?

Norman: I practice. They show you how to use the crossbow, like loaded and all that stuff. But it's pretty self-explanatory. You load it and it automatically goes into safety. But they don't let you shoot real arrows on the set. So you dry fire and they digitally add the arrows in 'cause you can't have a loaded crossbow swinging around the people. So they teach you how to use it and whatnot. But I've done about 40 films where I kill people so I'm well-versed in weapons at this point.

Katie: Yeah.

Katie: What can we look forward to with your character? And more importantly I need to know are you going to kill Shane, because somebody needs to kill Shane. He needs to die.

Norman: Everybody wants to kill Shane!

Katie: Shane's a loose cannon.

Norman: Yeah, Shane is a loose cannon but that's how well John's [Bernthal] playing the part ya know? You hate him.

Katie: Yes. I fear if I were to meet him I would literally hate the actor.

Norman: John's the nicest guy ever. He's such a pussycat. And what's going to happen with Shane? Well I can't tell you if Shane gets killed because my boss is right around the cover over there. [Robert] Kirkman. But my character is sort of pulling away from the group right now because after Sophia [played by Madison Lintz] it meant a lot for Daryl to find Sophia. He was an abused kind, left behind and I think by finding Sophia it kind of cleared out some of the demons in his closet so to speak. Now he's pulling away. The thing with Daryl is he doesn't really need these people so he's watching them have interaction for the first time. So that's his struggle right now with the whole Sophia thing. But he'll come around.

Katie: This latest episode [Episode 10 "18 Miles Out"] I did not like how your character was coming after Sophia's Mom, that was harsh. So I hope he comes back around because if there was an Apocalypse I want to be on your team! You're my Apocalypse Dream Boat.

Norman: Ah! You're so sweet.

Katie: Well that's what me and my girl friend (Jeni!) call you.

Norman: I love it.

Katie: The character! Well, and you too. Sure!

Norman: *laughs* You're sweet. But the thing with Carol and Daryl is they are both very damaged people so they gravitate towards each other. I don't know if we're going to have a love affair or anything but he comes back around.

Katie: The chemistry between these two characters feels like there could be something and they're both damaged so there could be…

Norman: I got lucky because there were so many scenes with Melissa [McBride] in the beginning of this season and last season. It's nice to act with her, she's just so open. A great actress.

Norman: So where did you get this Sheep stuff from? (Norman points at my shirt) Why Sheep?

Katie: Well…[Response redacted]

***A couple minutes later***

Katie: So, back on the record. What can we look forward to in the coming season?

Norman: Well, the rest of the season is all fireworks. We did a lot of talking in the beginning of this season to set up story-lines because you have to since its television. But from here on out it's just kill, kill and massacre after massacre and blood bullets and zombies. It's all big fireworks from here on out. It doesn't slow down at all.

Katie: When this current season took the break after the barn scene, it was very emotional.

Norman: Just wait. 

 

 http://ismellsheep.blogspot.com/2012/03/sheep-interview-walking-deads-norman.html

Hold On to Your Brains!

Snakkle: After spending two summers killing lurching zombies for a living, do you really believe in ghosts or supernatural things that go bump in the night?

Norman Reedus: I do believe in it. I think it’s definitely out there. I am staying in a loft in Georgia, where we shoot the show, and it’s supposedly haunted. They keep telling me it’s haunted and I keep hearing creaks in the night and things fall off shelves, but I usually roll over and have some kind of verbal outburst like “Dammit, I have to sleep!”

Snakkle: Since you spend a lot of time killing them, have you spotted your favorite zombie creation yet?

Reedus: [Special effects creator] Greg [Nicotero] and his team did one zombie in particular that is really disgusting. I can’t really tell you what that zombie is other than it was extra large and wet. It had parts on it that moved in ways it shouldn’t be moving. It’s pretty disgusting. I think it’s in Episode 7.

Snakkle: Have the set zombies ever scared you?

Reedus: Greg and his team are so good at what they do that it definitely brings you into the moment. It doesn’t look corny at all—ever. Especially up close, it’s terrifying.

Snakkle: How do you get into Daryl’s skin?

Reedus: I’m trying to play him emotionally like he’s a child. Anything that is touching to him or might be touching to who he is speaking to, he isn’t very eloquent. He’s like a sidewinder snake, in that he doesn’t come directly at you but he’ll weasel toward you and then strike. If you notice in almost all the scenes with the groups, everyone is stationary, but Daryl is always moving. He doesn’t sit still often because he’s a nasty, emotionally challenged dude.

Snakkle: Do you find you have anything in common with Daryl?

Reedus: I’m kind of emotionally damaged. I guess his sense of family, because I didn’t grow up with my family, so I understand the importance of trying to reconnect that bond. I’m socially awkward too, to be honest. I get nervous and want to sneak outside for a cigarette to escape. I also like to fix problems and don’t dwell on things. I like weapons too!

Snakkle: Will we get to find out how Daryl and Merle got to be so damaged and angry at the world this season?

Reedus: Some things will be revealed about Daryl’s childhood, about his family situation, that are really depressing. It will make you understand why when he has a big brother who is such an ass like Merle, why he sticks by him and why he needs him.  You will see some reasons why he is so connected to Merle and why he had emotional bonds with certain people, and it’s not what you think.

Snakkle: Season one was an origin story for the series. How do you characterize season two?

Reedus: Well, it picks up with the same energy that last season ended with; it’s a very frantic energy. We continue like that until maybe the third episode and then we find a place that everyone can land. And then once we land, it goes into a more emotionally charged drama. But the thing with this show is that out of nowhere—and not just with zombies jumping on you—the energy picks up full throttle.

Snakkle: How does it feel to be immortalized as an action figure for the show?

Reedus: It’s cool! I like it. When I saw it at the premiere in L.A. last week, it looks just like me. It’s kind of creepy. They did such a good job. It looks like a little piece of art.

Snakkle: Daryl is an original character that didn’t come from creator Robert Kirkman’s comic book series. Kirkman says he plans to add Daryl to the books now, so that’s a big compliment.

Reedus: Every time I see him I ask when I’m going in the book. It’s such an honor to help create a character that he’s going to add to his epic graphic novel. I would be so excited to be in that book. My 12-year-old son would do cartwheels. I picked my son up from school last year and he had a huge smile on his face. I asked what’s up and he said some of the big kids asked if his dad was on The Walking Dead. They said they loved Daryl, so now my son has some credit with the big kids at school. If Daryl ends up in the comic books, he might get even more credit.

Snakkle: Will we see Daryl soften this season and bond to his new family?

Reedus: His attitude goes back and forth. I think what’s happening is that as the group is showing that they value and rely on him too, he’s feeling a sense of self-worth. They need him, and his attitude is changing because he is wanted. At times it’s really touching. What’s interesting about playing him is that I can go from that to absolutely seeing red again. It’s interesting to watch him go back and forth and struggle with adult themes and the violence.

read original  http://www.snakkle.com/exclusive-before-they-were-stars-the-walking-dead-norman-reedus-interview-season-2/?iframe=true&width=990&height=480

Norman Reedus thanks fans (RedEye)

Norman Reedus doesn't watch TV, so "The Walking Dead" star wasn't familiar with any of the characters his TV persona, Daryl Dixon, defeated in RedEye's Best TV Character Tournament over the past two weeks.

On Wednesday, the zombie-killing Daryl defeated Abed Nadir of NBC's "Community" to win the fourth tournament, and Reedus was pretty stoked to be the new champ.

"I just want to thank all the people who are voting and the people who are watching the show and helping it become such a big success. It's all because of them, the fans," he told me Wednesday from New York, adding humbly. "I would like to thank the cast and the writers and the producers of the show for giving me such interesting stuff to play with and interesting people to play with."

But Reedus' nuanced portrayal of Daryl is the reason the character, who does not appear in the graphic novels upon which the AMC hit is based, has become a fan favorite. And he appreciates all the love he gets from fans.

"The fans have been so key to keeping Daryl alive on the show," he said. "I'm eternally grateful."

Reedus, who was heading off to Mexico with his 11-year-old son Thursday, talked more about his approach to playing Daryl, his newfound love for "Portlandia" and what fans can expect when "The Walking Dead" returns Feb. 12 on AMC.

Thanks for calling.  
Yeah, of course. Oh, happy holidays man.

So you know about the tournament. I saw you tweeted it a while ago.  
Yeah, I won. Woo!

Well, almost. (We talked about an hour before the tournament ended.)
Oh, I still haven't won. [Laughs.] Vote redneck!

You've got about 50 minutes left and you're only ahead by one percentage point.  
Oh. What the heck? All right, cool. Well hey, I'm happy to be in the final. [Laughs.]

What did you think of the tournament?  
It's funny because it's gone back and forth; people are like kind of going to war.

Right.  
I've never seen the show "Community," but I like Joel McHale. I did "The Soup," but I'm sure ["Community" is] hysterical. But yeah, I'm happy to just be a part of it. And you know, people are giving Daryl a lotta love, so. I'm just happy to be part of a cool show. I'm happy to have a job. [Laughs.] You know what I mean?

I do. Let run down all of the people that Daryl has stopped. First Lydia Adams from "Southland."

Beach Boy (Clearwater Beach, Florida)