James Norton on Happy Valley
Вставка
- Опубліковано 21 чер 2023
- #JamesNorton #HappyValley #AMCPlus
Q&A on the AMC+ series Happy Valley with actor James Norton. Moderated by Mara Webster, In Creative Company.
Catherine Cawood is the police sergeant in the West Yorkshire community of Calder Valley, also known as Happy Valley for its high incidence of drug-related problems. She has faced tragedy in her life, namely the death of her daughter, Becky, who took her own life after giving birth to a son. Catherine believes Tommy Lee Royce, who has been serving time in prison for drug-related crimes, is responsible for the events that led to Becky's death. So when she learns that Tommy Lee has recently been released from prison, she makes it her mission to find him. Little does she know, however, that he is now a key figure in the kidnapping of Ann Gallagher, the daughter of a local millionaire, who she is trying to locate as a way to avenge her own daughter's death.
GET MORE & SIGN UP FOR EXCLUSIVE EVENT INVITATIONS
www.increativecompany.com
IN CREATIVE COMPANY ON SOCIAL
Instagram: / theincreativeco
Twitter: / theincreativeco
Podcasts: open.spotify.com/show/4Jd6V4g... - Розваги
What a great interview with James. Great to see and hear. Thanks for sharing. 👍👌❤
I couldn't agree more with James Norton. Mara, you ask the questions I don't know how to articulate but would like to ask. You're very good at what you do and I seek out your interviews for there intelligence and the insight we get about the creative process and the very genuine, thoughtful responses from the artists. I just watched the finale last night and it was the most perfect ending to what has been a masterpiece of storytelling. Thank you!
I just saw the ending a few nights ago and that final scene with Catherine....WOW what brilliant, powerful and heartfelt performances. I couldn't believe that I was starting to feel a bit sorry for Tommy!😮 But you almost finally get to see inside his head and how all his crazy ideas make perfect sense to him. He becomes that little bit more human and that little bit less just a monster. Brilliant writing there but SUCH a convincing deliverance of the scene by Norton.
What an actor he is seeing him here as himself and having seen him play Tommy. I watched all three series for the first time in one week and it was quite an uncomfortable watch sometimes, mainly in the scenes when he has kidnapped Anne Gallagher but to be able to play that part when he is a lovely guy in real life shows an amazing talent. Happy Valley is up there with the best dramas ever.
Brilliant actor
I also thank you for such insightful questions. You were really able to engage James Norton in expressing the passion and fascination he had for that role and how it informed his acting and thought processes.
That was the most epic finale! Incredible raw acting! Can’t get it out of my head.
DITTO! Can't get it out of my head.
Amazing interview. Thank you x
Amazing series, story telling through talent and gritty acting. Well done.
What a fabulous interview.
Sally Wainwright is amazing, and Happy Valley is an incredible tour de force. For me though, the one moment where I felt let down by Wainwright's choices about Tommy's psychology, is his realization at the end that Ryan has had a good life, which allows him to forgive Catherine. There's nothing in what we know of Tommy in all three seasons leading up to that moment that tells us that he would be able to have that enormous shift in perception. It's absolutely contrary to his world view, and his view of himself, as James says here: He sees himself as a complete victim, and is a deeply cynical one. This is his identity. It's what's fueled his entire life. It's what's justified his sadistic behavior. He has nothing else. The only thing approaching an exception to this is what he feels for Ryan. But I'd argue that it's not true love that he feels -- he is incapable of that -- but some warped notion of love that exists only in his mind, and is actually just a very potent extension of his narcissism: A boy, HIS boy, through whom he can fool himself into thinking he is the hero of his own story, when really Ryan is just a very seductive opportunity to manipulate someone even more than he's done to the girls and women he's hurt and destroyed.
James here talks about the petrol incident as act of love on Tommy's part. I found that very strange, even though it's coming from the phenomenal actor who made Tommy Lee Royce such a powerfully authentic character. I cannot find a way of seeing it as Tommy's IDEA of love. I see it as a completely and horrifically selfish act: He sees that he's about to lose Ryan to Catherine AGAIN, and he'd rather kill him than let that happen. Yes, you could argue that since he truly sees Catherine as a monster that's got hold of HIS son, he must at all costs, including Ryan's life, rescue him from her. But.....burning him alive? I cannot make the leap it would take to call that love, warped or otherwise.
Thanks - some interesting, thoughtful points there. I felt that Tommy really did at least believe he loved Ryan and Ryan's Mum. But in reality it was just a burning NEED to have someone in his life solely to prop up Tommy's own life and give him legitimacy and validation .There was no sense of carr snd responsibilty to give the same back to them. His view of 'Love' was all aimed in one direction. Tommy's direction.
So yes in reality a selfish 'love'. But that is what he believed was love - never having seen what reàl love and sharing of love was like.
Love that he mentions the "relationship" with his hair! (he was so HOT with the long hair, too!) Love hearing his actual accent, too.
Enjoyed this interview so much----what a brilliant show!
I have just added Happy Valley to my List. I am watching and enjoying Grantchester. I think I might have a problem switching from James Norton as a vicar to a criminal in Happy Valley. But I'm sure it's all good.
I’m just finishing up Grantchester. I will be moving on to Happy Valley. Can’t wait.
ME TOO!
I may be in the minority here. But, I wish we could have seen this from Becky’s POV. At some point, I feel like maybe they were actually in love. Whatever definition of love Tommy believes in himself.? Who knows if she was fearful or truly loved Tommy? I really admired how in the end; Ryan realized how good Catherine ( his granny) had been to him. I was also happy that Clare and Catherine had somewhat come back together as sisters. I NEVER thought I could fear and loathe a James Norton character but with Tommy ; I found myself hating his actions. In the end, I just loved Tommy & Catherine scenes in the kitchen. The fact Catherine just refused to let Tommy die in his own way… BRILLIANT the way for those few moments of humanity shown when Tommy was looking through the photo albums. Norton’s face when he realizes what a wonderful life Ryan has had thanks to Catherine. Amazing show!!!!!!
@mandymac74: Becky’s POV ultimately let to her suicide. Whether she loved Tommy or not - and whether he “loved” her in whatever twisted way he was capable - he treated her horribly, cut her down psychologically, and left her emotionally battered and unable to go on.
In this interview James sheds light on Royce’s back story and brokenness but doesn’t deny that he did horrific things. Royce was ultimately a terribly damaged narcissist who believed he was in the right and the world was out to get him, which led to his life of cruelty and violence. A tragic life, for sure, but one that harmed lots of people in his wake.
The third series added some nuance to their relationship, thanks to things Tommy and her older brother said. It seems like she did love him or like him a lot, but nonetheless he manipulated and abused and raped her.
@@IlGattonero13 Yeah, we don't get much information about what Becky came to understand about Tommy, but one thing we do get is that her suicide was a direct result of him destroying her. Catherine, I think in the first season, refers to Becky's suicide note where this is very clear.
Thanks. Some interesting insights there. I too wondered how Tommy amd Becky got started and was she happy to get together in the first place. Or did she feel manipulated into the relationship from the start? 🤔
Has he come out yet?
He is not gay. Shame on you for even asking.
@@joanl5600 oh he deffo is! And why isn't a shame for asking?
I am in love with him! I cried when he left Grantchester and heard that he has type 1 diabetes. Terrible disease😢 God bless him!
Oh I didn't know he had that disease!! I hope he's able to manage it well.