He was a massive man with a face like a slab of raw meat. In the early seasons of HBO’s behemoth, Sandor Clegane was just a bodyguard. A brute. A dog. But Rory McCann Game of Thrones fans quickly realized they weren't just watching another fantasy archetype. They were watching one of the most complex character arcs in television history.
McCann brought something weird to the role. It wasn't just the height—though standing at 6'6" certainly helped him look the part of a terrifying enforcer. It was the vulnerability. You could see it in the way his eyes darted whenever fire was nearby. He played the Hound not as a villain, but as a man who had seen the worst of humanity and decided to wear a mask of cynicism just to survive it. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in that burnt prosthetic.
The Scottish Giant Who Almost Didn't Get the Part
It’s funny to think about now, but McCann wasn't always the sure bet for the Hound. Before the show, he was famous in the UK for being the "Scott's Porage Oats" man. Basically, he was a vest-wearing hunk in a cereal commercial. Not exactly the CV of a scarred, child-murdering (initially) soldier of fortune.
During the audition process, McCann was actually frustrated. He’d been traveling, he was tired, and he just let that aggression fly in the room. He screamed. He roared. The casting directors were terrified. They were also sold. He understood the Hound’s internal rage because he was tapping into something real.
McCann lived on a boat for a long time. He likes his solitude. He’s a guy who can fix a diesel engine and sail across the Atlantic alone. That rugged, slightly anti-social energy is exactly what leaked into Sandor Clegane. It wasn't just acting; it was a personality match.
Why the Hound’s Relationship with the Starks Mattered
The heart of the Rory McCann Game of Thrones experience isn't the fighting. It’s the girls.
Specifically, Sansa and Arya.
With Sansa, Sandor was a dark mirror to her fairy-tale delusions. He told her the world was cruel. He called her "Little Bird." But he also protected her from the worst of Joffrey’s whims. It was a strange, borderline-creepy but ultimately protective dynamic that the show shifted away from as it progressed, but the chemistry was undeniable. McCann played those scenes with a heavy-handed tenderness that felt earned.
Then came the road trip with Arya.
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This is where the show peaked for many. The chemistry between Rory McCann and Maisie Williams was lightning in a bottle. You have this massive, cynical killer and this tiny, vengeful girl. They’re basically the same person, just at different stages of trauma.
- He taught her where the heart is.
- She left him to die by a rock.
- They both ended up back together at the gates of the Red Keep.
The "Chicken Scene" in Season 4 remains a masterclass in character writing and performance. "I'm going to have to eat every f***ing chicken in this room." It’s funny, sure. But look at McCann’s face. He’s not joking. He’s a man who has decided that if the world is going to be a cruel place, he’s going to be the hungriest dog at the table.
The Physical Toll of Being the Hound
Let's talk about the makeup.
Every single day on set, McCann had to spend three to four hours in the chair. The prosthetic piece covered half his face. It was itchy. It was hot. It restricted his vision.
If you’ve ever wondered why the Hound looks so perpetually annoyed, it’s because Rory McCann was probably actually annoyed. He’s mentioned in various behind-the-scenes interviews how the glue would melt in the heat of Croatia or the rain of Northern Ireland. It made him grumpy. He used that.
And the fight scenes? Those weren't just stuntmen doing the heavy lifting. McCann is a powerhouse. The Brienne of Tarth fight at the end of Season 4 is widely considered one of the most brutal, realistic fights in the series. No flashy choreography. Just two big people trying to murder each other with rocks and fists. McCann and Gwendoline Christie actually ended up with real bruises. They were exhausted. It shows.
The Redemption Arc and the Brotherhood
When the Hound "died" at the end of Season 4, many thought that was it. But the fans knew. Cleganebowl was a meme before it was a reality. When McCann reappeared in Season 6, building a sept with Ian McShane, the internet lost its mind.
This was a new version of the character. Still grumpy, but searching.
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McCann’s performance in these later seasons is more internal. He joins the Brotherhood Without Banners. He looks into the flames—the very thing that destroyed his life—and he sees the truth. The transition from a man who served the Lannisters to a man who fought for the living was subtle. It didn't happen overnight. It was a slow burn, punctuated by McCann’s weary delivery of every line.
He didn't want to be a hero. He just didn't want to be a coward anymore.
Cleganebowl: Was It Worth the Wait?
For years, the internet screamed for the Hound to fight his brother, Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane.
The payoff happened in the penultimate episode, "The Bells."
By this point, the show was moving at breakneck speed. Logic was thinning. But the fight between the brothers felt visceral. McCann played it as a suicide mission. He knew he wasn't walking out of that tower. The moment he tackles his brother into the dragonfire below—facing his ultimate fear to kill his ultimate demon—is the definition of poetic justice.
Some critics felt it was fan service. Maybe. But for McCann, it was the only way out. Sandor Clegane couldn't have a happy ending. He couldn't retire to a farm. He was a creature of war, and McCann made sure we felt the weight of that tragedy in his final moments.
Life After Westeros
What do you do after you've played one of the most iconic characters on the planet?
If you’re Rory McCann, you mostly stay quiet. He’s appeared in Jumanji: The Next Level and the series Knuckles, but he isn't a guy who chases the limelight. He’s not at every convention. He’s not posting on Instagram every five minutes.
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That’s why his portrayal remains so pure. He didn't dilute the brand. He came in, gave us a definitive performance, and went back to his boat.
Fact-Checking the Myths
People often get a few things wrong about McCann's time on the show.
- The Scar: No, it wasn't a real scar. It was a medical-grade silicone prosthetic that had to be applied daily.
- The Height: While he’s huge, he’s actually slightly shorter than Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson (The Mountain), who stands at 6'9".
- The Voice: That gravelly rumble? That’s mostly McCann, though he leaned into it for the role. In real life, his Scottish accent is a bit more melodic, though still deep enough to shake a room.
Why We Still Talk About Him
The legacy of Rory McCann Game of Thrones isn't just about the violence. It’s about the fact that he made us root for a child-killer.
In the first episode, he kills Mycah, the butcher’s boy, on Joffrey’s orders. By the end, we were crying as he told Arya to leave him and save herself. That is a monumental shift in audience perception.
It worked because McCann never asked for our sympathy. He didn't play Sandor as "misunderstood." He played him as a man who knew exactly what he was and hated himself for it. That honesty is rare in television.
How to Appreciate the Performance Today
If you’re looking to revisit McCann’s work, don't just watch the big battles. Watch the quiet moments.
- Watch Season 2, Episode 9 ("Blackwater"): Notice the sheer terror in his eyes when the wildfire explodes. This is a man who is "brave" only until his trauma is triggered.
- Watch Season 4, Episode 1 ("Two Swords"): The chicken scene. It’s a masterclass in timing and physical presence.
- Watch Season 7, Episode 7 ("The Dragon and the Wolf"): The brief, tense reunion between the Hound and the Mountain at the Dragonpit. McCann says more with a look than most actors do with a monologue.
The best way to track the evolution is to follow the eyes. In the beginning, they are cold and dead. By the time he’s at the Wall with Jon Snow, there’s a flicker of something else—maybe not hope, but definitely purpose.
Rory McCann didn't just play the Hound. He inhabited the tragedy of Sandor Clegane so thoroughly that, for many of us, he was the true protagonist of the story. The man who saw the world for what it was and decided to keep walking anyway.