As the bumbling squire Podrick Payne, Daniel Portman’s character is one of Game of Thrones’ comic foils.
He also represents the way the common man’s fate is thrown carelessly around by the whims of the powerful.
The Glaswegian, currently preparing for his role as narrator of The Snowman, says being part of the hottest show in the world was life changing for him.
“It’s just been an incredible job,” he says. “It’s the biggest TV show in history and there’ll probably never be anything like it ever again. I was just 19 when I got involved in the show and it’s been such an amazing thing to be part of.”
The show has taken Daniel all over the world. “I’ve been in Ireland, Croatia, Seville, Iceland.”
Before he starred in Game of Thrones Daniel (24) was in the BBC’s River City, the 2009 film Outcast, and had a small part in Ken Loach’s The Angels Share.
In Game of Thrones Daniel played the squire of Tyrion Lannister, one of the show’s best-loved characters. He’s also one of a slender number of characters not to have been killed off by the savage pen of Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin.
Daniel confirms he’ll be back for season seven, which starts screening in the summer.
Before then he will be hitting the stage as part of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra’s Christmas Concert series.
He’s narrating Raymond Briggs’ classic Christmas tale The Snowman.
The RSNO’s adaptation will show the film with a full symphonic orchestra playing Howard Blake’s moving score.
The film, of course, tells the story of a boy whose snowman comes to life on the stroke of midnight. They play in the child’s house before riding a motorbike and then taking to the skies, soaring over an arctic landscape into the aurora borealis.
Landing in a snow-covered forest they join a party of snowmen before meeting Father Christmas and his reindeer.
Santa gives him a snowman patterned scarf. The next morning the boy awakes to find his snowman has melted…but upon checking his pockets he discovers the scarf Father Christmas had given him.
It’s at the Caird Hall in Dundee tonight before it moves on to Glasgow and Edinburgh. Daniel says he’s delighted to be coming back to Dundee.
“The last time I was in the Caird Hall was to read soldiers’ poetry alongside Lorraine Kelly for an event commemorating the Battle of Loos.
“It’s a tremendous place and it’ll be good to be there for a less sombre occasion. The Snowman is such a wonderful tale. It reminds me of childhood Christmases. When the RSNO asked if I would like to narrate it I jumped at the chance.
The RSNO’s version is hosted by Christopher Bell, who has conducted with many of the major British and Irish orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, London Concert, Royal Scottish National, BBC Scottish Symphony, Scottish Chamber, Ulster, RTÉ National Symphony, RTÉ Concert, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Bournemouth Symphony Orchestras and the City of London Sinfonia.
He’ll be conducting the RSNO junior chorus who’ll follow in the footsteps of Peter Auty and Aled Jones in performing the haunting Walking in the Air.
Daniel’s looking forward to being part of what should be a tremendous and heart warming spectacle.
“One of the most fun things about being an actor is all the different formats you can do,” he says.
“Doing a show like Game of Thrones is incredible, but it’s a lot of travel and a very punishing schedule.
“There’s something great about being up on stage in front of a live audience. You get instant gratification.”