Scottish actor Daniel Portman is definitely ahead of the pack. While most aspiring actors his age were training and honing their acting skills at drama schools, Portman had the cameras rolling for him at the tender age of 19. There he was, amidst a large production unit, with massive sets in exotic locations and with Golden Globe and Emmy-winning actor, Peter Dinklage, as his co-actor.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better break,” says the Scottish boy from Glasgow, who plays the clumsy and nervous squire, Podrick Payne, in one of America’s most popular fantasy drama series, Game of Thrones (GoT).

“I was fortunate to have bagged a role that most actors would kill for,” says the actor sitting in the lobby of a plush Bangalore hotel. Having played his character, Podrick Payne, for close to four years now, he’s made it one of the most lovable ones in the series which has been dubbed as one of the biggest productions in the US.

The 23-year-old actor was recently in the Garden City to attend the fourth edition of Comic Con India and to interact with fans about the much awaited Season 5 of the series.

A first-time visitor to India, the Scottish lad who sees little sun in his hometown was visibly flushed in Bangalore’s heat. Yet, he managed an occasionally, faint smile while answering questions about the series and his journey as an actor.

The Indian summer might be causing a bit of discomfort for Portman, but he’s completely charmed by the Indian hospitality bestowed on him. Keen on soaking up Indian culture, Portman says he managed to squeeze in a quick city tour and a visit to Tipu Sultan’s Palace apart from relishing a ‘terrific’ masala dosa. “It’s surreal to be here experiencing a
totally different culture and environment,” says the actor with a touch of excitement.

Portman says that visiting India and travelling to different Comic Cons across the world gives him the much needed break from his gruelling shooting schedule. At the Comic Con venue, the young Scot is cheered by the crowd as he obliges his fans with autographs and photographs of him seated at the giant replica of the Iron Throne showcased in the series.

Portman confesses that he was taken by surprise to learn how popular the show was in India and is looking forward to seeing the audiences’ response to the upcoming season of the show. This time the show will be telecast at the same time in India (6:30am IST) as it would be in the US on HBO Defined.

While the actor is thoroughly enjoying his role as Podrick in the series, he hopes it will be the gateway to greater opportunities in the near future.

A man of many talents, he’s keen on learning various aspects of filmmaking while he’s young and he has already finished penning his first screenplay based on the Shakespearean tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. “It’s an alternate look at the characters rather than following the same template that most people do,” says the actor and budding writer.

It’s obvious that he’s eyeing the big screen now and will be seen playing Romeo in the self-scripted film soon. “I’m in the process of finding a producer to finance the film,” says the actor.

According to him working with GoT has been the best on-the-job education possible for him. Recalling his first day at the shoot, he tells you how nerve-wracking it was for a newcomer like him to shoot a scene next to Dinklage, right after Dinklage had won the Golden Globe for his performance in the show.

Luckily for Portman everybody on the sets made him feel comfortable and at home. “It was daunting to start with but the casting crew — from directors to writers and everyone on the team — was so helpful that the feeling didn’t last too long,” smiles Portman.

Shot in a variety of scenic locations, GoT has brought Portman his share of travelling — from Croatia to cold oceanic Iceland and closer home, Belfast where the GoT studios are located.

As far as playing his part was concerned, Portman found it easy to acquire the required accent and once he had the script and was on the sets with his costume on, everything fell into place, he says.

A huge turning point for Podrick, who initially came across as a meek, minor character, was when in Season 2 he surprised everyone by heroically killing Tyrion Lannister’s (played by Dinklage) attacker in split seconds with a spear. This scene, Portman recalls, made him an overnight star with GoT fans and the fan mails haven’t stopped pouring in ever since.

But it was a breeze portraying a character that he’s nowhere close to in real life. “Just like any other role, it’s my job as an actor to stick to the part and not show too much of myself because I’m different from the character that I’m playing,” quips the actor.

So how does his character shape up in the upcoming series? “I would say as Podrick accompanies Brienne on her travels they get to know the human side of each other better, apart from the professional relationship they share,” says Portman without revealing much.

The actor is taking one thing at a time. As of now, Portman is satisfied working as an actor with big projects in hand. “I hope I can continue writing and maybe one day turn director as well,” says Portman jauntily.