Happy Valley star James Norton has opened up about Tommy’s new look

Happy Valley: Sarah Lancashire stars in season three trailer

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Happy Valley came back to screens last week and is just as compelling as ever. While lots of things remained the same, Tommy Lee Royce (played by James Norton) had a dramatic new look as he languished in jail. Tommy now had a luxurious mane of hair which he played with and sometimes wore in a hipster-style man bun, quite a difference from his shaved head look. This was also a contrast from Tommy’s cropped dirty blonde locks in season one of the BBC drama, showing his change throughout the seasons.

WARNING: This article contains spoilers from Happy Valley season 3, episode 1

Did James Norton grow his hair for Tommy Lee Royce?

Speaking to media including Express.co.uk, actor Norton opened up about his new hairstyle.

The 37-year-old star said: “I did enjoy the hair. The hair was [creator] Sally [Wainwright’s] idea.

“For a long time, she had the idea that she wanted it to look like a kind of Christ figure with the scar and the long hair.”

The Grantchester and McMafia star went on to say: “It nods subtly, it’s not a big story point, but it nods to him changing in the seven years past.

“And him meditating on two things – the love he has for his son and the hate he feels for Catherine. So he’s quite simple, quite binary.”

Addressing the technicality of his barnet, Norton explained: “So I had hair extensions down to here [motioning to past his shoulders].

“It’s weird when you have long hair for a short amount of time. You very quickly pick up these ticks.”

Adding he would notice the long hair when he came out of the shower and would swish it around before putting up: “I loved it, I really enjoyed it.”

Tommy was playing with his hair in the opening instalment, weaving it into a bun as he was interviewed by the police.

Norton said the hairstyle helped him create Tommy’s menacing demeanour, particularly given the character’s lack of dialogue early on.

So while Norton didn’t grow his hair for the role, he didn’t wear a wig either with the extensions very much becoming part of his character and Tommy’s look.

Season three brings the trilogy to a close as viewers witness whether Tommy’s son Ryan Cawood (Rhys Connah) will become a violent offender or if his grandmother Catherine Cawood’s (Sarah Lancashire) nurturing stopped the teen taking a similar dangerous path to his father.

There were already hints Ryan had reached out to his father after Catherine made the devastating discovery someone had helped him visit the prison without her knowledge to meet Tommy.

The opening instalment of the new series also revealed Tommy was very much ensconced with the local organised crime gang running things in the Calder Valley.

Tommy also seemed to have witnessed a key murder which could help lead to a prosecution of the crime group.

But in typical psychopath style, Tommy kept his cards close to his chest and refused to give away anything.

Although Norton remained tight-lipped about how Tommy’s arc would end, he did tease audiences would have the rug pulled from underneath them.

He promised the story would unexpectedly get “bigger” with Wainwright perhaps serving up more than viewers might have been expecting.

The star said it was an “expansive” storyline right up until the end with lots more surprises to come.

Norton admitted it wasn’t just surprising for fans but also for the cast who were also wrong-footed by the script.

Happy Valley continues on BBC One tonight at 9pm

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