Most know Norman Reedus for his popular role as the broody hunter, Daryl Dixon, in AMC’s The Walking Dead, but his career is more than taking out Walkers with a crossbow. Acting professionally since the early 1990s, Reedus's work includes an eclectic mix of leading roles, short films, appearances in music videos, modeling, and even voice acting in the video game industry.
Working alongside Academy Award-winning directors, such as Guillermo del Toro, and world-famous video game developers, like Hideo Kojima, Reedus has had a truly intriguing career thus far. Though he likes to keep some of his personal life to himself, especially when it comes to his family, over the years he has shared many fun and fascinating tidbits about his life, his work, and his friends.
He Is 52 Years Old
Norman Mark Reedus was born in Hollywood, Florida on January 6th, 1969. He is currently 52 years old, and according to the actor, "a Capricorn, just like Jesus Christ".
Despite his Florida origins, he is a world traveler at heart and had spent a considerable amount of time living all over the world long before he became an actor. Upon leaving High School, he moved to England with friends and has also spent time in Japan. Prior to relocating to Los Angeles and eventually beginning his acting career, he was living in Spain.
He Is 5-Foot-10 Inches Tall
Standing at 5 foot 10 inches tall, Reedus shares a similar height to many of the main male cast-members in The Walking Dead, both past and present. Andrew Lincoln, Khary Payton, and Michael Rooker are also 5'10", while Steven Yeun and Lennie James are 5'9".
The tallest member of the recurring cast thus far has been Ryan Hurst, standing at 6 foot 4 inches tall. Hurst played Beta, towering over Reedus as the Whisperer's second-in-command throughout season 9 and 10 of the series.
He Became An Actor By Accident
Believe it or not, the famous actor didn't move to Los Angeles with dreams of stardom. He followed a woman that he met in Tokyo all the way to Venice, California, where he worked at a motorcycle shop.
According to an interview with WIRED, Reedus states it was a drunken outburst at a party that got him his first gig. "I started yelling at a crowd of people, and then someone asked me to be in a play." Though he accepted the job for the easy money, he eventually caught the acting bug. Coincidentally, his first feature film was in Guillermo del Toro's cockroach-themed horror flick, Mimic.
He Once Played A Biblical Role For Lady Gaga
Refusing to limit himself by sticking solely to acting in one medium, Reedus has enjoyed prolific roles in movies, television, and short film, regardless of his level of fame.
He has also appeared in music videos for Keith Richards and Marilyn Manson, but out of them all, he is likely most recognized for his work in Lady Gaga's hit song, "Judas." Starring in the titular role, Reedus is a natural as the bad boy in her biker-gang-themed spin on love, betrayal, and classic Bible characters.
He Loves A Good Bromance
Norman Reedus is known for his on-set bromances, and he's often seen hugging, cuddling, and being playful with his co-stars in interviews. Andrew Lincoln once teased that they talk so much outside of work that his wife is getting concerned with how much time they spend together.
Reedus also shares a close relationship with Negan actor, Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The two can be found all over each other's social media, from their silly moments on set to "date nights" at the movie theater. Both motorcycle enthusiasts, Morgan has also appeared on AMC's Ride With Norman Reedus.
He Is Afraid Of Horses
Along with his crossbow and his vest, Daryl's motorcycle is one of the most iconic props associated with the character, but Daryl was originally supposed to prefer a different mode of transportation altogether. He was supposed to ride a horse.
Reedus has admitted in various interviews the real reason that Daryl prefers his motorcycle to horseback. “I’m kind of afraid of horses, with their big eyeballs, and they can smell your fear, and all that stuff.” Reedus and his partner, Diane Kruger, later commiserated on their shared fear of horses when they appeared on an episode of Friday Night In With The Morgans.
He Owns An Online Art Gallery
An artist in every sense of the word, Reedus has dabbled in modeling, painting, and photography. Fans can buy his art prints online via his Twitter, Instagram, and his gallery's own website.
Big Bald Gallery showcases Reedus' personality with a humorous focus on the dark, abstract, and the macabre, but also includes beautiful snapshots of everyday life, his work on The Walking Dead, and his friends. He recently released a 144-page hardcover book entitled "Portraits From The Woods." Profits from his merchandise are currently being donated to the COVID-19 Response Fund.
He Begged Showrunners To Give Him A Dog
In season 9, Daryl found himself with a new animal friend, a stray that he simply calls "Dog." What many fans may not realize is that this friendship was years in the making. Norman Reedus begged showrunners to give Daryl a dog from early on in the series, but the answer was seemingly always "not yet."
Showrunner Angela Kang added that Reedus was an active part of the dog casting process. “Norman wanted to help pick the type of dog, so he kept texting me pictures of adorable dogs for weeks."
He Almost Died In A Car Accident
In February of 2005 while in Germany for the Berlin Film Festival, Norman Reedus went out for a drive and was struck by an 18-wheeler. The actor was thrown through the windshield of the car and woke up in the hospital.
Thankfully, he lived through the horrifying accident, though it was a long road to recovery. Reedus had to have multiple facial surgeries in order to fix the damage, which included not only using screws to fix his nose, but a titanium eye socket.
He Is A Serial Prankster
Daryl Dixon may be a stoic man of few words, but behind the scenes, Reedus isn't at all shy when it comes to playing jokes on his fellow castmates. Prior to Andrew Lincoln temporarily leaving the series, he and Reedus were deep in a serious prank war that included glitter bombs in air conditioners, switching out license plates, and sabotaging trailers.
Reedus even tricked Lincoln into asking a "where is the toilet" at a Japanese press conference on live television. But Lincoln had the last laugh when he teamed up with YouTube prankster, Nick Santonastasso, for a hilarious zombie-themed scare that Reedus won't soon forget.