At the end of Season 5, episode 2 of “Bates Motel,” viewers saw Norman (Freddie Highmore) as Norma (Vera Farmiga) once again. And since such instances don’t happen frequently on the show, a lot of fans were thrilled by the twisted moment. But can viewers expect more scenes like this in the remaining episodes of the season?
In a recent interview with TVLine, executive producer Kerry Ehrin revealed that there’s a “substantial amount” of Norman-as-Norma moments coming up in the final season of the “Psycho” prequel series.
When asked how she reacted upon seeing Highmore in Norma’s dress, complete with heels and wig, for the first time this season, the exec producer said: “It was a sheer delight. He looked so good and [channeled her] so perfectly literally every time. And when that shot [in the trailer] comes up of him in the wig, I just laugh. I just love it so much. It makes me so happy.”
In fact, Ehrin revealed on Twitter that the very moment in which Norman appears onscreen as Norma in this week’s episode is her favorite frame of the show ever.
This, however, isn’t the first time Norman has mimicked Norma. Norman unknowingly acted like his mother for the first time in Season 3, episode 6, titled “Norma Louise,” in which Dylan (Max Thieriot) shockingly found his brother in the middle of the night making some French toast in the kitchen in Norma’s housecoat.
Highmore knew that the Season 3 scene was a big moment for fans, so he prepared a lot to make it right. “There was more preparation that went into it, given the novelty of it, and the fact that something like it had never been done before on ‘Bates Motel,’” Highmore told Entertainment Weekly in 2015. “You want to make it right, and you have to find that new character of Norman completely believing that he is Norma.”
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Highmore revealed that he got some help from his onscreen mom. “I sat down with Vera and she read through the lines with me,” the British actor shared. “There was certainly an attempt to look at how she would have read the scenes and the inflections she would have used if she was doing the scene as Norma. So I tried to incorporate those into my performance as Norman mimicking her.”
What do you think of Highmore’s performance as Norman mimicking his late mom? Sound off in the comments below!
An all-new episode of “Bates Motel” (Season 5, episode 3) airs on Monday, March 6 at 10 p.m. EST on A&E.
“Bates Motel” executive producer Kerry Ehrin revealed that there’s a “substantial amount” of Norman-as-Norma moments coming up in Season 5 of the “Psycho” prequel series. Photo: A&E
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
