List of Bates Motel characters
Wikimedia list article
The following is a list of characters that have appeared in the A&E drama-thriller television series Bates Motel, an adaptation of Robert Bloch's novel Psycho. The series was developed by Carlton Cuse, Kerry Ehrin, and Anthony Cipriano.
Main characters
Norma Louise Bates
Norma Louise Bates (portrayed by Vera Farmiga) is the series' female protagonist. Norma is depicted as a loving but extremely possessive mother who wants to keep Norman all to herself. As a child, she was abused by her parents and raped by her brother Caleb, and she was also abused by her second husband, Sam (Norman's father). She sees Norman as the only person in the world who loves her, and pulls him closer every time she is in distress.
Norman Bates
Norman Bates (portrayed by Freddie Highmore) is the series' male protagonist. Norman is depicted as a kind-hearted but deeply troubled boy who has an often unhealthy attachment to Norma. His mother has smothered and sheltered him his whole life, to the point that he is awkward and socially inept, especially around people his own age. As the series progresses, it becomes clear that Norman is mentally ill: he experiences blackouts, during which he hallucinates visions of Norma and behaves violently, before coming to with no recollection of his actions.
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