With the eighth season of The Walking Day officially wrapped, the zombie show is preparing to undergo some potentially big changes moving forward. With stars Lauren Cohan and Andrew Lincoln reportedly on their way out and Danai Gurira’s contract also expiring soon, the cast could be experiencing a major shake-up, forcing the writing staff to restructure the post-apocalyptic world they’ve created.
For the remaining castmates, the sudden challenges moving forward are nothing new. Since the introduction of Negan at the end of season six, the entire production staff have had to deal with declining ratings and constant criticisms. Still, the tough love for the show hasn’t deterred the faces behind its creation. In order to survive the world of The Walking Dead, many cast members have had to toughen up, essentially becoming desensitized to the everyday horrors they run into on set.
Although the final product may often times appear fun on the small screen, the day to day strains that go into filming an episode of TWD are enough to drive anyone crazy. From the blistering heat during the summer to the exhausting toll many of the stunts take on the body, the cast has a lot to deal with. While not everyone is as strong-minded as they appear on screen, others have earned their merits.
Join us as we take a look at 10 Walking Dead Stars Who Are Legitimately Tough (And 10 Who Are Only Tough On Screen).
Legitimately Tough: Chad L. Coleman (Tyreese Williams)
As a former NFL player (according to star Chad L. Coleman) as well as a former Woodbury guard under the Governor’s ruthless dictatorship, Tyreese Williams was an able-bodied fighter capable of going off the rails when his temper got the best of him. Despite his size and ability to viciously smash zombies in the head with his handy hammer, he was actually a caring and gentle-natured character who grew tired of the ceaseless bloodshed of the post-apocalyptic life. Ultimately, his humanity and compassion was what lowered his chances of survival and ended his run on the show.
Although Tyreese wouldn’t last past the show’s fifth season, Chad. L. Coleman is more than capable of lasting a long time if by some off-chance zombies take over the world. Between the years of 1985 and 1989, Coleman served as a video cameraman in the United States Army, where he says he first learned how to survive out in the woods.
Serving at the Pentagon and Fort Leavenworth, his travels would take him to such locations as Korea, Japan, Germany and Alaska, but it was his rigorous training which really got him into post-apocalyptic shape, teaching him everything from how to fire M-16s to how to work with a rappel.
On Screen: Laurie Holden (Andrea)
Strong-willed, independent and highly opinionated, Andrea struggled to find a survivalist identity after the death of her sister Amy in season one. Shortly after, she contemplated taking her own life, but after careful consideration, she began training extensively with firearms to become a protector of the group. Ultimately, her confidence in unreliable partners became her biggest vulnerability as she aligned herself with Shane shortly before his passing in season two as well as the Governor, with whom she began a brief relationship before meeting a grim ending of her own.
Although Andrea would discover her backbone as a capable leader, Laurie Holden, who has played her fair share of villains over her career, has proved to be much more kind-hearted off screen. As a founding member of the Canadian Somaly Mam Foundation and an advisory board member of the U.S. Somaly Mam Foundation, she’s aided the non-profit organization in the fight against human trafficking in Southeast Asia.
As for the fans who confuse Holden’s on-screen personality with the actress’ real-world personality, Holden has stated that if she were ever dropped into a world filled with hordes of the undead, she would like to think her charitable nature would prevail over everything else, even with walkers chomping at the bit to eat her alive.
Legitimately Tough: Michael Rooker (Merle Dixon)
As a boorish, rough around the edges, stereotypical redneck, Merle Dixon was an unbearable individual with a big mouth and a hot temper. Although he found strength in his close relationship with his brother Daryl, his racist and misogynistic outlooks rubbed the rest of the survivors the wrong way, including Rick, who often found himself at odds with Merle’s thrill-seeking ways. After being handcuffed to a roof and left for dead with a horde of zombies fast approaching, Merle was able to use his survival instincts to cut off his own arm, soon replacing it with a handy blade attachment which proved itself useful until his demise.
Although star Michael Rooker is far from the jerky portrayal of his character in TWD, his Southern accent and upbringing aren’t far from the truth. As a child growing up in Jasper, Alabama, Rooker recalls begin chased from his home with broomsticks due to his hell-raising nature.
According to Rooker, it was his intimidating stance that often got him into the most trouble, but he was far from a bad guy.
As a spokesperson for the New F Word campaign, Rooker is using his badass superstar image to motivate children to stand up to bullies. At a kid, Rooker admits he loved “breaking the noses” of bullies. Now he’s helping schools across the country realize that it’s better to be a friend to those who need it most.
On Screen: David Morrissey (The Governor)
As the cunning, cruel dictator of Woodbury, Philip Blake was the delusional leader of the small town community of survivors that raged war against Rick’s camp in season three of The Walking Dead. Nicknaming himself “The Governor,” he envisioned himself as the messiah of the town he created, although his sociopathic tendencies and cold-blooded nature would ultimately become his undoing. Due to his strong desire to capture Rick’s prison, his greedy ambitions got the best of him, ending in his demise at the hands of Michonne.
As an English-born actor, David Morrissey is much more low key than his villainous portrayals would suggest. When it comes to getting into character for a devilish personality like the Governor, Morrissey says he has to find the rhythms of the person he’s playing, though he admits he’s never actually played a bad person on screen. According to him, each of his characters are the heroes of their own stories, even if they’ve made a mistake or two.
To tap into his creativity, Morrissey also admits that he often has to feed into his own insecurities as a performer, which keeps him on his toes at all times. That insecurity stems from many places, including Morrissey’s only vulnerabilities as a parent, which he said scared him at a young age. Ultimately, the Walking Dead star’s ambition as an actor started as a child and has stayed with him to this day.
Legitimately Tough: Jon Bernthal (Shane Walsh)
As a leader to the Atlanta group of survivors and a former King County Sheriff’s Deputy, Jon Bernthal played Shane Walsh with a survivor’s mentality. At times single-minded and selfish, he quickly became one of the most hated villains of the series after Rick Grimes’ arrival, mixing it up with his former best friend and eventually becoming a zombie by his hands before being taken out by a young Carl.
Before he was tussling with Rick in season two, Bernthal was toughening his mind and body in Moscow as an actor and semi-professional athlete.
Although the actor first entered the industry when he auditioned for the Moscow Art Theater, he got his start playing baseball for the European League on an all Russian team in the late 1990s and early 2000s. An admitted sports enthusiast, Bernthal grew up playing baseball as well as boxing, though he would later state that his teachings as a student of the acting world would prove to be just as rigorous. As for the popularity of the sport in the country, he would tell Conan O’Brien that almost no one understood the rules of America’s favorite past time.
Luckily, the sport would lead him to his future on The Walking Dead, not to mention helping him become fluent in Russian.
On Screen: Melissa McBride (Carol Peletier)
At the start of The Walking Dead’s first season, Carol was an introverted, defenseless victim of spousal abuse. Although fiercely protective of her young daughter Sophia, she suffered at the hands of her abusive husband Ed. In time, she grew weary of being the meek, soft-spoken push-over. The loss of Sophia coupled with the devastation of the world around her replaced her fragility with a toughened layer of skin which made her one of the most capable and independent-minded characters of the series.
As an actress who has had guests roles in several television series, including Matlock and Dawson’s Creek, Melissa McBride has had an intriguing career in the industry, also working as a casting agent in her native city of Atlanta, but when she isn’t sweating buckets on the set of TWD, she’s a much more down-to-earth person than she appears on screen.
During her off-time, McBride is quite crafty. Among her list of hobbies, she’s said she enjoys photography, painting, and making hats. She’s also called fashion her first love and even went to school to become a fashion designer. It was during her time attending school that she signed up for an acting workshop leading to her eventual career choice to pursue acting full time.
Legitimately Tough: Sonequa Martin-Green (Sasha Williams)
A fierce and pragmatic warrior, Sasha arrived at the prison in season three of The Walking Dead and survived until season seven thanks to her practical decision-making and excellent proficiency with firearms. Although she was often careless with her life, she became a capable fighter who managed to outlive her brother, Tyrese. In the end, her end came when she sacrificed herself as a distraction so that Rick and the rest of Alexandria could gain the upper hand on Negan.
Filming between the months of May and November in the sweltering heat of Georgia, Sonequa Martin-Green has recounted particularly exhausting days of filming in which she pulled quad muscles running around for a scene. Of course, all the physicality is nothing compared to what the actress experienced as a child. Since the age of eight, she’s been involved with almost every sport imaginable, including gymnastics, softball and volleyball, the later two of which she excelled at in high school.
According to Martin-Green, her entire life leading up to The Walking Dead was physically preparing her for the zombie apocalypse.
As a theater major at the University of Alabama, she would later add to her athletic accomplishments when she earned proficiency certifications from the Society of American Fight Directors in eight different weapons disciplines, including single sword, quarter staff and knife combat, showing her character on the show isn’t just talk.
On Screen: Michael Cudlitz (Abraham Ford)
With his bright red hair, witty one-liners, and surprisingly insightful advice, Abraham Ford approached the zombie-filled world with reckless abandon, often finding humor in his situation despite suffering from PTSD brought on by the loss of his family. In Rick’s group, he found himself at a crossroads, feeling for the first time that his will to fight for a future had been restored. In his final confrontation with Negan in the season seven premiere, he would remain as fearless and defiant as he had throughout the series, refusing to back down despite facing his own demise.
Despite being an all-around tough guy with a sense of humor on the show, Michael Cudlitz is a much more affable, easy-going kind of person when the cameras aren’t rolling. In the past, he’s admitted to hating working out at the gym to get into shape for his roles, stating his favorite part of hitting the gym “used to be leaving.”
Off set, Cudlitz has also stated on multiple occasions that he knew his time was limited on TWD, making him embrace the show with greater appreciation as a fan who watched before ever stepping foot on the set. As for his thoughts on his early exit, Cudlitz was such a good castmate that he put the thoughts of friend Steven Yeun before his own, saying he didn’t want Abraham’s departure to take away from the emotionally devastating demise of Glenn, who he admitted was his favorite character.
Legitimately Tough: Danai Gurira (Michonne)
As a trained fighter proficient in the use of katanas, Michonne is tactically fluid with her style of combat while also being one of the most rational-minded members of Rick’s group. Working alone when she was first introduced in the series, she slowly opened up as an accepting and kind-hearted individual willing to do whatever it takes to protect those closest to her. While her intuition has often led her astray, her connection to the other members of the group have been her strongest motivation for surviving.
A self-proclaimed “tough chick,” Danai Gurira leads a lifestyle of physical and mental balance off set, working with the help of Jillian Michaels workout DVDs to stay loose and active when she isn’t slaying zombies.
As a teen growing up in Zimbabwe, healthy competition was always a sign of a healthy life for the actress.
Admitting to being a “jock type,” she was an avid swimmer as well as a tennis player and hockey player, feeding her appetite to excel at anything she put her mind to.
When it came to learning how to properly wield a katana like the Michonne of the comics, she worked intensively with a sword trainer and part-time stunt coordinator to get the fluidity of the moves just right. Ultimately, her broadsword training in high school would also help play a role and, after repeat training sessions spent by herself, she got the hang of how to properly wield Michonne’s weapon of choice.
On Screen: Steven Yeun (Glenn Rhee)
A resourceful right-hand man and dependable supply runner, Glenn was quick when thinking on the go, giving him the ability to navigate his way out of hairy situations. Despite witnessing multiple horrors throughout his six season run, which included the loss of many memorable faces, he remained optimistic about creating a safe environment for his wife Maggie and their future child. With his departure at the hands of Negan in season six, Glenn’s exit would kick off an entirely new direction for The Walking Dead, one where a brighter tomorrow appeared as a distant afterthought.
Since his early exit on TWD, Steven Yeun has been fairly candid about his opinion on Glenn’s demise, stating that he never believed his character got a fair shake on the show, though he’s still grateful for the opportunity to be able to grow with a character for so many years. As for his position on fighting zombies, he’s far from the horror-head many would make him out to be. During his down time, he can be spotted playing guitar, which Yeun admittedly confessed to be frustrating on set. In between takes, he would bust out the instrument to play, though he was never able to depict his skills on the small screen.
As for his post-Walking Dead days, Yeun seems to have moved on, landing major roles in multiple projects and keeping busy with his own Los Angeles-based bakery which he co-owns with his younger brother Brian.
Legitimately Tough: Steven Ogg (Simon)
A highly psychotic and valued member of the Saviors and Second-in-Command under Negan, Simon was a former stock broker turned sadistic enforcer who served as a secondary antagonist beginning with the show’s sixth season. As a former head of the satellite outpost, he showed leadership capabilities as well as loyalty to Negan before eventually betraying his leader by attempting to stage a coup against him. In the end, Simon is eliminated by his former boss and left as a zombie inside the Sanctuary as punishment for his misdeeds.
As an acclaimed voice actor and motion capture artist from Calgary, Canada, Steven Ogg has most notably found success prior to The Walking Dead as the voice of Trevor in the hit video game Grand Theft Auto V, but before getting into the acting world, the star was quite the athlete, playing volleyball for the University of Calgary. He was reportedly so good at the sport that he almost went pro and even had friends who would compete professionally throughout Europe.
The sport would eventually help the actor transition into a brief career as a personal trainer for supermodels before he finally turned to acting. He would later take a six year hiatus from his career to build his own house from scratch on a piece of land in Connecticut, transporting 100-year old hemlock from his native Canada to complete the passion project and learning about the structural integrity of a home along the way.
On Screen: Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes)
As the strong-minded leader of the show, Rick’s own stubbornness has at times been his Kryptonite, leading the group into dangerous circumstances that could have easily been avoided altogether, but although he’s been criticized for his bad decisions in the past, it’s his level-headed demeanor and strong moral compass which has helped the show’s protagonists navigate some of the series’ most lethal moments. Ultimately, it’s a coin flip on which Rick the group will get.
Away from the set, actor Andrew Lincoln is far from the battle-hardened, former Sherriff’s Deputy he’s made out to be on the show.
To get in shape for the series, the British actor admits he doesn’t do anything special, crediting the grueling work hours for his post-apocalyptic physique. With all the high-intensity zombie battles coupled with the high humidity, mud, blood and bugs experienced while filming, Lincoln simply doesn’t have time to work out, though former cast member Steven Yeun does recall Lincoln getting a kick out of going to local restaurants and ordering food in Rick’s signature Southern drawl.
As for whether he would survive in a real-world zombie situation, Lincoln has stated he’d be more of a cooker than a fighter, admitting his love for slow cooking roasts in his spare time. The cast seems to agree with the actor’s sentiments and have had nothing but glowing reviews for their castmate’s skills as a chef, which includes making an excellent spaghetti bolognese.
Legitimately Tough: Lennie James (Morgan)
As a man with a strong aversion to taking life, Morgan’s transition from a family man to a protector was a slow and steady process that began with the loss of his wife and son. After first encountering Rick in season one, he was reunited with him long afterwards, where it was revealed that the trauma of the apocalypse has taken a toll on his psyche. Soon his PTSD left him mentally unstable as he coped with his decision to do whatever it took to keep those closest to him safe.
As a man who loses his family early on in TWD, James drew from a traumatic experience in his youth. At the age of ten, the actor lost his mother, leaving him and his younger brother Kester with the option to either move into a relative’s home in the U.S. or to stay in the U.K. in a foster home. He would opt for the later choice, spending eight years of his childhood in foster care. He would later call his mother an inspiration and a “touchstone for everything he does.”
James’s interest in dramatic arts came later in his life after he followed an attractive girl to an audition, sparking an interest in acting which convinced him to enroll in London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Prior to getting into the profession, however, the Walking Dead star had aspirations of becoming a professional rugby player, though he never played past his teenage years.
On Screen: Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Negan)
Brutal, manipulative, charming and inappropriately sarcastic - Negan changed the landscape of The Walking Dead with a ferociously violent debut that left the series’ protagonists in a constant state of turmoil. Since the eeny-meeny-miny-moe scene, the show has taken on a certain level of unpredictability and left the series with a strongly formidable, yet hard to like, villain who is, at times, a pleasure to watch - that is, when he’s not offing a fan favorite.
While many viewers are still on the fence about whether or not they like Negan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan simply views his character as another job, though he tends to disagree with many fan’s sentiments that his character is purely evil. Luckily, his cast doesn’t view him as all bad. During his off days, he can often be spotted hanging out with fellow castmate Norman Reedus, taking long motorcycle trips together across the mountain roads where much of the show’s filming is done.
Apart from his love of bikes, Morgan is also quite the family man and spends much of his time on his farm, where he owns many animals, including a llama and a couple of alpacas.
Then, there’s his other business ventures, such as Samuel’s Sweet Shop, a candy store which he co-owns with actor Paul Rudd. All in all, we’d say the Walking Dead alum has enough to keep his mind off the bad things he’s done on the show.
Legitimately Tough: Seth Gilliam (Gabriel Stokes)
As the deeply religious and well-intentioned member of Rick’s group, Father Gabriel has come a long way from his cowardly persona in the show’s fifth season. Building resolve as a survivor of Rick’s militia, he was confronted with his haunting past after leaving members of his congregation outside of St. Sarah’s Church during the beginning of the outbreak. After struggling with the nature of the post-apocalyptic world, he found his place among the survivors as a voice of reason and even convinced Rick to spare Negan’s life following their months-long rivalry.
Off set, 49 year old actor Seth Gilliam has dealt with his fair share of adversity, including threats from fans angered over the controversial nature of his character, but to date his biggest blunder came in 2015 when the star was arrested for a DUI and reckless driving after leading police in a four-minute high speed chase resulting in a very public arrest.
The incident occurred at 2 a.m. in Peachtree City, GA when the actor was caught traveling 107 mph in a 55-mph zone. According to reports, he was asked if he had been drinking, to which Gilliam responded that he had had “three beers and a shot.” In addition to the two charges, illegal substances were also found in the star’s vehicle. He was later released from Fayette County Jail on bail.
On Screen: Lauren Cohan (Maggie Rhee)
Like many of the survivors, Maggie has been grief-stricken with loss after being traumatized by the passing of her father, younger sister, and husband Glenn, but she’s come a long way from the farmer’s daughter depicted in season two. Her battle-hardened mentality and ruthlessness has since exposed a capable leader and suitable successor to Rick. Although rumors of Lauren Cohan’s early departure from the series has left many fans wondering about her future on TWD, others have advocated for her taking over leadership duties from Rick in all episodes moving forward.
Although Maggie may be one of the strongest-willed characters on the show, Lauren Cohan has a different perspective when it comes to filming the visceral scenes in the series. Due to the sticky environment on set, the actress has stated that all the fake blood and guts isn’t always fun. She’s also admitted to having nightmares dealing with all the death depicted on set, stating that although the zombies are make-believe, they have a way of creeping into “deeper parts of your psyche.”
As for all the on-set stunts, Cohan isn’t shy when it comes to showing off her zombie survival techniques, though she has a tendency to bruise quite easily.
Luckily, she brings her dog on set with her for comfort on a particularly grueling day.
Legitimately Tough: Norman Reedus (Daryl Dixon)
As a resourceful, respected, and resilient right-hand man to Rick Grimes, Daryl Dixon has become the surly fan favorite of The Walking Dead, despite never appearing in the comic books. Although he’s often emotionally distant, he’s surprisingly become the most compassionate and loyal character of the series, which often leaves him vulnerable. Still, despite his downfalls, his biggest strength lies in his fearless nature and willing stubbornness which allows him to approach almost any opponent with ruthlessness.
Off-screen, Reedus has risen to extreme heights of superstardom as the cast’s most popular face, even appearing as a heartthrob to many fans, but before his success, a terrifying car accident left the celebrity wondering if he would ever act again.
The collision occurred in 2005, moments after the actor had left an R.E.M. concert in Berlin. Driving the car of R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe, Reedus was struck head on by an 18-wheeler truck. Upon impact, Reedus’ body was flung through the front windshield and onto the pavement.
The accident would leave Reedus severely injured, forcing him to have facial surgery which left him with a titanium eye socket and four screws in his nose. In the end, Reedus would have multiple procedures to fix the bones in his face, leaving the star grateful to be alive.
On Screen: Chandler Rigs (Carl Grimes)
During his eight season stint on TWD, Chandler Riggs dealt with his fair share of post-apocalyptic troubles. Dropped into a zombified world at the age of ten, he had little time to adjust to the hardened conditions of the world left behind. After being accidentally shot on the Greene family farm, he was forced to shoot a zombie Shane, deliver his baby sister during child birth, and was even shot a second time, costing him an eye.
Now that his time has come to an end, Riggs has finally found time to enjoy the luxuries of being a teenager, which means participating in one of his favorite hobbies: playing video games.
During his off time, Riggs regularly attended public school, but when he wasn’t slashing his way through re-animated corpses, he was playing on his YouTube gaming channel, which he launched with a few of his friends. As for his actually gaming skills, his time on TWD seems to have made him well-equipped for combat-style games, including PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, which he played as part of Microsoft’s “Xbox Live Sessions” streaming series.
Apart from his gaming life, Riggs is looking forward to continuing his education and is taking online classes while living in L.A. He also has a music career to look forward to. As a DJ under the name Eclipse, his first single has already hit over 100,000 plays on SoundCloud and continues to be a passion project for the young star.
Legitimately Tough: Austin Amelio (Dwight)
A former Lieutenant of the Saviors, Dwight wears the burn scars across the left side of his face as a constant reminder of his disdain for Negan. After his first attempt at taking out the leader of the Saviors, he was branded with a clothing iron and left to watch as his wife Sherry became a subservient member of the Sanctuary. Later, Dwight’s personal vendetta against Negan served as a tipping point for Alexandria as he began feeding the community intel on the Sanctuary, swiftly turning the tide in Rick’s favor in his group’s all-out war against the Saviors.
Outside of TWD, Austin Amelio is a native of Austin, TX where he’s gained recognition as a prominent figure in the city’s skateboarding scene. A year before he got into acting, Amelio picked up the sport as his first true passion. He would become a sponsored skater for No Comply Skate Shop and would even receive free shoes from Osiris. He would also appear in the small, independent skating picture The Devil’s Toy.
Although Amelio would inevitably settle on a career as an actor, he’s admitted to flip-flopping back and forth between the two hobbies. Today, he’s still an avid skater, though he’s since said his body isn’t up to the task it once was, though it hasn’t stopped him from shredding whenever he can.
On Screen: Christian Serratos (Rosita Espinosa)
Hot-headed with little room for humor, Rosita was introduced to Rick through Abraham and Eugene with whom she was traveling to Washington D.C. to find a cure for the outbreak. Although initially depicted as a stone-faced fighter with a knack for eliminating a walker without hesitation, she was later revealed to have a soft spot for members of her group, including Abraham, with whom she shared a romantic relationship. After Abraham’s passing, Rosita quickly became reckless with her own life, sparing no expense to get vengeance on Negan for his passing.
Outside of the apocalypse, actress Christian Serratos has a much greater appreciation for the living.
As an animal rights activist and known vegetarian, she’s a firm support of PETA and posed for their anti-fur campaign in 2009. Regarding her stance on animal cruelty, she’s urged people to consider the inhumane practices which go into the termination of factory farm animals, stating that factory farms are “hell for animals.”
As a new mother with husband David Boyd, the Walking Dead star has even said that motherhood has given her a fresh, new outlook on the mistreatment of farm-raised livestock, including newborn animals separated from their mothers at a young age. Apart from her connection to PETA, Serratos has also had ties to the Humane Society and can regularly be seen attending many of the organization’s charity events.
Who’s your favorite Walking Dead actor? Let us know in the comments!
