Why Negan and Maggie Aren’t Ready to Leave ‘The Walking Dead’

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Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lauren Cohan have been surviving the zombie apocalypse for a very long time. As Negan and Maggie, two of the lead characters on the AMC sequence “The Strolling Lifeless,” they’ve endured each conceivable hardship and cruelty, from watching as a member of the family is overwhelmed to demise to being slashed within the jugular with a knife.

With the enormously widespread drama lastly reaching its conclusion this fall because the final of its three-part eleventh season begins, you’d be forgiven for considering the mainstay co-stars — Cohan joined the solid in 2011, Morgan in 2016 — can be thrilled to wrap up and go away the undead behind. However AMC lately introduced that each actors have signed on to steer “The Strolling Lifeless: Lifeless Metropolis,” a brand new spinoff mini-series that may comply with their characters as they attempt to navigate a post-apocalyptic Manhattan.

Earlier than “The Strolling Lifeless” kicks off its ultimate block of eight episodes on Oct. 2, Morgan and Cohan spoke collectively over Zoom about killing off characters and discovering “slivers of sunshine and hope.” These are edited excerpts from that dialog.

Lauren, you joined the sequence within the second season. What was it like for you once you arrived?

LAUREN COHAN I used to be coming from the U.Ok., and on the flight to Georgia, I watched Season 1, and I assumed: Wow, OK. I’d higher not screw this up. Once I landed, I had per week of prep, and Steven [Yeun, who played Glenn] and Sarah Wayne Callies [who played Lori] took me out for Korean barbecue to present me the lay of the land. The entire ambiance of the present — it was so scorching, and we have been all simply surviving, identical to the characters — was a really bonding expertise.

Jeffrey, your character was launched on the finish of Season 6 with an enormous, infamous cliffhanger. What was it prefer to be thrown in so dramatically?

JEFFREY DEAN MORGAN [The “Walking Dead” producer] Scott Gimple had referred to as me and requested if I might do that. I used to be in the midst of capturing “The Good Spouse.” I simply occurred to have a two-day window the place I might go to Georgia. I used to be a giant fan of the present, and I knew it was going to draw a little bit of consideration. However I had no concept of the degrees of loopy that it was going to be.

I had met Lauren — we’d been Batman’s mother and pop in “Batman v Superman.” However it was such an emotional approach to meet everyone. Everybody was somewhat standoffish towards me, as you’d anticipate.

Did you’ve any concept who you’ll be killing?

MORGAN I believe all of us knew it will be Glenn, however not Abraham. The final shot I did on that very first two-day stint was the bat coming down towards the digicam. I bear in mind Michael Cudlitz, who performed Abraham, coming as much as me like, ‘Are you aware who you’re killing?’ I’m like, yeah, Steven! It’s within the comics! He was like, ‘Do you suppose you’re killing anybody else?’

COHAN Bear in mind we shot these alternate endings?

MORGAN: That’s proper! We shot me killing each member of the solid. Everybody took successful from the bat that night time. That was simply to throw individuals off. It was loopy. The cliffhanger pushed the fan base awfully far.

COHAN What individuals don’t know is all of us frolicked in that clearing for all the summer time till we came upon.

MORGAN Really it actually did really feel like that. Once we got here again in September for the seventh season premiere, it was choosing up proper in that clearing with everybody nonetheless on their knees. It was brutal. The one individual OK with it was Steven. He was like, ‘I’ve received closure, I’m going to go win a [expletive] Oscar now.’ On the entire, it was a bizarre vibe. I assumed these guys hated me.

COHAN I needed to hate you for a complete season.

MORGAN Lauren really didn’t discuss to me for a few yr, aside from like, she would nod at me when she walked by. That was her methodology as an actor. And now right here we’re, nonetheless working collectively.

This present has been prepared to kill off any character at any time. Was there ever some extent the place you felt comparatively protected, or did you at all times fear that you simply could be subsequent to go?

COHAN I didn’t consciously give it some thought, however I knew that for my character, there was a variety of story to inform. Which, by the best way, isn’t any assure of something both, as a result of typically when the story appears that good, that’s the proper time so that you can get killed off.

MORGAN You realize once they kill you on this present? If you purchase a home in Georgia. In the event you get comfy, you’re lifeless. I had a three-year deal initially. I bear in mind asking [the showrunner] Angela [Kang], “Ought to I purchase a home?” And he or she was like, “Ehhh.” And I used to be like, Effectively, that’s it. I’m lifeless!

Jeffrey, because the present’s important antagonist, did you simply assume your story would finish with you being killed off by the heroes?

MORGAN Yearly. Particularly after [the 8th season story arc] “All Out Conflict.” I knew Negan didn’t die within the comedian books. However I assumed they may have me stroll off into the sundown. But they didn’t.

What character demise was the toughest for you when it comes to a solid member leaving?

COHAN Steven. On each degree that one thing might be exhausting, that was exhausting. It was exhausting with Scott Wilson [who played Hershel]. It was exhausting with Emily [Kinney, who played Beth].

MORGAN Effectively, they have been your loved ones.

COHAN Precisely. However the issues which have made it exhausting are additionally the most effective elements of the present. There have been occasions the place I bodily threw up after we filmed sure scenes, as a result of it was that visceral. However I like the depth of expertise I’ve had, loving and dropping these individuals. The poetry and the darkness and the slivers of sunshine and hope on this are every thing.

MORGAN “The slivers of sunshine and hope.” I’m going to place that one proper in my head and preserve it there. My subsequent interview that’s with out you, I’m utilizing that.

What about for you, Jeffrey?

MORGAN For me, I used to be more durable hit when Andy [Lincoln, who played Rick] left. In a giant manner, this was his story, and his world that we have been all residing in. Norman [Reedus, who plays Daryl] and I spent a variety of time speaking about it: What’s the present going to be now, shifting ahead? And none of us had seen that coming. Andy got here to us and stated, “I’m solely doing six extra episodes.” It was like, what?

COHAN Thoughts-blowing.

MORGAN All of us thought there was no manner he’s not coming again. He’s going to be right here to kick that pig. And he wasn’t. Everybody stepped up and did their half — from the writers to the actors — however there was this second of like, it’s a distinct factor now. That’s the cool factor concerning the present. It has reinvented itself, many occasions.

The present has undergone many modifications creatively, together with a number of showrunners. Was that difficult so that you can take care of as a solid?

COHAN I believe it made us really maintain on tighter to one another. It’s not that it wasn’t disruptive and scary — when Frank [Darabont, the Season 1 showrunner] left, that was like, whoa. That was bizarre. However what we have been requested to do required such emotional funding that it was virtually like we couldn’t be distracted by these things.

Earlier than signing up for the spinoff, did both of you’re feeling that the present ending was the time to go away this world and these roles behind?

MORGAN Once I came upon the present was ending, I used to be like, OK. I did my bit. I’m pleased with the work I did. It didn’t take lengthy, thoughts you, for them to say concepts for a by-product and for my ears to get all perky. However I assumed it will be noble for us to disperse and transfer on to what’s subsequent in life.

COHAN Mm. I wasn’t executed.

MORGAN Effectively, and right here we’re nonetheless telling the story.

COHAN Right here’s to a different 10 years.

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