The Walking Dead Star Had Intense Reaction To Being Killed Off
One notable actor from The Walking Dead reflects on having an intense reaction to leaving the hit zombie drama, detailing their last day of filming.
One notable actor from The Walking Dead reflects on their intense response to leaving the show. As fans of the hit apocalyptic franchise know well, devastating character changes are part of the show's DNA. These impactful departures are frequently meant to drive the story forward, teaching the remaining ensemble a lesson or paving the way for a development that will pay off further down the line. In the interim, many of The Walking Dead's exits leave a mark on the audience and the cast themselves.
During a recent roundtable discussion with other potential Emmy nominees in the Comedy categories for The Hollywood Reporter, Tyler James Williams (who played Noah on The Walking Dead)opened up about his strong response to leaving the AMC series. In the quote below, the current Abbott Elementary star reflected on what it was like to film his final scenes and shared memories with Steven Yeun, who played Glenn on TWD and was also part of the roundtable:
WILLIAMS: I remember having [a version of] that with you (to Yeun) when we did my last scene of The Walking Dead. I remember that day, not wanting to leave that show and feeling shame for feeling that. Because as an actor, you go from project to project and it’s just part of the world, so you should be used to working with people and then just detaching. And it was a struggle that day. But then that became the thing. After we shot it, they called cut and I just broke down.
You collapsed?
WILLIAMS: Yeah, it was a whole thing. And [Yeun] was a really good guy about it.
YEUN: Dude, the whole scene was you saying, “Don’t let me go.”
WILLIAMS: Yeah, you’re in this moment and everything you’ve been feeling all day, you didn’t realize that was the point. The point was to get you right there to that time and not judge it and just let it be what it is [for the scene]. I didn’t realize that until we were out the door.
Why Noah's Death In The Walking Dead Hit So Hard
First appearing in The Walking Dead season 5, in the episode "Slabtown," Noah is introduced as a ward in Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta by Beth Greene, and the two go on to a positive relationship. Once Beth dies, however, which occurs in the season 5 episode "Coda," Noah joins the group led by Rick Grimes. Noah's characterization as a nervous teen who was never quite confident makes his death all the more crushing. After appearing in ten episodes across two seasons, Noah meets a tragic fate in the episode "Spend."
Trapped in a revolving door, Noah is torn apart by walkers as Glenn watches in horror and is unable to help. The character's death plays out like a particularly nightmarish scenario of what it would feel like to live through a zombie apocalypse. The fact that Noah is just a kid, combined with what Williams brought to the role, makes it especially harrowing. And, going off the actor's comments, it was challenging to film. The episode garnered acclaim, with critics citing it as an example of what The Walking Dead did well.
These days, Williams is garnering acclaim for excelling in the very different terrain of Abbott Elementary, playing a leading role that could nab him major awards recognition. But his comments show that his time on The Walking Dead as Noah left an impact, even though it may have been brief within the overall history of the franchise.
Source: THR
