Andrew Lincoln, star of AMCs The Walking Dead, looks nothing like his character Sheriff Rick in real life: when he stopped by Rolling Stones office last week on his way to Comic Con, his clothes were not even slightly caked in blood and zombie guts. He sounds completely different, as well; the actor is actually British, as fans of Love, Actually already know.
Lincoln sat down to chat about Walking Deads dramatic new storylines, the madness of Comic Con and his appreciation for flamethrowers. Spoilers ahead!
So youre here for Comic Con?
Yes. You know the funny thing: one of my friends was saying to me the other day, Whats the difference between East Coast and West Coast Comic Con? and Im like, Youre not starting a war I need diplomatic immunity! I love them both in their own special way.
Come on, pick a side.
(laughs) No! I actually do love New York, but the weathers better over there. Theres pros and cons. I was here last year and it was crazy the Comic Con outcrazied all of them because we were in the big hall and it was wild, like nothing Id ever experienced.
How many Sheriff Ricks did you see?
The first season, I was very excited because I thought I saw two, but they were actually just cops. But the second season, out of 400,000 people there, I think there were three people dressed as me.
Thats it?
I thought that was a small triumph, frankly. And then this year, I was particularly enamored by a woman who had stubble and it was very moving that she went full Rick Grimes. And she gave me a little pendant.
Awww.
Yeah. But there were quite a lot of Ricks. You know, Steven Yeun [who plays Glenn] generally gets lots of teenagers professing their undying love, and I just get people dressed as me, which is very unsettling and quite weird. But its just I love it there. I mean, the first time I went to Comic Con, I was able to walk the floor because no one knew who the hell we were. I just remember going past a He-Man and there was a woman painted green and wearing very little, and I said, Who are you? and she said, Skeletor with boobs. And that was, like, within two minutes of being there. And I was like, I get it. I get where we are. This is Comic Con. But it was the first time I remember hearing when we played the trailer, and it was a big, big moment you know, wed been shooting for eight weeks of the first season, and this was the first time I thought, We got it right, tonally. They played the trailer and I dont watch it, I dont get involved in that, but you could just hear the audience and it was this boom of people going, Yes, youre getting it right.
It was in development for so long, fans were waiting and waiting and waiting.
So it feels like were sort of coming home. Because we wouldnt be here if it werent for these places.
This is true.
You know, theyre insane. Its so great. This is my third one, so Im sort of battle-hardened to it now, the sort of shock factor of the extreme fanboy. I saw David Morrissey [who plays the Governor] whos a very experienced actor from England, whos been working for 30 years and he just looked at me and just went cold, because its just ridiculous and its like nothing Ive ever experienced before.
And Im sure there are lots of zombies.
There werent so many zombies. Maybe they know were there and were going to kick their ass. I mean, Steven Yeun says, Oh, you know Breaking Bad, they did this thing where they came on and Stevens all into doing something with dry ice, and Im like, Steven, were just going there to meet the fans! And hes like, No. We need zombies, we should come on and just boom!
People would love that.
So maybe well do that next year.
Maybe do a sketch where youre doing a song-and-dance and killing zombies.
To the tune of Thriller! We could work this out.
Okay! Lets talk about the show itself. So, last season, you guys were stuck on the farm for a really long time.
Yes. (laughs)
I know the fans were frustrated with that because it didnt quite stick to the graphic novel the fact that you were on the farm forever.
Forever, yeah.
Was it frustrating as an actor that you were playing this beat of searching for Sophia for so long?
Well no, I thought I mean, I know I heard mid-season, because I did a lot of press, that the first eight episodes were Well, it was an extraordinary moment when we first see Sophia.
Absolutely.
And it was you have to earn that. If it becomes too kinetic and becomes all action and less character, then you dont have those emotional pay-offs that I think make this show unique. Certainly, thats when it steps outside the genre. You know what I mean? It says, We dont care about the genre, its not important all the zombie-zombie. What is important is the character development and the fact that you, as an audience member, get emotionally engaged. I think we probably did spend too long looking for Sophia, but I think there is a balance between the two that I think is one of the most important things that were challenged with doing on this show: to get that mix of character-driven action, thrills, horror, romance and some humor as well. Some lightness within this bleak world.
Those moments of lightness are amazing.
You can count the times Ive smiled on two hands, and I love that. Because when the audience sees that, well, everyones talking about that moment in the premiere because I smile. Theyre like, You smiled! And I go, I can smile! Its within my range as an actor!
Will you ever laugh? Will we see that?
I dont think thats ever going to happen.
Also, going back to the end of Season Two: so much of that season was about your power struggle with Shane, and now hes a double-dead zombie.
Dont sleep with my wife.
Thats definitely the answer.
Thats the short answer. If you sleep with my wife, then I stab you in the chest. And then my son shoots you in the head. Thats the way us Grimes roll.
Whats it like for you not having Shane to play off of now?
I miss him! I miss him terribly! Just because hes a tremendous actor. And it is one of those things where I didnt read the small print. You know: Zombie. Survival. Horror. All these great mates you make, and terrific actors that you grow with and explore this world with, and create this world with: they get bit! And they leave. It was always planned that that was going to be the case but its about honoring the story, and the story is the key. This story is an extraordinary story about humanity. And I can only speak from my point of view, but its an amazing journey that I go on in the comic books and they are honoring that.
So youve read the comic books!
No, I stopped when they cut my hand off. Why would I read anything after that? No, interestingly, I am going to go back and revisit in between the seasons. If there is a fourth season and fingers crossed there will be Im going to back to the comic book and really mine them because I think its about time.
Interesting. So, Season Three! Youre at the prison. Its about time, as a fan. Hooray, you guys are finally there. Youve obviously established yourself as the leader of your group. I mean, Season Two ended with your character declaring that you were establishing, lets call it, a Ricktatorship. And now, at the end of the premiere, we see other human survivors. What does this mean for Rick if his leadership could be challenged?
Well, I think you hit the nail on the head there. The first season was very much about setting up the world and the man and his family and seeing what has happened with people coming to terms with the immediacy of this apocalypse. The second season was very much about a challenge of leadership, a real struggle for leadership.
The third season, Im very excited about, because its much more about opening up the world of the show and introducing these really cool characters like Michonne and the Governor. And Merles coming back, so dont worry about Merle. But also, just Woodbury. And knowing that weve been following a very linear path about: these people, this man, on this journey. And then suddenly, its sort of like a Wizard of Oz moment when they go, There are other people and they have their own civilization. So its very much about at Woodbury, there is a clash between two men and two camps, the Governor and Rick.
What are you most excited about in this upcoming season?
Well, I dont watch it.
But you shoot it!
I live it! Well, in every episode, they really up the ante. I think the scale of it in the first couple episodes theyve tried to just keep loading and loading the intensity and the drama. And the action is extraordinary. And episode four no, four, five and six, well, and seven and eight is pretty damn good. And nines awesome. People have been doing really great, good work. When we talked about Jon [Bernthal, who played Shane], its interesting because you take one of those extraordinary characters out which very much the second season was written around him. But I think thats the enduring strength of the show, that you dont keep rehashing the love triangle or the power struggle. Its done. And for the writers, I think its a very rewarding experience, that they can go, Shit! We have 12 more people to bring in, and a new location. Weve got so much to talk about, how we describe ourselves in this new world now. I think theyve done a smart thing by jumping forwards in time.
What did we miss this winter? Lori thinks that you hate her and Carl hates her. What went on that we didnt see?
We spoke about all of this in rehearsals before we started filming the season. We discussed that the walkers slowed down during the winter so that we were able to develop a way of living. Everything slows up but as spring gets here and it starts to warm again, were under pressure. Also, theres the powder keg of the baby. I think if wed started right on the back of leaving Hershels farm and seeing the prison then, we would never have attempted it. I think because now we have this incredible pressure you know, the first scene is so quiet. You learn everything you need to know.
There are no words in that whole sequence! No dialogue at all!
I love that. Its beautiful because they just cant speak. Thats how desperate these people are. And its that dog food moment, but its also like this is where theyre at. Its just their lowest end.
Do you have your own zombie-preparedness kit just in case the zombie outbreak starts in real life? I have a pickaxe at home.
A pickaxe?
Because you can break down barricades and spike zombies in the brain with it.
Ive used the pickaxe! And its a very effective weapon. But I think we need to explore chainsaws and flamethrowers a bit more.
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