THE WALKING DEAD: THE ONES WHO LIVE NEW YORK PREMIERE & SCREENING
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live premiere took place tonight in New York City. Danai Gurira (Michonne Hawthorne), Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes) & showrunner Scott M. Gimple were on hand to answer fans questions after the premiere of the first episode. Fans were eager, hooting and hollering, and very much in tune with how much love there is in this particular spin-off. But can it be classified as such? Or is it more of a continuation of The Walking Dead itself?
A LOVE STORY.
Above everything in these jam-packed six episodes, it is a love story. Danai cited her interest in Bridgerton as one of her inspirations for The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. But it was her real-life sister who put in the last piece of the Richonne puzzle. Andrew has stated that people stopped him on the street in his everyday life asking when Rick will be back. With all of these events occurring over multiple years, it was time to get the band back together.
WHAT WAS IT LIKE BEING ONSET WITHOUT ANDREW?
“Fine.” She laughed. “No, but really. It was just fine. But something was missing there.” She continues. “One of the actresses asked me if we were the patients running the asylum now.”
ANDREW DOES NOT LIKE WATCHING HIMSELF ON FILM.
It was Andrew’s sixteen-year-old daughter who ended up having to watch her father’s scenes. According to Lincoln, he finds watching himself appalling, as most actors do. We are our biggest and worst critics. Despite his multiple Emmy nods for his heart-wrenching performance as Rick Grimes since 2010 when the show first premiered.
WHAT DO THEY FIND DIFFICULT ABOUT WORKING WITH EACH OTHER?
Andrew was quick to mention: “We’re both quite stubborn.” And with a look from Danai, quickly backtracked to: “I’m quite stubborn.” The audience of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live premiere erupted into a roar of laughter.
FILMING IN COLD WEATHER.
It was so cold in Jersey that everyone to Danai looked like Eric Cartman (South Park) with their winter hoods pulled so tight around their faces, that all you could see were eyes and a mouth.
Andrew was attached to a harness in the freezing weather and immediately asked.: “Okay, where the fuck is the producer.” Tacking on with. “Oh, that’s me.”
RICK’S SOUTHERN ACCENT.
Exec. producer Denise Huth was right there alongside the Jersey crew to warn them that Andrew Lincoln was falling into his character of Rick Grimes and not to be alarmed by the change of his British accent.
“Just ignore him, he’s in Southern now.”
A particularly jarring experience to meet Lincoln in real life, and then have him suddenly switch to method actor all through filming.
DANAI’S BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN EPISODE 4.
While Danai scolded Andrew for almost spilling the beans on a spoiler for an episode, she said:
“I would get up at 9 AM for a tone meeting, and then something else after that. It was a lot.”
In terms of Danai just running episode 4 entirely as the showrunner/writer. Scott M. Gimple commented how “It was so nice to share the workload with someone else.”
RECAP OF THE EVENT.
The fans were very respectful, and it was a slightly full house. I will however be shocked if I’m not deaf by tomorrow morning because of the screaming woman behind me.
But it was all in good fun. Everyone was very vocal about the first episode of The Ones Who Live, giving applause and gasps for a few grim or exciting scenes.
My guest was my best friend, Aixa Kendrick who played none other than “Rizza” The Scavenger Woman on Dead City.
THE WALKING DEAD: THE ONES WHO LIVE will be premiering on AMC on FEBRUARY 25TH. Check your local listings.
RELATED: REVIEW: THE WALKING DEAD: THE ONES WHO LIVE SPOILER FREE.
