On casting The Governor and Michonne: “There were different processes. With the governor we had a list of actors. We discussed who would be right for this role. David Morrissey was someone whose work I was not really familiar with. But he came in and read and I just thought he was terrific. He really had a lot of the qualities we were looking for in the governor. I don’t want to give away any story by saying what those qualities were but he had a take on the governor and he understood what the role was. Some actors realize they’re going to play a villain and they say ‘Well, yes, but he’s not really so bad.’ David said ‘This is the role of a lifetime and I’m excited to play this.’
“David and Andy Lincoln were also friends. So Andy called me and said this guy is one of the best actors in Britain right now. ‘We’d be lucky to have him.’ So that was exciting to us that Andy felt so strongly in David’s talent and his craft. Then David came in and met everyone and we all were unanimous he was fantastic. Casting Danai Gurira (Treme) for Michonne we wrote an audition scene — not a scene that would ever be in the show — and we opened that up and we went through a more traditional route where actors came in. We had to be careful that the (web)sites did not say ‘Michonne’ so that that wasn’t on the Internet or whatever. People came in, we had different actors. We really had a lot of very talented people and it was a difficult choice. But Danai just possesses a lot of the qualities, we really feel like she’s going to bring (the) character to life, that she’s going to make this character her own. And I really feel that someone of her caliber will establish the character in such a way that, years from now, people cannot imagine anyone else playing that character. I just really think she’s going to own it in an exciting way. So I’m really happy with our casting. I think we’re lucky and these are great actors and we’re going to fuck them up and give them a lot of hard stuff to play. They’re saying ‘Bring it on!’ so I’m looking forward to it.”
On some of the horrific scenes with The Governor in the comics and whether they will be played out: “Well, we’re working that out. We haven’t … you know, that still remains to be determined. Everything’s on the table and if we do those things (we’re) going to do them in our way. But I don’t want to give away story. You’ll just have to wait and see.”
On Merle (Michael Rooker): “He is still out there and, yes, I’m figuring out what to do with him. So I would say he’s on the horizon.”
On Carl and Rick and Lori being bad parents: “Let’s look at this. Here’s my rationale for this. I have three sons, young sons. And a lot of times they’re under foot and I’m trying to kick them out of the house. Go do something else. Stop playing video games or whatever, you know? So obviously you may not do that in a zombie apocalypse … but let’s say this. There was a scene — and nobody noticed this scene — but in the scene where (Carl) is walking through the woods and he finds the zombie in the mud. Before that he comes out of the house, he’s just kicking up dirt outside the barn. He’s actually picking up shell casings, the same shell casings that were used for the “barnmaggedon” slaughter. So he’s just kind of, you know, kicking around in the dirt. He’s bored. He’s a kid. He’s going to be precocious. He’s going to be mischievous. And he’s trying to establish himself in this world. He’s trying to find his way. So there have been scenes where he’s sitting under a tree, he’s whittling and the kid is obviously bored and trying to find out what else is going on in this camp.
“So I don’t know if it’s plausible that he would always be within (Lori’s) eye line or wouldn’t he, like most boys, try to give mom the slip and go out there and get in trouble? That feels plausible to me. If it means she’s a horrible parent, or Rick’s a horrible parent, well, it feels real to me. So I hear that criticism but it kind of feels like it’s not really thinking it through to the way we are. It makes sense to us and if people don’t like it, well, then we’ll have Lori lock him in a cell when we get to the prison and don’t have any story for that character. So I don’t know what else to do. It makes sense to me and it plays real, so if it takes a village and this is a group, this band is sort of a group and a family, it makes sense she would say keep an eye on Carl. I’m trying to tell interesting stories here, you know.”
Exciting stuff! And I’m glad I could share it with you. Season 3 of The Walking Dead is a long seven months distant, but we made it from season 1 to season 2, we can do the same for its premiere in the fall.
Now … does anyone have anything to say about what Glen divulged? Or didn’t divulge? Sound off in the comments section below.
Clacked by Michael Noble 
on Mar 29, 2012 @ 14:39 EST5EDT
Thanks very much for the interview. I learned more about this season and where the show is going next season than I have from any other media source so far. I’m relieved to hear they’re not going for all-zombie action all the time. I’ve never read the comic books, but I’ve really appreciated the thoughtfulness of the first 2 seasons. It’s still hard to admit I’m watching a “zombie show”, but “Walking Dead” has proven to be much, much more than that description would imply. I hope they continue along that path.
Not having read any of the books, I like not having a connection. It’s a clean slate. So, whatever the writers decide to do means I don’t have an established thought of what will happen or should happen next. I wonder how folks who have been devotees feel about the deviations from the books.
You gave fair warning that spoilers were contained in this post. However, it sounds like the writers could really go in various directions. Nothing spoiled about season 3. The only bummer is waiting SEVEN long months. GAR!!
I’m really very curious what the writers will do with the Michonne-Gouvernor thingy….I hope they’ll use it, yes it’s disgusting but i believe people in a messed up world get messed up themselves. Further more: I miss Shane!
Trust me, coming from someone who has read the comic book series all the way through… several times… you’re probably better not knowing what is going to happen! Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the comic books and would give them my highest possible recommendation to anyone who felt the urge to read them. But anyone watching the tv series who wants to remain surprised should probably avoid them. Knowing the comic storyline colored the entire first two seasons for me… knowing that Shane was going to die, eventually; I was just kind of waiting for it to happen, because it seemed inevitable, especially in the direction they were going with the character in the tv series. But, on the other hand, it was also a supreme surprise to me when characters like Dale and Sophia — who lived MUCH longer in the comics — died “early” in the tv series. So I guess it goes both ways! :-) One last thing… I have no problem with the fact that the tv series has often diverged from the comic book storyline. In fact, I applaud them for doing so. If the story of the tv show followed the comic beat for beat, it would be boring for readers of the comics. I’m glad that they’re keeping the comic fans guessing what’s coming next!
*POST AUTHOR*
. . . . .
ScottA:
That’s a big huge deal for me, too, about aping the series and going off on their own with the show. There are a lot of fans of the comics who are griping and complaining this, that or the other should be done. But, as a fan of the comic series myself, I have enjoyed the fact the writers have been mixing it up. When Dale died, it was a shocker. My reaction after that episode was “Well … NOW what … ?!?” It was a good “now what” however. For them to have the cojones to pull that off and continue on down the road is bold, but I have faith with Kirkman in the mix of things.
I’ve had my qualms with what’s come before; read my previous posts and you’ll see them for what they’re worth. One of the things I think we’ve gotten out of The Walking Dead, though, is some terrific surprises and characters not in the books. Case in point: Daryl.
But regardless of what’s been thrown at us, I’m enjoying the heck out of the show. This interview with Glen Mazzara has been rather enlightening as well …
Thanks for commenting.
Michael Noble:
I think Daryl is an awesome character and a great addition to the cast of characters. TDog, based solely on the fact that they have used him so little thus far, not so much.
To add some clarification about my comment that people wanting to be surprised probably shouldn’t read the comics: I have all the trade paperbacks, and my wife has never shown even the slightest interest in reading them. She was, how shall I put this… reluctant… to watch the tv show. And she still turns her head or closes her eyes at the goriest stuff. But she has been completely and totally sucked into the television series because of the quality of the writing, acting and the stories. And she finally couldn’t stand it anymore after the mid-season “Sophia in the barn” cliffhanger… and she started reading the trades because she just HAD to know what was going to happen. I warned her that she might not be too happy (since I knew that Shane was one of her favorite characters). When she read to the point where (in the comic) Shane was killed, she put down the trades and stopped reading. She was depressed for days. And any time an episode aired after that, once it was over, she would turn to me and say, “I wish I didn’t know Shane was going to die.” :-(
Scott, very smart summary. You have the most level headed viewpoint I’ve read from a comic fan who watches the show.
Thanks! I think most people whose comments I’ve read online take the idea of “adaptation” way too literally. If it were a one-time only movie, I think I’d be mad if they didn’t follow the comic story beat for beat. But a longterm television series should be open for interpretation. And it’s not like Robert Kirkman isn’t involved in the writing and production of the series! His stamp of approval is important to me, otherwise I and others might see the series as being a bunch of other guys who think they can “improve” on his original stories.