Jeffrey Dean Morgan had some big roles before signing on with The Walking Dead to play Negan, but of all these roles, his gig at AMC has perhaps been the most polarizing--or at least the most visceral for fans. Recently, the man was interviewed for a segment on The Talking Dead, where he revealed one intense fan reaction he had to deal with after Negan was introduced on the small screen. Here's what Jeffrey Dean Morgan had to say:
I was out with Norman the other day. We drove our motorcycles to get a coffee somewhere and we're sitting outside drinking our coffee and some lady---and she's probably 70-years-old---comes up and she just looks at me and goes, 'You asshole.' And of course Norman falls on the ground laughing. And she's like [to Norman], 'Oh, I love you.' And then she looks at me again with just hate in her eyes and she goes, 'I wanna know where you live.' And he starts telling her! I think I have to prepare myself for kind-of more of that fan reaction.
The idea of a woman of retirement age calling Jeffrey Dean Morgan out for his Walking Dead antics gives me the giggles, just as it did for Norman Reedus. However, to be on the receiving end of that sort of pointed fan reaction is probably a different experience. Luckily, Jeffrey Dean Morgan seems like the type of guy with a good sense of humor. Plus, it's really a compliment for people to be calling you an "asshole" for a bad guy role you are putting together for TV. It's a sign that Jeffrey Dean Morgan has done a good job as the major antagonist in Season 7.
So far, we've seen a little bit less of Negan than we expected. He was a big presence during the first episode of the season, killing off not one but two major characters. After Abraham and Glenn bit the dust, however, the show switched settings to catch us up with Carol and Morgan and introduce us to Ezekiel. While Episode 3 was all about the Saviors again, there was still a lot of focus on Daryl's plight and Dwight's backstory. Still, the permanent stamp Negan has left on The Walking Dead should only continue to be apparent in the weeks to come.
As for The Walking Dead fans, we expect to hear more interesting stories from the actors regarding fan reactions. There are The Walking Dead fans who have bitten main cast members at fan conventions and such. Walking Dead fans are also known for passionately arguing about a slew of fan theories and for being vocal when they don't like a particular plotline. It can be tough to work on the wildly popular show, but between those tough moments, there are also avid, grateful fans that have helped some of the major characters on the show to become household names.
If you'd like to find out what is coming up on The Walking Dead head here. In the meantime, new episodes of the long-running series air on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET, with Talking Dead episodes following in the schedule. To find out what else is coming to TV check out our winter TV premiere schedule.
