Last season of The Walking Dead was a rough one for Daryl Dixon. It turns out that it wasn't a walk in the park in real life for actor Norman Reedus either. While the beatings and torture were not real, he was legitimately without clothes for those scenes in which he appeared naked. Reedus explained the unique experience of being naked on The Walking Dead, saying this:
It was real. The thing is, they give you this little sock to wear. You feel weirder with the sock on. . . . You know, I did a movie in a shower and they gave me one to wear, and in the middle of the take, I just ripped it off and threw it at the director's head, because I was like, 'This is ridiculous.' But on The Walking Dead, I came out in a bathrobe and our poor camera crew are all right here, and I just dropped the robe and I was butt naked. They all kind of, like they were watching Wimbledon, they just all kind of looked to the left.
Unfortunately, the awkwardness didn't end there for the Walking Dead crew. Because Norman Reedus wasn't actually being tortured or held captive by Negan, a makeup artist then had to step in and "dirty" him. This meant getting up close and personal with Daryl's man business and other sensitive areas of his body, which is understandably uncomfortable. While that was happening, there was also another crew member whose task was as "focus puller". This meant ensuring the image of Reedus' naked body on camera was as sharp and as crisp as possible. At this point, one has to wonder whether or not Reedus and the crew suffered a certain kind of torture themselves during the filming process.
As for the weird sock Norman Reedus declined to wear, he informed Jimmy Kimmel he wasn't given an actual sock to cover himself with. Instead, The Walking Dead actor says it's more of a pantyhose-like material, and that you can probably buy it on Amazon. As it turns out, you can indeed find one on Amazon if you search for the term "modesty pouch." To Reedus' credit, they don't appear all that comfortable.
Norman Reedus' naked romp came at a weird time during the show, as the actor has stated that Season 7 was rough for him due to not filming with his co-stars for quite a few episodes. Perhaps now he's glad a bulk of the regulars weren't on hand to see him in the buff, although in his interview he seems more embarrassed for those who saw him naked than he does for being naked! I guess if Norman Reedus wasn't confident, he wouldn't be right for the role of Daryl.
The Walking Dead is all new on Sunday, October 29th at 9 p.m. ET on AMC. For more on Norman Reedus beyond his thoughts on being naked, read up on some of the insane pranks he's pulled on Andrew Lincoln throughout the show's run. For more great fall programming beyond The Walking Dead, be sure to bookmark our fall premiere guide and stay on top of all the new and returning shows appearing on television.
