The Walking Dead is one of many shows that have changed up filming in a world impacted by the pandemic. From The Bachelorette’s current search for love to veteran sudser Days of Our Lives, series have dealt with the impact in different ways. In that regard, The Walking Dead is certainly not walking solo, and Norman Reedus has broken down some of the ways that the zombie drama has had to shift things mainly due to the actors coming face-to-face with the undead on the small screen on the regular.
The Season 10 finale of The Walking Dead was delayed due to the COVID pandemic, and things are finally starting to get back on track. Extra episodes were added to Season 10’s run, and that has meant filming under COVID restrictions. Norman Reedus has been one of the many actors shooting under the new conditions, and it has led to some surprising changes as Reedus told EW Live (via EW):
I just fought with a zombie stuntman last week. And usually you're kind of face to face and you can roll around together and have fluid movements and it doesn't hurt your body as much. But this guy had to be away from me and he had to wear a mask on a zombie, which was really weird. But instead of the fluid-rolling-around sort of style, he has to stiff-arm me to get his face out of camera. So it hurt a lot more! I finally got manhandled by the zombie. I had to offer him a free drink at Nic and Norman's because I think I hurt him a little bit. But it was actually me that deserved the drink ’cause I got beat up more than him.
Netflix’s boss might be seeing the bright side in on-set COVID protocols, but Norman Reedus is experiencing the downside of them thanks to their impact on The Walking Dead’s fight sequences. It sounds like he is not having to use too many acting skills to play the physical fallout of a zombie fight. It turned into a rough showdown that Reedus believes he got the worst of, and I think he is probably right.
The other guy is presumably a pro at stunt work, so he knows how to keep from getting damaged too badly. On another behind-the-scenes note, the sight of a zombie wearing a mask is definitely a new one for the memory bank. It sounds like Norman Reedus was able to remain professional despite the somewhat peculiar sight. Zombies need masks too! As for coming onto the set, Reedus shared:
It's kind of embarrassing. Because I'll show up on set and they’ll be like ‘Actor on set!’ And then the people part like Moses and the sea. And I'm like, 'Excuse me, coming through.’ It's embarrassing.
Safety first! On the topic of new sights and changes, Norman Reedus shared more about his time on the COVID-conscious set. While he is a busy guy, he acknowledged that the crew has it worse than he does in his interview. Norman Reedus revealed that it has been tough not being able to give one another hugs or see each other smile. Hopefully, things are better by the time Reedus gets to work on Daryl and Carol’s spinoff.
Speaking of not wanting to miss things, The Walking Dead will return with new episodes in 2021 on AMC. In related news, the show will also be ending. If you need a pick-me-up until 2021 when Daryl and his fellow zombie apocalypse survivors come back, you can watch this fall’s premieres. You can also relive Daryl’s best moments by streaming past seasons of The Walking Dead on Netflix along with tons of 2020 releases.
