Melissa McBride and Lennie James talking about Season 7 at NYCC2016
Where are we going to see Carol spiritually during the first half of the Season 7?
Melissa: I think she’s devastated and exhausted internally from the losses they suffered from the beginning. It is this world that makes her being like this, she’s tired of this life and what this made of her, which this forced her to do. It is the moment when you discover that you are becoming a monster, when you started trying to save yourself from them. No matter where she goes, if she feels she is going back or falling back on -in a way- a weaker point in her life, she will go away. The good thing is that the characters are constantly evolving, whatever the direction is, it is an extraordinary job.
What makes Carol and Morgan have such a particular bond?
Lennie: I think they both come from the same place, that what defines them, from before the apocalypse, is the same. Many characters who are now together would not have met in another circumstance, but Carol and Morgan could, yes, they might have lived in the same neighborhood, their children might have played together. They shared a kind of dynamic, both defined themselves as mother and wife or father and husband. Those were the two great events of their lives: the death of their spouses and of their children. He did not have as dramatic a transformation as Carol did, but they both changed tremendously in this post-apocalyptic world.
What can you tell us about King Ezekiel?
Lennie: He’s a king and he does not apologize for that. Many of the leaders of the series, like Negan, Rick, Deanna and the people of Terminus are very iconic. Rick is the sheriff, Deanna was the senator … they run their worlds that way. These people survived all this time under a reign, and he plays that role, because he is or needs his people to stand. The brilliant work of Khary (Payton) is that he marks a very clear line dividing what is the monarch of what is the man behind. You see his performance and why it’s there. Many people talk about the theatricality of Ezekiel, but he is a good man. Actually it’s not more or less theatrical than Negan, only that he’s a bad man. He’s a fantastic character.
Melissa: And the Kingdom is exciting. It is a very different community than what we have seen so far. You see how they maximize their resources for the benefit of the majority.
Lennie: It’s also a sort of thematic continuation of Alexandria. If we know a group of people at this height is because somehow they managed to survive the same time as our group. It is interesting to see how each one managed, because they all have their particularities and contribute something to this story.
Melissa, how would you define the relationship between Carol and Daryl?
Melissa: Working with him is wonderful. I cannot define it, nor can I define the relationship between Daryl and Carol. I do not know what they are. I know what they are, I do not know what we think they are but they aren’t (laughs). I do not even know if it’s there, but I do know that they really love and respect each other. There is something beautiful and tacit that was always there, I think that’s precisely why, because they cannot express or define it. If it exists, perhaps if they put a name to it, it’ll disappear. It is something small, beautiful and miraculous that occurred between them and they are very protective, because they live in a world where everything beautiful breaks.
Lennie: What I like the most is that just as Brangelina exists, here it would just be Daryl or Carol.
Melissa: We could be Darol (laughs).
There is much talk about representation on TV today, you have a very diverse cast …
Lennie: Yeah, and I think it works because it’s organic and real. It is not service to look good with someone. I think people are realizing that. We have had a couple of generations with this change and it is becoming less clumsy. But there are so many TV shows right now that they will end up running out of white guys so there will be something that we will get (laughs)
Melissa: The amount is tremendous. I am grateful that people find us and choose us. I am amazed and very happy that with all there is to see we have the viewers we have. It’s a good show, right?
Personally I think what makes it great is that they have characters that kick ass, but they are complex and have their development.
Lennie: The characters in our series grow and change, but at the same time carry their story with them all the way. When you think of Carol, for example, you think about the trip she made, everything she went through, how she started and how she is now, there is a connection. I think that’s why the fans have such a special bond with The Walking Dead.
You can find the original interview, from La Cosa Cine (argentine magazine) here. The translation is ours, so please if you take it from here, credit us.
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