Jeffrey Dean Morgan Owns the Stage at Walker Stalker Con New Jersey
When Jeffrey Dean Morgan takes the convention stage and discusses his role as The Walking Dead’s Negan, it’s quite an experience. From the way he effortlessly blends his own personality with Negan’s to his signature walk, stance, and essence – if we didn’t know Jeffrey better, we’d say there was a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde situation going on there.
The truth is, Jeffrey is just dedicated to his craft and he enjoys playing Negan. We can’t say we blame him. While we are always rooting for the good guys, it hasn’t pained Negan much to survive in this post-apocalyptic world. At least, that’s the deck of cards he shows everyone else.
Undoubtedly, he’s one of the most interesting characters in the series and that, too, draws in an audience. So his panels are always full, both of people and of snark, sass, and a bit of badassery. His panel at Walker Stalker Con New Jersey was no different.
Jeffrey talked about everything from The Walking Dead to the prospect of a Magic City Movie and even sent a video of the crowd to his bestie, Norman Reedus.
One of the questions that Jeffrey was asked dealt with a favorite line of the series. Now, if we’re being honest, his response is a standout line from the series for us too. Negan is abrasive and crass but it’s necessary. At least, it’s necessary for the legacy that Negan is building.
“That was my favorite episode, because I got to say my favorite line. I love saying that line, and I love saying it to Andrew Lincoln” @JDMorgan #WSCNJ pic.twitter.com/heBqZlxOr1
— Walker Stalker (@WalkrStalkrCon) December 9, 2017
Yep, the line about…well…you know the one. It’s something only Negan could say and if you close your eyes, you can almost see Jeffrey and Andrew on set that day. Andrew letting Jeffrey know that the scene only needs to happen once and Jeffrey messing up a few times, on purpose. Their dynamic both on and off set is part of what propels the series.
Another fan wanted to know how Jeffrey prepares for his role and he said it starts at home. He’s the same person on set that we see at our conventions. He’s the same guy who smiles and eases the minds of his fans and takes a moment to make them feel like the only people in a very crowded convention hall. He’s not in character all the time, in fact, it would be exhausting to keep up.
“When I’m on set, I’m like I am on stage now or who you meet in the autograph line. I try to be as nice as I can” @JDMorgan talks about getting into character #WSCNJ pic.twitter.com/sFZ9aH54cU
— Walker Stalker (@WalkrStalkrCon) December 9, 2017
Even though he plays a villain, we don’t think he has to try very hard to be nice. He’s one of the most genuine guys ever and it’s obvious that anyone who meets him feels the same way.
Before he left the panel stage, he sent that message we mentioned earlier to Norman, and he included the fans in a major way. After telling us all that Norman messaged him saying he had FOMO, well, he didn’t let him miss out on everything.
“Let’s make @wwwbigbaldhead a video of all of you folks” @JDMorgan sends his costar a message from #WSCNJ pic.twitter.com/UMAdOx10Qc
— Walker Stalker (@WalkrStalkrCon) December 9, 2017
What a pal.
You can see Jeffrey on The Walking Dead when the series returns in February 2018.
‘…but I knew him’