Chandler Riggs on Filming Carl’s Emotional Farewell Scenes
Hearing Carl tell Michonne that she was his best friend was a heartbreaking scene during last night’s episode of The Walking Dead. In fact, all of the scenes with Carl were painful. It was a goodbye we all knew was coming, but at the same time, one we never expected.
As Chandler, the cast and crew, and fans across the world prepared to say goodbye to Carl, we knew emotions would be at an all-time high. We’ve said it before, but he was the light and the hope of the series, and right now, we can’t think of anything that The Walking Dead needs more than hope.
Chandler Riggs recently spoke with EW about the goodbye and what the most painful experiences during this episode were.
When asked what scene choked him up the most, he gave a fitting response. While all of his goodbyes were heartbreaking, Judith’s was devastating.
The goodbye scene with Judith, I think, is always going to get me, just because of how depressing some of the stuff I was saying was. I remember when I read the script, I was like, “Gosh, I’m going to have to say all that?” It was definitely not a scene that I was excited for. Like, when he’s talking about his mom telling him that he was going to beat this world, and he didn’t. All of that stuff, is just so, so sad.
It was also the last scene that they shot as his time on set wrapped up and he mentioned that it wasn’t fun. Back to his earlier response, it was very emotionally charged and heavy.
The last scene that we shot was, I think, the last scene of Judith. That was the very last scene. Actually, we came back to that scene in October, two months later, and had to do some new shoots for it. Yeah, it was definitely not a fun scene to film. But, I’m just glad that we got it over with, and out of the way because it was my least favorite scene to have to read through in the script, and have to do. Luckily, it’s all said and done, and I’m really happy with how it came out.
He also discussed how the episode had a lot of big speeches but taking a gap year made it easier for him to give his all to this episode especially. The memorizing of the lines is always a big deal but to do so when so much is riding on them when it’s such a staple piece to the series. It’s a lot of pressure.
Yeah! Luckily, I had made the decision to take a gap year, and take the time off from school, and focus on acting. Usually, around episodes 8 and 9, I would be swamped at school, because I would have just started, and I would have been stressing to try and stay caught up while shooting a lot of The Walking Dead. But, as I’d taken some time off, it was really nice to be able to put 100 percent into that episode, and into that story. It was just really nice, for a change, to be able to put all of my effort into it.
He pulled off every scene flawlessly. Not that we didn’t believe his character in all of his scenes before, but there was something deeper to Carl this time. It’s clear that he knew everything he hoped for in a future for those he loved was possible if he could just convince his dad to stop fighting. To let it be worth more.
Speaking of scenes, Chandler was asked what he thought when he found out that those ‘time jump’ scenes were Carl’s vision for the future.
I found out when Scott was telling me that Carl was getting killed off. I was super juiced because I was in the flash-forwards, I guess to just to kind of throw off viewers. So one of my questions to him, was, “So how does that fit in?” He told me that it was Carl’s vision of what the future could be like, and I think it’s definitely possible. So if Rick actually listens to Carl, and really wants to pursue a better life for Judith, that’s what’s he’s going to have to do.
With the promise Rick made to Carl, we’re looking forward to seeing how much of his vision comes true. What possibilities exist to end the war and try to live alongside one another. We don’t think that vision is totally out of the question. We think Rick can ultimately keep his promise.
The Walking Dead airs on AMC on Sunday evenings.
‘…but I knew him’
