The Walking Dead: Andrew Lincoln’s Preparation for Rick Grimes

For many fans, The Walking Dead is Rick Grimes. And, Andrew Lincoln‘s technique for preparing to portray Rick is legendary. There have been many stories on what it’s like to work with Lincoln and he is heralded by his fellow co-stars as a leader by example.

A new interview with Matt Mangum on the Talk Dead to Me Podcast had Mangum discuss Lincoln’s unique methods of preparing for the show’s toughest scenes. In season nine, Rick faced off against DJ (Matt Mangum), a former member of Negan’s (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) faction of hostile survivors known as the Saviors.

During the first episodes of Season Nine, DJ was part of an ambush against the Alexandrians, which had him film with Lincoln. Mangum said, “I’m sure people know, but Andy always has his air pods or ear pods in, whether he is running lines or listening to music to get him set for it.”

The Walking Dead: Andrew Lincoln's Preparation for Rick Grimes — AMC

Mangum added, “But yeah, it was a pretty intense [scene] and he was off on the side like prepping the way he does.” He continued, “I remember we were getting ready to shoot. And when we were setting up we had cameras opposite each other – we were hiding in the woods but we could see each other.

“[Andy] was just getting hyped up and he was like, ‘This is just f**king fun.’”

There are stories of Lincoln psyching himself up, cussing, and working himself into the emotions he’d eventually portray onscreen.

Ultimately, Mangum’s character wouldn’t get anymore time with Lincoln and DJ’s head ended up on a stake thanks to Alpha and the Whisperers.

The Walking Dead Season 10 Finale is set to air on October 4 at 8 p.m.

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