The Walking Dead: Norman Reedus Embarrassed and Injured on Set
Filming has official resumed on The Walking Dead, and with it, the cast and crew are facing some new hurdles to make sure things are safe and people are protected against COVID-19. The new measures are fascinating and some of the best new technology. Yet the byproduct of the new rules have been both embarrassing and injurious for its star, Norman Reedus.
Discussing the current status of filming, Norman Reedus, who plays Daryl Dixon,was on EW Live and talked about what life on set is like. “We’re being super safe,” says Reedus. “There’s a ton of rules now. Everybody’s masked up or has shields on. I have a big scar on my face so that this mask doesn’t work, so I wear the shield everybody else wears masks. “They take our temperature right off the bat. We get tested three times a week. We do the rapid testing.” The show has also put tracers in place that track where cast and crew go and who they come into contact with during every second on set.
The show is taking extra special precautions in protecting its most valuable asset: its actors! Everyone on set is required to stay as far away as possible from them. “It’s kind of embarrassing,” explains Reedus. “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.”
“I look over and there are crew members carrying cameras and equipment who have a mask and a shield. And I’m like, I have nothing to complain about,” Reedus continued.
The greatest challenge to it all is that The Walking Dead is one big family, both on-set and off! “We like to hug, we like to high-five, we like to shake each other,” says Reedus. “We’re with that group. So to keep us all separated, it’s different. Granted we’re getting used to it, but there are no divas on this set. Now everyone’s away from each other and everyone’s got these masks on you and you can’t see people’s smile, so it’s kind of a different vibe.”
Reedus also detailed a painful injury sustained during a socially distanced fight scene. You read that right! A socially distanced fight scene!
Reedus continued, “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.”
The Walking Dead heads into a final 30 episodes. The show will air six episodes in early 2021 that are expected to focus on Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and where she was while she was away from our main group. It is also expected to introduce the community and the characters in the community where Maggie had been living.
Are you excited about all of this Walking Dead news like we are? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Covering superheroes, anything dark, horror, and more! Lead writer for Fan Fest
Yes, I am excited. I am A Huge Fan and look forward to new episodes!! I will watch re-runs over and over. Can quote most!
Enjoy hearing from the actors!