Norman Reedus Thought Daryl Dixon Would Fail Without This One Person
The actor had one condition before joining the series.
Norman Reedus, the talented actor behind Daryl Dixon in The Walking Dead, has always been deeply involved in the portrayal of his character.
As the series evolved and spin-offs were introduced, Reedus ensured that Daryl Dixon remained true to the original series, while also bringing fresh elements to the table.
Greg Nicotero, the executive producer of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, the latest spinoff of the original show, had a conversation with FX magazine where he revealed one condition the lead actor had before joining the series.
Greg Nicotero is a big name for TWD Universe. He was a special make-up artist and supervisor for the original series. He also directed many episodes, including the controversial premiere episode of season 7.
Nicotero told FX (via The Direct) that Norman Reedus was really insistent on Nicotero being part of the spinoff. Reedus was convinced that Nicotero had to be there for it to work, stressing that the show just wouldn't be the same without him.
Both Reedus and Nicotero wanted the spinoff to look like something new. They wanted to break away from the predictable patterns that had formed over the years. Reedus's vision was clear — he wanted the spinoff to have a unique narrative, different from what fans had seen before.
Nicotero also talked about how they wanted to get back to what made the first seasons of The Walking Dead so darn gripping. They were aiming to keep the stories tight and on point, taking inspiration from the show's early days.
One of the significant differences in the spinoff is its setting. While the original series was primarily set in the US, Daryl Dixon takes us to France. This change in location adds a fresh perspective on the whole apocalypse, which is going for more than 12 years in the show.
In his interview with EW, Reedus emphasized that the spin-off was not just about garnering high viewership numbers. He described the show as "making art," highlighting the team's dedication to delivering a quality narrative.
With two episodes out, there are no reasons to believe that the actor exaggerated.
Sources: The Direct, EW