One of the Most Important TWD Characters Originally Was In For Just 3 Episodes
From an abused wife and mother to one of the most badass characters on The Walking Dead, Carol Peletier has come a long way in 11 seasons of the show. But the character was originally only supposed to appear in three episodes.
The Walking Dead cast talked to EW about their first days on the set of the post-apocalyptic series. Melissa McBride, who plays Carol Peletier, admitted that she had no idea of her character's fate at the time.
McBride joined the cast in the early days, when it was unclear whether a six-episode pilot would become an ongoing series. Carol first appeared in episode 3, so it was natural to assume that the actress would only be needed for the remaining three episodes.
Also, Carol in the comics is quite different from her on-screen counterpart. The apocalypse breaks her, and she ends up committing suicide by zombie. So when Melissa McBride first set foot on the set of The Walking Dead, she couldn't have imagined it would become her job for 12 years.
McBride admitted that she was very nervous on her first day. She felt like she was joining an already tight-knit team, so her main concern was not to mess it up. The actress said seeing all the familiar faces of people she'd worked with on another project helped her calm down and fit in. And she did. Carol Peletier has become one of the most beloved characters and has garnered a huge fan base.
In 2020, Carol's fans welcomed the news of an upcoming spinoff featuring Carol alongside Daryl Dixon. However, AMC later announced that Melissa McBride had dropped out of the spinoff and that the show would focus solely on Norman Reedus' character.
The explanation for McBride's departure was that the actress would not be able to move to Europe to film the show. However, in the statement, AMC did not rule out the possibility that Carol will return to The Walking Dead universe. So fans can relax and watch The Walking Dead finale without worrying about their favorite character repeating the fate of her comic book counterpart.