These 3 Iconic TWD Characters Were Almost Played by Other Actors
Who could play Rick, Negan, and The Governor?
Many fan-favorite characters of The Walking Dead partly owe it to the actors who portrayed them. But many of the actors we come to love and associate with iconic roles weren't the first or only choice for those characters.
Rick Grimes — Almost Played by Thomas Jane
We all know Andrew Lincoln as the face of TWD’s central character, Rick Grimes. But the original showrunner, Frank Darabont, initially had someone else in mind. Thomas Jane, known for his roles in movies like The Punisher (2004), was Darabont's first choice.
The two had previously collaborated, and Darabont was keen on casting Jane. Darabont initially pitched TWD to HBO. By the time the show found its home at AMC, Jane had already committed to another HBO series, Hung.
While it's intriguing to think what Jane's portrayal of Rick would have been like, Andrew Lincoln's performance was so brilliant, it’s really hard to imagine anyone else in the role.
The Governor — Rejected by John Hawkes
The Governor, played by David Morrissey, is one of the most menacing villains in The Walking Dead. But before Morrissey took on the role, John Hawkes was approached. Hawkes, known for movies like The Sessions and Winter’s Bone, turned down the role.
He explained the decision in an interview with Movie Web: “They offered me the role, and I just felt there would be someone else who could do it better. I was flattered, and I took a look at the series. It held interest for me, but I just didn't feel like I was the guy for it.”
Negan — Almost Played by Matthew Lillard
Jeffrey Dean Morgan's portrayal of Negan is iconic. His entrance in the series, with his trusty baseball bat Lucille, is one of the most memorable moments in TWD history.
But before Morgan swung Lucille, Matthew Lillard, known for the role of Shaggy in the live-action Scooby-Doo movies, was in the running. Lillard revealed at the 2019 Walker Stalker Con (via FanFest) that he had auditioned for the role and was even called back for a second audition.
However, in the end, the role went to Jeffrey Dean Morgan, and he made this legendary role his own.
