Here's what the cast of 'The Walking Dead' looks like in real life

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Norman Reedus, Nadia Hilker, and Melissa McBride are some of the main stars on "TWD" now 10 years into the zombie apocalypse.
  • "The Walking Dead" cast may be covered in blood, dirt, and guts while fending off zombie herds in the apocalypse, but in real life they clean up pretty well.

  • The AMC series has been on air since 2010, introducing us to dozens of characters in the zombie apocalypse.

  • Some of the cast members wear wigs and prosthetics that make them look nearly unrecognizable off of the Atlanta, Georgia set.

  • Insider rounds up the many current and previous cast members to see how they look when they're not trying to outlast and outwit the dead and the living.

  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Rick Grimes was constantly covered in blood, zombie guts in the zombie apocalypse.

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Watching over groups of survivors in the zombie apocalypse wasn't easy.

Over the course of the show, Rick has led a group of survivors through the zombie apocalypse. On season nine, his hair was shorter and grayer.

The last time we saw Rick, he was carried away on a mystery helicopter. We'll learn more about the people who took him in the spinoff, "TWD: World Beyond."

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' universe chief discusses Rick's connection to the new spinoff show 'World Beyond'

Even though he left the show, 46-year-old British actor Andrew Lincoln keeps the beard partially intact.

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Andrew Lincoln at the season nine premiere of the show in Los Angeles.

Season nine may have been Andrew Lincoln's final season as Rick Grimes, but he's set to return in "TWD" movies, which will continue the character's story. So far, we know the first movie is set to be made by Universal.

"TWD" universe chief content officer Scott Gimple recently told Insider Lincoln is very involved in the Grimes' films.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' is going to continue telling Rick Grimes' story in 3 movies

Michonne watches over Alexandria with Rick gone.

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After the time jump, our katana-wielding samurai took on a new look in the zombie apocalypse.

Michonne started a relationship with Rick, her longtime partner-in-crime, to the delight of many fans on season six. (You can read more about the Richonne pairing here and how it's been in the work for years here.)

The character left the show during season 10 after finding clues that Rick may still be alive. She's now on the search for her love.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' showrunner explains how they recreated several iconic moments from the show for Michonne's final episode

In real life, Danai Gurira looks completely unrecognizable without her Michonne wig.

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Gurira has been rocking some elaborate wigs lately off set for appearances at awards shows.

Gurira is still a fan favorite, but she's now a worldwide star after appearances in "Black Panther" and "Avengers: Infinity War." (You can read about her "Black Panther" workout routine here.)

Now that she has left the show, she's expected to appear in the Rick Grimes' movies.

 

Rick's son Carl lost his eye from a rogue bullet. On the show, he was almost always seen wearing his dad's sheriff's hat.

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Carl during the seventh season of "The Walking Dead."

Many expected Carl to be the future of the show, but his time was cut short when he was killed off on season eight. Though the actor continued to mock the silly way in which his character was killed, he told Insider he had no hard feelings.

You can read more about Carl losing his eye here.

Chandler Riggs grew up on set of "The Walking Dead." After leaving the show in 2018, Riggs cut his hair short.

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Riggs had kept his hair long while on the show. Here he is in September 2018 at the opening of Universal's Halloween Horror Nights.

Riggs is now appearing on ABC's "A Million Little Things." He appeared in two 2019 movies, "Inherit the Viper" and "Only."

 

Carl's love interest Enid moved into the Hilltop and was a practicing doctor.

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Enid never got to say goodbye to Carl.

Enid looked after Maggie since Glenn's death. After the time jump, she had a new sense of purpose as a doctor and a budding relationship with Alden.

Nacon's name was added to the opening credits for season nine. For the time jump, she was finally able to cut her long hair short, something she told Insider she was very excited about. Her character was shockingly killed off by the season's end in a big moment from the comics that was brought to life.

Nacon told Insider she was surprised more big characters weren't killed off alongside her.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead's' Katelyn Nacon was 'a little bummed out' her character was pushed into another love interest role

Actress Katelyn Nacon looks more chic in real life.

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Actress Katelyn Nacon at the "Walking Dead" season nine premiere.

You may not have realized she was on Adult Swim's 2014 viral spoof "Too Many Cooks." Nacon joined the second season of Hulu's "Light as a Feather."

Alden was originally a reluctant Savior, but he became a trusted member of the Hilltop.

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Alden appeared with shorter hair on season nine of "TWD."

Alden was in a relationship with Enid until she was killed by the Whisperers. Actress Katelyn Nacon told Insider after the time jump, Enid was supposed to be 23, while Alden is about 29.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead's' Katelyn Nacon says she didn't learn about Enid's new romance until she read it in the script

Callan McAuliffe looks more or less the same outside the show.

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Callan McAuliffe at the 2019 G'Day USA Los Angeles Gala on January 26, 2019.

Before he was on "TWD," McAuliffe was the young Jay Gatsby in 2013's "The Great Gatsby." The Australian actor has a thick accent.

Judith is about 11 years old now after the two time jumps on season nine and the birth of Rosita's baby.

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She wears the hat her brother wore and carries her father's gun.

The older Judith Grimes was introduced on season nine, episode six with her own little sword and gun. Fans instantly fell for the feisty young actress behind the role.

She appears to be a blend between Lori, Carl, and Michonne, the latter of whom is her caretaker. So far, we've seen Judith have a great bond with Negan on the show. After Michonne left in search of Rick, Daryl is currently in charge of Judith and her brother, R.J.

"Star Wars" actress Cailey Fleming landed the role of Judith on the show.

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Fleming at the premiere of "Peppermint" on August 28, 2018.

You've seen Fleming appear as a young Rey in the "Star Wars: The Force Awakens." She also played Jennifer Garner's daughter in 2018's "Peppermint" and appeared on AMC's "Preacher" and FX's "Better Things." She was recently on "Creepshow."

"She came in and she had so much personality and life and was a great person. We just knew she'd be a perfect fit for the cast," showrunner Angela Kang told Insider of Fleming getting cast on the show.

Read more: How 'Star Wars' actress Cailey Fleming landed the role of Judith Grimes on 'The Walking Dead'

Negan has been locked up since the end of season eight after his war with Rick.

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Negan killed two beloved characters on the season seven premiere and has divided many of Rick's group.

Though Negan's throat was slashed at the end of season eight, he loves to hear himself talk. The character was locked up in a cell for much of season nine. Though he escaped, Negan found he didn't really care much for the world outside Alexandria if he had to go it alone.

Since then, he's slowly started to redeem himself after saving Judith's life and taking it upon himself to team up with Carol to kill the Whisperer leader, Alpha. Currently, it's a bit unclear how he'll fit in with the survivors, if at all, moving forward.

Read more: Does Negan deserve redemption on 'The Walking Dead'? Showrunner and executive producer weigh in

Jeffrey Dean Morgan, known for his roles on "The Good Wife" and "Grey's Anatomy," couldn't wait to audition for the role.

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He knew about the foul-mouthed villain for some time.

Morgan's hair has been shorter for the show since season nine. He married longtime girlfriend Hilarie Burton after an appearance at 2019's New York Comic Con.

Read more: How Jeffrey Dean Morgan landed the coveted role of one of the meanest villains on 'The Walking Dead'

 

Austin Amelio joined the cast on season six as one of Negan's Saviors, Dwight.

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Dwight had half of his face burned by Negan.

Daryl sent Dwight off to find his wife Sherry at the end of season eight. That journey led Dwight straight to "Fear The Walking Dead" for season five. It's unclear whether or not we'll see him wind up on "TWD" again.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead's' Austin Amelio kept it a secret for a year that he was going to 'Fear the Walking Dead'

In real life, he looks a bit different without the giant facial burn scar.

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Amelio Austin at the season seven premiere of "The Walking Dead."

Other than "The Walking Dead," Amelio recently completed several shorts. He's now one of the leads on "TWD" spinoff, "Fear: TWD" searching for his lost wife, Sherry.

Fan favorite Daryl is front and center on the show with Rick gone.

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Daryl still has his crossbow and his motorcycle.

The biggest difference in his life after the time jump is that he has a pet dog, named Dog. Reedus told Insider we're seeing a different side to Daryl's character on season 10 as he's opening up more.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' star Norman Reedus says he has read Daryl as asexual and even receives fan mail thanking him for it

Actor Norman Reedus ditches the bad boy look off set, but keeps his shaggy hair long when he's not filming.

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Reedus has embraced the long hair.

It wasn't always that way. Reedus launched his career as a Prada model years ago. (You can see photos from his Prada days here.)

Now Reedus pulls double time on AMC between "TWD" and his "Ride With Norman" reality series. In 2023, he'll lead his own "Walking Dead" spinoff, an untitled Carol and Daryl show.

Read more: 'TWD' chief explains why Carol and Daryl are getting their own spinoff and teases even more 'Walking Dead' shows are in the works

Maggie has a young son, Hershel, and is currently somewhere in the world with Georgie.

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Enid cut off most of Maggie's hair on season seven after her husband was killed by Negan. It's now grown out.

Like Daryl, she was sour over the decision to jail Negan until she went to visit him and saw he was a shell of his former self.

Cohan appeared on the first five episodes of "TWD" season nine before leaving along with Andrew Lincoln. Maggie has been MIA on the show with Georgie (Jayne Atkinson), but makes her return on the season 10 finale.

Cohan surprised fans at NYCC by jumping on stage in cosplay to announce she's returning to "TWD" as a series regular on season 11.

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Cohan's hair is longer than what it was when she first joined the show on season two.

During her "TWD" hiatus, the actress starred on ABC series, "Whiskey Cavalier." It was the final show the network chose to cancel. Cohan will be back as a "TWD" series regular on the show's final season and will appear on the six bonus episodes of season 10.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' star's return to the show was so secret some of the cast had no idea she was in disguise at Comic Con: 'I got scared'

Maggie's husband Glenn became one of Negan's victims on the season seven premiere after an outburst from Daryl.

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He was one of the few original cast members from the pilot episode still on the show up until that point.

Glenn was one of the original stars on the show. Many fans were upset over the brutal death of the character.

He can usually be seen wearing glasses off set. Yeun has gone on to voice animated characters and appear in critically-acclaimed films.

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Steven Yeun poses for a portrait to promote "Sorry to Bother You."

Yeun has voiced characters on animated series since leaving "The Walking Dead," including "Voltron" and "Trollhunters." He also appeared in two outstanding movies of 2018, "Sorry to Bother You" and "Burning."

He was named as one of many actors to appear on the "Twilight Zone" reboot and as a voice actor on Skybound's upcoming adaptation of "Invincible." He'll join an all-star cast of Sandra Oh, Mark Hamill, J.K. Simmons, Zazie Beetz, and Seth Rogen.

Yeun's next film is A24's "Minari," which features a Korean American family who moves to Arkansas.

Paul was better known on the show and comic series as Jesus for his uncanny resemblance to the religious figure.

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Jesus is known for his ninja-like skills and ability to slip in and out of places.

Jesus protects those who live at the Hilltop and became a close friend of Maggie's. He was shockingly killed on the season nine mid-season finale. Though he's currently dead on the show, Payne appeared in a flashback on the rest of season nine.

Read more: 'They knew I was a bit unhappy': 'The Walking Dead' star says he was frustrated and bored with his role on the show

Actor Tom Payne started out wearing a wig, but began growing his hair out for the show. He chopped it all off in 2019.

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Tom Payne looks very different with short hair.

When Insider spoke with Payne in December, he said he planned to keep his hair long unless the right role came up that demanded him to cut it short. It looks like he found the right role on Fox's "Prodigal Son," where he's the lead.

Read more: Payne talks about cutting his hair for "Prodigal Son" and getting used to shorter hair

Aaron has become another important asset to Rick and Maggie's groups.

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Aaron has gone from being clean-shaven to looking like a comic-book version of Rick on the show.

Aaron brought Rick's group into Alexandria and now is a member of its council along with Michonne. During season eight, Aaron took in baby Gracie, who belonged to a killed Savior.

After losing his boyfriend Eric and his good friend Jesus, Aaron has been fueled a bit more by anger this season.

Actor Ross Marquand has a full head of hair to tame for the show.

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Ross Marquand at the season nine premiere of "The Walking Dead."

In addition to "The Walking Dead," Marquand is a talented voice actor. He had a surprising role in "Avengers: Infinity War." You can read about it here.

Gregory was the cowardly original leader of The Hilltop who enjoys a nice glass of scotch.

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Gregory felt very threatened by Maggie's presence.

Gregory was killed off quickly by Maggie on the season nine premiere after he threatened her life.

Berkeley has a full beard in the off season and often likes to wear hats.

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Xander Berkeley in October 2017 at the Carney Awards in California.

Berkeley is also a talented artist who does portraits. You can see his work here.

Abraham was the wise-cracking, strong arm of the group before Negan took him out on the season seven premiere.

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Abraham's death was changed from the comics.

Cudlitz came up with a tiny gesture to add into the season seven premiere you may have missed.

Read more: This tiny gesture you may have missed in 'The Walking Dead' season 7 premiere was added after a suggestion from the actor

Michael Cudlitz dyed his hair bright red to bring the comic-book character to life. He looks a bit different clean shaven.

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Though he's clean shaven here, Cudlitz has kept the beard since he was killed off the show.

After his character's death on the show, Cudlitz starred on ABC's "The Kids are Alright" and returned to direct an episode, "Stradivarius," on the show's ninth season. This season, Cudlitz directed two episodes — episode four, "Silence the Whisperers," and episode seven, "Open Your Eyes."

Cudlitz more recently directed two episodes of "TWD" spinoff, "World Beyond," which premieres on October 4.

Read more: "TWD's" Michael Cudlitz asked to direct an episode of the show for years before being given a chance

His lady love, Sasha, gave her life on the season seven finale for Rick's group.

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Sasha didn't go down without a fight.

Sasha took a poison pill while in a coffin hoping that she would be able to take out Negan.

Read more: "The Walking Dead" season seven finale pulled a twist on an iconic moment from the comics

Sonequa Martin-Green lets her hair down on the red carpet.

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Sonequa Martin-Green at the season two premiere of "Star Trek: Discovery" on January 17, 2019.

Martin-Green leads the CBS All-Access sci-fi series, "Star Trek: Discovery," which is heading into its third season.

The actress will also reteam with a lot of the "TWD" cast in Skybound's adaptation of "Invincible."

Eugene swapped sides to align himself with Negan and the Saviors, but wound up helping Rick win the war against Negan.

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Eugene has had many hairstyles in the zombie apocalypse. Here he is on season nine.

Eugene was Negan's bullet maker and made sure all of the guns backfired when the Saviors tried to attack Rick, The Hilltop, and the Kingdom. Eugene has been back living at Alexandria for years and unsuccessfully tried to woo Rosita. He was on diaper duty, taking care of Rosita's daughter, Coco, until he started tinkering with his radio.

Eugene became friends with a mystery woman named Stephanie and recently went out to search for her with Ezekiel and Yumiko. His search continues on the season finale.

Josh McDermitt grew his hair out for the show too.

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His hair was a lot shorter when he was first cast.

On the season 10 premiere, Eugene insists on salvaging parts from a satellite that crash lands in the woods. McDermitt told Insider he's excited for Eugene to work more with the radio this season.

"I think the communities are so far apart and it's going to take this great distance and shrink it for us so we're able to communicate to each other a lot quicker than riding on a horse for days to go talk to someone at the next community," said McDermitt of Eugene's role on season 10.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' showrunner Angela Kang and star Josh McDermitt explain why the season 10 premiere kicks off in space and what it means moving forward

Eugene and some of the survivors ran into Princess on the way to meet Stephanie.

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Princess is as bright and bubbly as her vibrant apocalyptic look.

Princess has been living on her own in self-isolation in the zombie apocalypse for awhile when she comes across Eugene, Yumiko, and Ezekiel. After some skepticism from the group, Princess joined the group on their journey — for better or worse.

Paola Lázaro wears the bright purple wig for the show, but likes switching up her hair color here and there.

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Paola Lázaro is seen at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival in January 2020.

"It's a wig, but I did dye my hair pink around that time," Lázaro told Insider back in April.

The actress also locked herself in the house for two weeks, prepping for the role of Juanita Sanchez (aka Princess). She binged all 10 seasons of the show along with her family and has even read the comics.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' actress says Princess had a secret codename when auditioning and that she stayed in her home for 2 weeks studying the show to get the role

Rosita has toughened up and now has a baby.

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Rosita has grown a lot since recklessly going after Negan. Now, she has someone to look out for.

She's now one of the fierce female fighters on season 10 with a new braided hairstyle that makes more sense in the zombie apocalypse for her safety. She's currently raising her daughter, Coco, alongside Father Gabriel.

Actress Christian Serratos looks glamorous when she's not fighting the dead.

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Serratos at the 36th Annual PaleyFest in March 2019.

Offscreen, Serratos also gave birth to her first child in May 2017. She'll play Selena on Netflix's "Selena: The Series," based on the singer's life later this year. A teaser trailer was released last November.

Siddiq was a part of "TWD" family since season eight. He was the lead doctor between the communities.

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Siddiq was introduced on the season eight premiere with a long beard.

Carl saved Siddiq during season eight from the undead, a move which, ultimately, cost him his life. Since then, Siddiq has cared for the members of the Hilltop and Alexandria and has been a loyal friend and comrade to Michonne.

The doctor was shockingly killed off of the show on the first half of season 10. In a storyline original to the show, a Whisperer infiltrated the community to cause paranoia from within. When Siddiq figured it out, he was killed by Dante.

Avi Nash is suave and all smiles off set.

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Avi Nash at the season nine premiere of "TWD."

Nash played the first Muslim-American character on "TWD." Nash has said he had never watched the show before joining. When he originally signed on for the series, he told The Teal Mango his initial contract was for three episodes.

Nash told Insider he learned about Siddiq's death before filming for season 10 began. He knew about the Whisperer twist to Dante's character before the actor, Juan Javier Cardenas, was clued in.

In November, Nash said he wasn't sure what was next, but that he may go do a play in France with a friend in French.

"I hope the fans respond strongly enough to Siddiq to give him a place up there with the Glenns and the Carls and Abrahams and he just doesn't fade away into nothingness," Nash told Insider.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' star Avi Nash confirms character's fate and talks Sunday's big twist: 'I wasn't sad by it'

Dante joined "The Walking Dead" on season 10. Many thought he was playing a fan favorite.

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Dante's role was changed up immensely from the comics in a satisfying twist on the first half of season 10.

In the comics, Dante becomes the love interest of Maggie after Glenn's death. Without Maggie on the show, Dante was seemingly a doctor, working with Siddiq.

If you were following small clues throughout the half season you would have guessed something was off about Dante. In a surprise twist, Dante's character received a huge change from the comics. Instead of being the comic character fans expected, he was an undercover Whisperer planted into the community to cause and spread paranoia.

When Siddiq discovered the truth, he wound up dead. Dante didn't last too long after the murder. When he was locked up, Father Gabriel took justice into his own hands by murdering him in cold blood.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' just pulled off one of its biggest twists in years and it's a testament to how good the show is again

Juan Javier Cardenas looks different without the full beard.

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Here's Cardenas at the premiere of FX's "Snowfall" at The Theatre at Ace Hotel on June 26, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.

Not even Juan Javier Cardenas knew about the twist to his character until he was minutes away from filming his first scene on "TWD." Executive producer and episode director Greg Nicotero pulled him aside to make the reveal.

"So we walked off the set and he goes, 'OK. So here's the thing. You're a mole,'" Cardenas told Insider of how he learned of the major twist to his character.

"You're working for the Whisperers at a year or two," Cardenas said Nicotero told him. "So dissension and suspicion in Alexandria and corruption from the inside. [Showrunner] Angela [Kang]'s going to come later and tell you a little bit more. So, OK. Five minutes. Here we go. Roll."

Cardenas was under the impression he was playing the character from Robert Kirkman's comics. After all, he acted out a scene from the comics between Dante and Maggie when reading for the role.

"The material that I was given to audition with actually reflected a significant scene in the comic books that Dante was a part of," said Cardenas of his audition material, which included a scene from Dante's comic introduction in issue No. 131 and another from issue No. 160 where he professes his love for Maggie.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' star didn't know about the big twist to his character until about 5 minutes before filming his first scene

Tara smoothed things over with Oceanside and was a valued member of Rick's group.

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Glenn first brought Tara into the group during season four.

Tara became the de facto leader of the Hilltop after Jesus died and Maggie ran off with Georgie's group. She was killed near the end of season nine alongside Enid.

Actress Alanna Masterson filmed season six while pregnant and cleverly hid it on set.

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Alanna Masterson at the season nine premiere of "The Walking Dead."

You can read more on how Masterson acted while pregnant on the show here.

Tara welcomed Magna and her group into the Hilltop community.

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Magna comes across as someone who is skeptical of others.

Magna and her four friends were introduced after the second time jump on season nine. Magna is covered in tattoos and was revealed to be a former inmate.

On season 10, she was trapped in the cave-in with Connie, but managed to make her way back to the group safely.

Actress Nadia Hilker is not covered in so many tattoos in real life.

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Nadia Hilker at the season nine premiere of "The Walking Dead."

Hilker joins "TWD" after appearing on "The 100," another apocalyptic series, which recently ended.

Yumiko is Magna's girlfriend in the zombie apocalypse.

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Yumiko is Magna's conscience.

Yumiko seems to be a sense of calm in Magna's life and a core member who keeps her group intact. On season 10, she's currently on a mission to find a new group with Eugene.

Eleanor Matsuura is elegant when she's not fighting off the dead with arrows.

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Eleanor Matsuura at the British Independent Film Awards in 2015.

Matsuura told TV Daily she came up with a backstory for her own character after a discussion with showrunner Angela Kang.

Luke is the member of the new group, who is able to play the violin.

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Luke went on an outing with Alden that didn't go well.

Luke was quite heartbroken when Michonne broke his Stradivarius violin. He went searching for some of his missing friends with Alden and the two wound up kidnapped by Alpha and the Whisperers. They're safe for now and have become closer since Enid's passing.

On season 10, Luke has formed a budding relationship with Jules from the Oceanside community.

You probably recognize Dan Fogler from the "Fantastic Beasts" franchise.

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Fogler doesn't look too different in real life. Here he is at the "Crimes of Grindelwald" premiere.

Fogler is also a musician. Ryan Hurst recently told Insider he wrote one of the song's for his character's country singer persona, Half Moon.

Connie is a deaf survivor in the zombie apocalypse.

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Connie uses sign language to communicate with her group, which is probably smarter when you're trying to keep quiet among the dead.

Connie quickly became a fan favorite when she risked her neck to save a baby from a herd of zombies. Some fans started pairing her character with Daryl after a few sweet exchanges between the two. Even Connie's sister and Carol have picked up on something between the two.

We last saw Connie when she was trapped in a cave-in during February's mid-season premiere. Expect an answer about her fate, one way or the other, on the season 10 finale.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' showed the zombie apocalypse from the POV of a deaf survivor. Here's how it came together.

Lauren Ridloff was born deaf and has been on Broadway.

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Lauren Ridloff at the 72nd annual Tony Awards in 2018.

Ridloff joined the cast as the series' first deaf character in 2018. She was cast in Marvel's upcoming superhero movie "The Eternals" with Salma Hayek and Angelina Jolie.

Read more: Marvel's next big superhero group movie is called 'The Eternals.' Here's the cast and who they're playing.

Kelly is Connie's kid sister. Her hearing loss is gradually progressing on season 10.

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Kelly has a nose piercing and uses a slingshot as her weapon of choice.

Kelly's storyline for season 10 is directly influenced by her real life story. Showrunner Angela Kang told Insider they wrote Angel Theory's progressive hearing loss onto the show.

"When I think about my story being represented through Kelly, it brings tears to my eyes (happy tears) because it reminds me of how much Ms. Kang, the writers, and AMC believed in me from the very beginning," Angel Theory wrote to Insider.

Read more: One of the most emotional moments on 'The Walking Dead's' season premiere is inspired by a star's progressive hearing loss and a line her mother told her

Angel Theory originally tried out for the role of Connie.

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Angel Theory at the 3rd Annual Kodak Film Awards Ceremony February 2019.

Though the role went to Lauren Ridloff, Angel Theory was liked so much that the team created the role of Kelly for her.

Cyndie is now the leader of Oceanside.

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Cyndie is seen working with Rick's group on the season nine trailer for "The Walking Dead."

She first formed a bond with Tara when she stumbled across the group of female survivors. She took over the group after her grandmother's death.

Sydney Park's hair is a bit shorter and straighter than her "Walking Dead's" counterpart.

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Sydney Park at the season nine premiere of "The Walking Dead."

Park also had a role on the "Pretty Little Liars" spin-off, "The Perfectionists." She returned on "TWD's" season 10 premiere after missing on the show since Rick's disappearance.

King Ezekiel lost his son Henry last season and the love of his life, Carol, in the process.

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Khary Payton plays the King.

Ezekiel lost his beloved tiger, Shiva, and many of his soldiers on season eight, but he gained a love in Carol. Ezekiel worked hard to put together a fair to unite the communities during season nine. His adopted son, Henry, was kidnapped during the fair and killed. Carol left him heartbroken soon after his death.

On season 10, we learned Ezekiel has cancer. He went on the journey with Eugene in part to see if the new community may be able to offer him help.

Payton shaved his head for the part.

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The beard is Payton's own. Here he is at the season nine premiere of "The Walking Dead."

Payton is also known for doing voiceover work on cartoon series like "Teen Titans." He recently lent his voice to "Teen Titans GO! to the Movies."

Jerry is King Ezekiel's close friend and faithful bodyguard.

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This photo of Jerry with a boom box tells you everything you need to know about the lovable Jerry.

Jerry is married to Nabila and is the proud father of three children in the zombie apocalypse.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' actor says his season 9 romance was his first on-screen kiss and he was inspired by 'The Office'

Cooper Andrews keeps the long hair in real life, too.

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Andrews pulls off a hat at the season nine premiere of "The Walking Dead."

In addition to "The Walking Dead," Andrews appeared in April's "Shazam!" movie. We expect to see him back for the sequel.

After taking some time to find herself, Carol is back in action and a prominent, well-respected leader among the communities.

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Carol tried to live a more sheltered life after seeing visions of the dead, but she wasn't cut out for that life.

The zombie apocalypse helped transform Carol Peletier into the ultimate warrior. After years of keeping her hair short, her adopted son Henry said she finally felt safe enough to grow it out once she was with Ezekiel.

Carol was pretty shaken after Henry was murdered and went off on the ocean to get away from everything. On season 10, she strategically used Negan to plot Alpha's death. She's felt guilty about Connie's disappearance and possible death since she knows her best pal Daryl was close to her.

The actress still rocks her short cropped hair off set.

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Melissa McBride at the season nine premiere of the show.

McBride will be in "TWD" universe for years to come. She'll lead the untitled Carol and Daryl spinoff with Norman Reedus.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead's' Scott Gimple says there was talk about fan-favorite Carol 'going away' on season 3 of the show

Henry got an upgrade after the time jumps and was played by the actor's older brother, Matt Lintz.

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Matt Lintz is the sibling of Madison Lintz who played Carol's daughter, Sophia on seasons one and two of "TWD."

Henry left his cozy home at the Kingdom, where he's referred to as a prince, to live at the Hilltop and learn a trade as a blacksmith. Of course, things haven't been that simple for Henry. He got mixed up with a new stranger, Lydia, and quickly fell for the young girl who lives with an abusive mother.

When Lydia returned to her family, Henry couldn't live with that and went after her. He paid the ultimate price for it when he was killed last season.

Read more: 'Everyone wants to see this': 'The Walking Dead' star hopes we'll get an Alpha and Carol showdown

Matt Lintz actually made his hair lighter for the role on the show.

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Matthew Lintz at the premiere of TNT's "The Alienist."

His hair is naturally a little darker than the blonde we see it as now. Lintz told Insider that after "TWD" he was looking forward to enjoying his junior year of high school.

Lydia joined the show as an abused member of the mysterious Whisperer crew.

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Lydia appears in an image from season nine, episode 12.

Lydia was caught by Daryl and Michonne and brought back to the Hilltop. When her mother and the Whisperer group showed up at the community, she was reluctantly returned to the group. Since Henry's death, she's been living at Alexandria and is trying to learn how to read.

After trying to run away again, she's forged a (sort of) friendship with Negan since the two are seen a bit as outsiders.

Cassady McClincy looks a bit different when she's not hanging around with the Whisperer crew.

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McClincy was actually at the season nine premiere of "TWD" in September 2018.

Before "The Walking Dead," McClincy appeared on Hulu's "Castle Rock," Netflix's "Ozark," and "Lore."

Lydia's mother Alpha was someone you don't want to mess around with.

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Samantha Morton plays Alpha on "TWD."

Alpha shaved her head and is the leader of a group who walk among the dead, covering their heads in walker skin. Alpha was pretty cutthroat, ordering a crying baby to be left for the undead.

Her reign on "TWD" came to an end when Negan infiltrated her camp, gained her trust, and, ultimately, slit her throat in a moment straight from the comics.

Samantha Morton shaved her head for the role as the show's latest villain.

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Samantha Morton attends the British Independent Film Awards in December 2018.

Morton told Entertainment Weekly landing the part of Alpha was "a dream role" for her as she was a big fan of George Romero's horror films growing up.

When exiting the show, Morton told Insider she knew how her character would die the moment she joined the series. After leaving "TWD," she started growing her hair back a bit and is writing a TV series and a movie.

Read more: Our Q&A with Samantha Morton after getting killed off "TWD"

Beta is Alpha's right-hand man in the Whisperer group.

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If you're creeped out by Alpha, Beta towers over her. He looks super friendly.

Beta made his debut on season nine, episode 12. Since joining the show, he's had a scuffle with Daryl. This season, Beta met Negan in a rather humorous montage and the two are now at odds heading into the finale.

Read more: Ryan Hurst wanted to be on 'The Walking Dead' so much he had his agent cold call the producers

That's Ryan Hurst's real beard and height. He has quite a mane of hair to match.

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Ryan Hurst in 2017 at the Winter Television Critics Association press tour.

You may know Hurst from his role as Opie on FX's "Sons of Anarchy." Fans have eagerly been awaiting to see the actor on the show since he shared an image confirming his role on the show in October 2018.

Hurst told Insider he was a big fan of the show and that he worked on Beta's backstory with Kang. In a remix from the comics, we recently learned Beta was a famous country singer before the apocalypse. That's why he covers his face all the time. If you were paying close attention, hints about his true identity have been scattered across "TWD" and "Fear TWD."

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' has been hinting at Beta's mysterious identity since last year. Here's every clue you may have missed.

 

Gamma was just anointed one of Alpha's most loyal followers.

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Gamma is a TV only character and doesn't appear in the comics.

Gamma is so dedicated to the Whisperer cause that she willingly let her own sister die. What will she do if she finds out that Alpha has lied to the group about Lydia?

Thora Birch joined the show as Gamma this season.

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Birch is stunning without a walker mask over her face. Here she is in February 2019 at Elton John's AIDS Foundation Oscar viewing party.

The "American Beauty" star told Entertainment Weekly she caught up on the entire show before joining it.

"I had an opportunity to speak with [showrunner] Angela Kang, and she gave me a little bit of a rundown of who the character was, and where she may be going. And I was super intrigued. I quickly did all the homework, that I possibly could on the show and was super excited to jump on board," said Birch.

Virgil tried to trap Michonne on an island before letting her go to search for Rick.

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Virgil needs to overcome some personal demons.

Introduced on season 10, Virgil started to lose himself after the death of his entire family. He lured Michonne under false pretenses to Bloodsworth Island, Maryland where, unbeknown to him, Rick's cowboy boots were located.

Realizing Rick survived a blast from years ago, Michonne set off to find him while showing Virgil mercy by allowing him to live.

"The Leftovers" star Kevin Carroll joined the series in the role.

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Kevin Carroll is seen in 2017 at the HBO's post Emmy Awards reception.

We can't say much yet, but we do know we haven't seen the last of Virgil yet.

Morgan was MIA for several seasons of the show, but reunited with Rick at the end of season five.

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He stayed at the Kingdom getting acquainted with the new community.

Morgan left the show after season eight and is now leading the charge on the series' spin-off show, "Fear: The Walking Dead."

British actor Lennie James is always wearing glasses off set. He also has a pierced ear.

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Morgan is one of the few characters left alive from season one of "The Walking Dead."

Morgan's story ended on a cliffhanger on the season five finale of "Fear" when he was left to die.

Fans didn't have to wait for the season six premiere to learn he's alive, but he's not looking too well. We'll join him as he's fighting for his life on the October 11 premiere.

Read more: 'Fear TWD' showrunners break down the finale's shocking ending, tell us how they'd grade the season, and more

Jadis/Anne was the awkward leader of the Scavengers, a group of people who only looked out for themselves.

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Jadis aligned herself with Negan and the Saviors on the season seven finale.

Near the end of season eight, Simon had all of the junkyard gang except Jadis murdered. It was revealed that Jadis' real name was Anne and she tried to become a member of Alexandria. She never really felt accepted though and planned to bail on a helicopter.

When Anne came across a gravely injured Rick, she swooped him up and took him away in a mysterious chopper. Maybe we'll see her again in a "TWD" movie.

Pollyanna McIntosh had those bangs before the zombie apocalypse, but they've been a bit longer in the past.

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She changed up her hair color for the show.

Now that she's off of "TWD," McIntosh has been working on her own movie, "Darlin'," in which she stars and directs. It's a sequel to her 2011 movie, "The Woman."

Father Gabriel started to come into his own, earning Rick and the group's trust.

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When the group left for the Hilltop, he was left in charge of Alexandria and to look over Rick's daughter, Judith.

He became blind in one eye after suffering an infection during season eight. Now, he's a trusted leader of Alexandria who would put his life on the line for his community. That's a full-circle moment for the man who originally locked his congregation out of a church at the beginning of the zombie apocalypse.

Actor Seth Gilliam's beard is a lot whiter in real life.

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Seth Gilliam with costar Melissa McBride.

At WSC NJ last December, Gilliam asserted he was not responsible for Negan's prison cell escape.

Steven Ogg played Negan's right-hand man Simon.

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Simon enjoyed taunting Gregory at the Hilltop.

He was killed on season eight after it was discovered he went behind Negan's back and killed all of Jadis' people. Simon was also trying to take over the Sanctuary from Negan.

Ogg told Insider if he knew Simon was responsible for killing the men and boys of Oceanside, he may have played the character differently.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' star didn't know the dramatic reveal about his character on the show

Ogg had his famous mustache shaved off at the end of his tenure on "The Walking Dead."

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Ogg at the season two premiere of HBO's "Westworld."

You may notice Ogg for his roles on a few other big shows. He has also appeared on "Westworld" and "Better Call Saul." He's currently working on the "Snowpiercer" TV series.

The last time we saw Heath, he got separated from Tara. He's currently missing in action.

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The last time we saw Heath was on season six.

It appears Heath is alive. Showrunner Angela Kang told Insider he was taken prisoner by Jadis/Anne's group and was presumably traded to the mysterious helicopter people.

We hope we get to see him again in these "TWD" movies as well.

Read more: 'The Walking Dead' showrunner confirms what happened to long-missing character Heath on the show

You may recognize actor Corey Hawkins without the long locks. He has been in a lot of movies.

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Since then he has also appeared in the "24" reboot and "Kong: Skull Island."

He played Dr. Dre in 2015's breakout film "Straight Outta Compton," appeared in "BlacKkKlansman" and will next be in Netflix movie "6 Underground" alongside Ryan Reynolds.

Hawkins could be too big of a star to return.

Read the original article on Insider