'The Walking Dead's Norman Reedus Is "Desperately Unhappy" About Chandler Riggs Leaving the Show

Fans of The Walking Dead are still coming to terms with the realization that, come February, Carl will no longer be part of the show. They aren't the only ones upset about the news, however.

Norman Reedus, who plays Daryl on the series, has starred alongside Chandler Riggs since the show began in 2010. Having spent so much time with Riggs over the years, watching him grow up on set, Reedus revealed that he's been pretty broken up about the young actor's departure.

"I was desperately unhappy about that," Reedus said in an interview with EW. "I've seen Chandler grow up from a little boy. I've known that kid so long, and it always hurts when you lose a family member on the show. Chandler is definitely a family member to me. I was not happy about it. I always thought Chandler would be the last man standing, to be honest."

Most fans thought the same thing, considering the fact that Carl is a major part of the comic book series. Many felt that the story was actually about Carl, not his father Rick, and that he would be the focus of the series by the time it ended.

According to creator Robert Kirkman, fans need to stay patient with this difficult storyline. Yes, Carl is important, but the creator revealed that this death is just a speed bump on the way to a better future.

"There are big, huge stories coming up that you might think will be massively altered because of the absence of Carl," Kirkman said. "But we have known these story lines have been coming for years. There are plans in place to make it all work. The loss of Carl doesn't necessarily mean that we're going to be losing big swaths of the comic book story. It means that there will be some differences to them."

Still, the loss of Chandler Riggs is a tough one for an actor like Reedus. The duo, along with Andrew Lincoln and Melissa McBride, are the only original cast members that remain from the Season 1 ensemble.

"The people that started this show, to me, are the heart of the show," Reedus admitted. "When you lose those key members, it's such a big blow to the show, and to the fans, and to us that are there. Who's left? There's only a few of us left out of all those people. If you wanted to turn it into a totally different show, you get rid of those people. But if you want to hold onto what made the show special, you've got to be very careful what you do with those people."

The Walking Dead returns for the second half of its eighth season on February 25, 2018. For complete coverage and insider info all year long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.