Ethan Embry On The Walking Dead Season Six Premiere (Exclusive!)

The Walking Dead has returned and if you’ve seen the premiere, you know all there is to know about Ethan Embry’s new character: Carter.

Earlier this week, I had the chance to speak with Embry about his top-secret role in tonight’s premiere. His excitement glowed from the start, when he answered the phone saying, “The best show on TV is back on TV!”

Be warned, though, this interview contains spoilers from The Walking Dead‘s season six premiere, First Time Again, if you have not yet watched.

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CB: Were you a Walking Dead fan prior to auditioning and being cast?

EE: Yeah! I’ve been in love with that show since I first read its first episode. I fought as hard as I could fight to be Shane. I went in a couple times for that. There was another character – I didn’t know how close I had gotten to it until I went out to shoot – but there was another character I got really close on. And I’m a fan of it. Group of friends gets together and we have a cookout and we sit down and watch Andy scream, “Carl!” [laughs] So, yeah, I’m a big fan. So, when they called and asked me to come do Carter, it was almost no questions asked.You know? I didn’t care how long, I didn’t care what he would do, I didn’t care what he would be like… Just being invited to be a part of it was very flattering.

Being a fan, what was it like to join the cast?

I go out there and they’re so kind and so welcoming. They didn’t have to be. You go do something like that and it’s almost like a first day at school. It’s almost like, ‘Where do you sit at the lunch table? What’s the clique?’ You know? It can feel like that and the way that it felt on their set was: it was a family and it was an all inclusive family. They welcomed me into it and I just feel a part of it. They don’t have to do that. They’re at the top of their game right now and anybody that comes on in, they go out of their way to make you feel a part of it so you walk away with an even better experience than you could’ve ever imagined. Andy, Norman, Sonequa… They’re great. Scott, Greg… Everybody involved is just good people so when they get the success, it feels nice knowing that the success couldn’t go to better people.

What was your reaction when you got cast and found out you live and die in the same episode?

I believe my quoted response when I got the e-mail from my agent was, ‘F— yes!’ He said, ‘There’s a role for Walking Dead they invited you to go do for their premiere sixth season episode and Greg wants to get you on the phone. He doesn’t live but its a good character.’ And I was like, ‘F— yeah!’ I can’t remember if it was Greg or Scott that ran me through over the phone the first time, I just started with it and said, ‘I love to hear what this is gonna be but you’ve already sold me on the idea! The invite was all — you had me at hello!’

You know something, I actually jumped when you’re character was bitten. I thought you were going to sticking around for a while and then out of nowhere, you’re dead!

Yeah! That’s really smart because we get that scare but they do it without having to piss off and alienate a portion of their audience. It’s a free bill. It hurts when you kill off one of these characters that we’ve all grown to love. It makes for great suspense and for a great shock value but it hurts. People are getting angry like, ‘We loved that guy, we loved that girl, why’d you kill them?’ So, it’s fun what we’re doing with Carter by putting me in the trailer and welcoming me and everyone’s like, ‘Hey, Ethan Embry is on The Walking Dead now!’ And they’re just f—ing killing me!

How was working with Andrew Lincoln? Was he very intense on set?

There was that scene where he catches me building a possie and yeah, man, he goes there. He asked what my boundaries are. I told him I don’t have any. He gets heated! It couldn’t be more professional. He knows where the actual limit is, you know? He doesn’t cross that line. I think the reason why it has such a family environment, is there’s that whole thing from the top down, and him Scott and Greg and Norman are all such great men. They’re so good that nobody else can bring any bulls— to the table. Those four dudes are working harder than anybody and if they’re still having a good time and making sure you’re okay, you better suit up and shut up! So, yeah, I left with lot of respect for all of them. I don’t know if it’s common knowledge but Andy told me he hasn’t watched the show yet. He’s just doing it and he wants to just keep doing what he’s told and he’s gonna sit and digest it when it’s all over. I have a lot of respect for that, too.

My last question for you: Is there any chance we see Carter again in a flashback of any sort on The Walking Dead?

Look, if they want it, I would do it without hesitation. If they want to, I would be more than happy to come on. Who knows, maybe Carter came from L.A.? I don’t know which direction they went in the desert – if they went to Phoenix or El Paso…

Oh, you’re behind on Fear if you still think they went to the desert!

Yeah! I’m four episodes in!

You’ve gotta catch up, it has a great ending!

I think the cast, I think the editing, I think the way they shot it, it’s great. I bet the guys out there on the original are happy to know that it’s good and well received. I was out there when they announced that it was gonna start up and their fear was that it would cheapen what they have, you know? Like, ‘what if it doesn’t work and it takes away from what we’ve spent six years building?’ I bet it’s a relief to them that it was done so well and that it’s really well received.