Bruce Campbell Recalls Emotional Experience Playing Ash for the Final Time in ‘Ash vs. Evil Dead’

Prior to the debut of Season Three of Ash vs. Evil Dead, star Bruce Campbell teased that more new seasons could be on the way, as well as hinting at the possibility of some type of continuation of the franchise with a feature film. In the midst of the third season airing on Starz, word came that the series wouldn’t be picked up for a fourth season, resulting in Campbell announcing his official retirement as Ash Williams. While he’s known for his comedic antics in the franchise, the actor recalled how emotional it was to deliver what he assumed were his final lines as the character.

“No question about it,” Campbell confirmed with ComicBook.com when asked if he expected the series to end this season. “Actors love to say that they knew it. I sensed it, not that I knew it, but I sensed it, so we made sure to wrap it up in case it did get canceled. We came up with an ending that would suffice in case it didn’t get picked up, because we knew the ratings were not stellar. We knew that there was that chance. So, as a result, I found it incredibly emotional. I had trouble getting through a couple scenes with my daughter.”

Given the number of visual effects that were required for many scenes, the series finished shooting long before the third season debuted, which was also well ahead of Campbell learning of the series concluding. The actor made sure to honor the occasion and his tenure as Ash.

“Well, I walked off set last day of shooting and I grabbed my assistant,” the actor recalled of his final scenes. “I went, ‘Get a camera. I’m going to stand right here in front of this real fireplace, and I think this might be the last picture of Ash, so let’s take it.’ So, that’s what I posted with my little retirement statement.”

You can check out that moment in the tweet below.

The actor shared a photo of himself that was emblazoned with the words “Ash Has Left the Building” and added the caption, “Ash Vs Evil Dead has been the ride of a lifetime. Ash Williams was the role of a lifetime. I will always be grateful to Starz, Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and our tireless fans for the opportunity to revisit the franchise that launched our careers. Thank you!”

As far as saying goodbye to the character he has played in various mediums for nearly four decades, Campbell concluded, “It’s bizarre. It’s hard to put in words. Very bizarre.”

Fans can grab the final season of Ash vs. Evil Dead on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital now.

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