‘The Walking Dead’ And ‘Fear’ Panel Recap: Wizard World New Orleans

Cast members from both The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead assembled on the stage at the New Orleans convention center during Wizard World‘s comic convention for a Q&A with fans.

On hand for the panel were Tom Payne, Michael Cudlitz, Jenna Elfman, Austin Amelio, Ross Marquand, Kirk Acevedo, Mo Collins, and Cailey Fleming. They are asked their personal favorite memories from the show.

“Honestly, the last episode of the season, I think was one of the strongest we’ve had in years. I love that Tom was allowed to really let this bad-ass Jesus freak flag fly.” “He’s been training his butt off. We’ve been training a little bit…There was a hint of maybe a relationship happening, it didn’t happen, of course. Maybe it did…I just love that there was this comradery and it just sucks that he died but it was in glorious fashion.”

“The curse of Aaron, man,” Payne added.

“I’ll never find love!” Marquand joked.

“It was really fun to do the bad-ass fight sequence,” Payne said. “For me, the past couple of years have been divisive because there was like that one and one with Morgan but that’s kind of what defined the character…It was nice to work with Ross a bit more and Josh in that last episode. It was only then that I was like, ‘Oh, maybe I have some more in me!’…and I got to that bit and was like, ‘Oh, this is actually fun!’”

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“I certainly loved jumping out of a truck on fire,” Collins said. “No one asked when I started, ‘Hey, Mo, how’s your physical health?’” She joked about Lennie James having been nervous to hit her hand with his stick. 

“I unfortunately had a very bleak experience on the show, only a few episodes,” Acevedo said. “It was great. They took me in with open arms, I had a good time.”

“I didn’t know going into the standalone episode with Garret Dillahunt…I knew it was a flashback episode when we were doing it, it just didn’t land on me, and I didn’t have all the information. They didn’t give me all the information…I had no idea when I was doing it and I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t quite know when I was doing it. I have to say, that was one of the highlights for me, getting to do that episode.” 

“They just treat you like you’re their family,” Fleming said. “The few episodes I’ve done so far have been… life changing. It’s so different!” 

“I get to have a consistent job and work with amazing people,” Amelio said. “There’s too many memories to expand upon. For some reason, Dwight keeps getting blessed with the best of both worlds. I got to work with actors from Alexandria and the Saviors. Now I get to work with actors from Fear the Walking Dead. After a year and two months of being a really good secret keeper, that’s really exciting, I get to work with everybody in this world. I feel really blessed.”

“My experience on The Walking Dead was amazing,” Cudlitz said. “Probably my most vivid memories are when we first got on the show are myself, Eugene (Josh), Christian, came on and made a strong visual to get back to the comic before they left. Recreating those visuals from the panels as we were coming on were very exciting…and then leaving. The final episode was probably one of the most satisfying, just to see the way they structured the leading up to myself and that character…that semi-circle when you get to see your fellow cast members that you’ve been with for years and you literally get to watch them do their work…”

“That was some of the most intense, some of the most magical acting,” Amelio added. “You could hear a pin drop when they called action, I mean, besides them crying.”

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“I had an amazing time with the cast and the crew and also introducing new characters and spending some time with them. I just feel very blessed is the only work I can think of to describe that situation. They gave me a huge, huge opportunity as somebody who had never directed before…It was phenomenal.” 

“That was maybe my favorite episode of the year,” Marquand added. “That is, I think, the only time in Walking Dead history that an episode has been done a half day early, because of your preparation. You really knocked that out of the park…It was Michael, he came in and crushed it, and I hope he directs all the episodes next year.”

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“We know nothing.”

Dynamic between Morgan and Dwight?

“I have no idea,” Amelio said. “I really don’t. I know that both of our stories, there’s redemptive qualities to where we’re going and what we want to give back into the world. I know he’s aware of me. We haven’t met. We haven’t worked across from each other on TWD. Hopefully, there’s a little putting the past behind.”

Strangest fan interaction?

“I think my strangest fan reaction was when Norman got bit,” Cudlitz said. “I think the fan was pretending to be a zombie, more nervous than you, and she bit him.”

Favorite TV shows?

“I love Legion,” Marquand said. “Marvel, in general, but Legion is one of those shows that’s growing out the genre entirely…Legion‘s my favorite show right now.”

“I was a huge fan and still am of The Walking Dead,” Collins said. “It’s really one of my favorite viewing experiences is The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead.” 

“Game of f—ing Thrones,” Payne said. 

“I love a lot of things but I really love Big Little Lies,” Elfman said. 

“Big fan of The Sopranos,” Amelio said. “Really like that show.”

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Which weapon do you prefer to use?

“I’ve learned to use the gun and the sword,” Fleming said, “but I like to use the sword.

Favorite theory on what started the apocalypse?

“I would go back to the original conspiracy theory stuff where it was created by the government and got out of control,” Cudlitz said. “That pretty much answers everything…I think it’s some kind of chemical warfare experiment that got out of control and went horribly wrong.” 

“I just ruined it. Kirkman’s gonna be like, ‘You’re fired,’” Cudlitz joked. “I was gonna be directing another episode!”

Could you kill your best friend in the apocalypse?

“Depends on the friend,” Cudlitz said.

“I balled my eyes out taking my Christmas tree down yesterday so,” Collins joked.

Rumors about Marquand wanting to play Moon Knight?

“There’s no rumors,” Marquand said before adding how much he wants to play any Marvel character. “I would love to be Red Skull forever, but if not, Moon Knight.”

Where will we see them next?

“I don’t know, flashbacks?” Cudlitz said, before referencing Althea’s tapes on Fear the Walking Dead. “One of the tapes said Abe/Doctor, which would be Abraham Ford and Doctor Eugene Porter, so they could certainly go that way.”