Former Walking Dead Star on Glenn and Carl’s “Crushing” Deaths

Former Walking Dead star IronE Singleton says it was “crushing” when co-stars Steven Yeun and Chandler Riggs exited the series years after Singleton’s character, Theodore ‘T-Dog’ Douglas, was killed off rescuing Carol (Melissa McBride) in the third season. Glenn (Yeun) would perish in the Season 7 premiere, “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be,” where he was killed alongside Abraham Ford (Michael Cudlitz) by newcomer villain Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) when the Savior leader asserted control over Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his band of survivors. Rick’s son Carl (Riggs) would die a season later, taking his own life in the Season 8 midseason premiere to prevent succumbing to an incurable walker bite.

“When Lincoln left the show, actually it was crushing when Yeun, Steven, when he died. And then Chandler,” Singleton said on the Talk Dead to Me podcast. “Cudlitz on top of the same episode. I never even worked with Cudlitz, but since we’ve been on the convention scene together, Cudlitz and I have gotten close and bonded. So he’s one of a few other people, quite a few other people that I’ve bonded with just through the Walking Dead connections. He’s a really good guy, I love Cudlitz.”

Singleton keeps in touch with McBride, a former casting director who knew the actor before their time together on The Walking Dead, and is excited series veteran writer-producer Angela Kang was elevated to the position of showrunner in Season 9.

“I’m definitely going to [watch Season 10],” Singleton said, admitting he’s still a season behind. “And Angela Kang, I’m so happy for Angela! People have said, ‘Oh my God, you just have to watch what Angela’s done with the show.’ I’m so happy for her getting that opportunity. I still have people that I’m so connected to with the show, and I love the show. It’s still the best drama on television, to me.”

T-Dog survived through the fourth episode of the third season, “Killer Within,” also the death episode for Rick’s estranged wife Lori Grimes (Sarah Wayne Callies).

Before joining the show at the time helmed by Frank Darabont, Singleton was told his character would last only “two or three episodes,” and the actor expected T-Dog to die much earlier in Season 1 episode 4, “Vatos,” during a tense standoff with an Atlanta gang.

The Walking Dead next airs the Season 10 finale, “A Certain Doom,” as a special episode later this year. For all things TWD, follow the author @CameronBonomolo on Twitter.