Newest ‘The Walking Dead’ Star Offers Intel on Lydia and the “Screwed Up” Whisperers

The Walking Dead continues to unmask the Whisperers, and the zombie drama is about to get even more “screwed up.”

“People will see how screwed up the zombie apocalypse can make people, and more about the Whisperers,” series newcomer Cassady McClincy teased EW of the episodes ahead.

After her capture by Daryl (Norman Reedus) and Michonne (Danai Gurira) in the wake of Jesus’ (Tom Payne) murder, McClincy’s Lydia was taken prisoner at Hilltop and ferociously interrogated by Daryl.

Sniffing out her lies, Daryl manipulated the 16-year-old girl into opening up to a jailed and much more easygoing Henry (Matt Lintz) — which could blossom into a romance.

Asked if the forming connection between the teens is genuine, McClincy said, “I think, probably, a bit of both. Because she’s never seen him. I think maybe there’s a bit of connection when he saves her from Daryl, but we’ll have to see.”

“I think that she is very smart. And she knows how to use her vulnerable, childlike persona of being a teenage girl to her advantage to keep herself safe,” McClincy said of Lydia, whose interrogation by Michonne and interim Hilltop leader Tara (Alanna Masterson) proved fruitless.

“So she tries the whole crybaby act at first. And then she’s just throwing out all the cards.”

“Lydia was such an interesting character in the comic book when she was revealed, and we really kind of stole that reveal straight out of the books. They think they’re up against these crazy people, and the skin masks with knives, and then they discover just kind of this doe-eyed teenage girl,” showrunner Angela Kang told EW.

“It’s a question of whether or not she’s trustworthy. She’s a kid, but she’s a kid who’s obviously grown up in some pretty strange circumstances, so that’s definitely part of the story that we’re going to continue to delve into as the story unfolds.”

The Walking Dead will peer into Lydia’s past as soon as next episode, ‘Omega,’ set to fully introduce Whisperer leader Alpha (Samantha Morton). She first appeared in the closing seconds of the Season Nine mid-season premiere as the shotgun-toting “walker” who captured an unsuspecting Alden (Callan McAuliffe) and Luke (Dan Fogler).

“We’ll learn more about exactly the things that drive her, how much you can trust her or not, where she comes from, how she’s become the person she is. I think there’s just some interesting things to see there,” Kang teased of Lydia.

“Cassady, our young actress who plays Lydia, she’s absolutely fantastic. We all just have loved having her coming to that story, and she’s done a really great job for us.”

The Walking Dead 910, ‘Omega,’ debuts Sunday at 9/8c on AMC.