Why a Former Walking Dead Actor No Longer Watches the Show

The Walking Dead actor Vincent Ward, who appeared as prisoner Oscar in the zombie drama’s third season, admits he hasn’t watched the show since 2012. Oscar belonged to a group of men incarcerated in West Georgia Correctional Facility pre-apocalypse — including Axel (Lew Temple), Big Tiny (Theodus Crane), Andrew (Markice Moore) and Tomas (Nick Gomez) — who claimed ownership of the prison when Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his group, including heavily pregnant wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies), moved in. After killing Andrew and saving Rick’s life, Oscar assimilated into the wider group before he was shot and killed when infiltrating the neighboring Woodbury community controlled by the Governor (David Morrissey) in Episode 308, “Made to Suffer,” ending Ward’s tenure with the show after six episodes.

“For myself, I actually didn’t watch the show before I got on the show, and once I got off the show, I didn’t watch it,” Ward said when appearing alongside Temple at Fan Fest Nashville. “For me, I enjoyed the time that I had. And my time that I had was gone, so I just move on to the next project. I wish everybody success, and I do miss it.”

Added Temple, whose Axel survived for just eight episodes, “I miss the craft service. And the paycheck.” Temple continues to watch The Walking Dead, now midway through its tenth season.

“I think with the show and everybody that keeps up with it, we recognize that it’s like life, it keeps going,” he said. “But I think they’ve taken a page out of the idea that they’re trying to grow the current audience, and the new audience, because we’re seeing a lot of more younger people on the show, some people who are younger and cool. I think that’s always good, and the idea of growth is new.”

“I miss the old guys, I miss the Sheriff,” Temple added of Lincoln’s Rick, who will next return in a planned feature film trilogy after exiting the show in Season 9. Agreeing, Ward added, “Shoutout to the Sheriff.”

When Temple said Lincoln is going to “get busy here real soon” on the untitled Walking Dead movie, Ward quipped, “I think we’re gonna be extras in it.”

“They’ll be great,” added Temple. “I think we haven’t had enough Andy. We’re not ready to get rid of Andrew Lincoln, come on. He’s fantastic.”

The Walking Dead Season 10 returns with new episodes Feb. 23 on AMC. For more TWD intel, follow the author @CameronBonomolo on Twitter.