‘The Walking Dead’ Star Was Scared by Andrew Lincoln Exit News

One year after becoming a series regular on The Walking Dead, Enid actress Katelyn Nacon found out lead actor Andrew Lincoln was set to exit the AMC show. It was a scary moment for the young actress.

Speaking to ComicBook.com, Nacon opened up about learning Lincoln would be leaving The Walking Dead in its ninth season. Unlike Carl actor Chandler Riggs, she didn’t find out from reading it online, but that’s because she was still actively involved with the series moving forward — and hoping to continue doing so.

“For me, I was really scared because I was like, ‘Oh, crap. Our show’s going to go into the gutter,’ I think, just the way that Khary [Payton] was,” Nacon said. “But at the same time, Andy has been doing this show for so long and he has a family that he doesn’t really ever get to see because they’re in London. It’s hard, you know? I’m happy for him because I’m happy that he can spend more time with his family and spend more time in other endeavors and everything. But it was also hard, at the same time, to know that we were losing someone that has brought so much to the show and has really set a standard for everyone that works on this show. It was difficult.”

During The Walking Dead Season Nine preview special which previously aired on AMC, King Ezekiel actor Khary Payton opened up about the show’s future, which Nacon referenced. “It’s been tough for everybody and when I found out about it, I stared packing my bags,” Payton said. “Then I started reading the story. There’s a moment that happens in the story we’re telling, and I went over to my suitcase and I started unpacking…How do you go on without Rick Grimes? I read this moment, and I’m pretty sure everyone will know it when the see it, and it’s arresting. I thought, ‘Oh my god, we’ve got so much more to do!’ My drawers are full.”

The Walking Dead is charging toward a pivotal year for its franchise’s future. With Lincoln and Lauren Cohan set to exit, Angela Kang is also stepping in for her first year as showrunner. “She’s very hands-on and very, I don’t want to say cooperative, but she’s very adamant about hearing what we have to say and our ideas and our opinions on the characters that we have kind of brought to life. She listens very well. She tries to make us feel as comfortable as we can with what we’re doing and where we’re going.”

The Walking Dead Season Eight is available on blu-ray on Aug. 21. Fear the Walking Dead returned for the back half of its fourth season on Aug. 12 at 9 p.m. ET on AMC. The Walking Dead returns for its ninth season on Oct. 7, 2018. For more updates and insider info all year long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter!