‘The Walking Dead’s Lauren Cohan Reveals First Look at Hershel’s Return in Season 9

Lauren Cohan’s tribute post to late former co-star Scott Wilson, who played Greene family patriarch Hershel, appears to be the first look at Wilson’s reprisal of the character in The Walking Dead Season Nine.

The photo sees Cohan wearing a white shirt with multicolor stars and hugging Wilson, who is wearing an outfit sported by Hershel in Season Two, his debut season on the series.

Cohan can be seen wearing that same shirt with similar hair length and style in a behind-the-scenes video detailing the making of Season Nine, above, suggesting the photo shared in her tribute to Wilson was captured during their reunion on the set of The Walking Dead.

Wilson died at age 76 Saturday following a battle with leukemia.

Shortly before news of Wilson’s death became widespread, The Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang announced during the series’ New York Comic Con panel both Wilson and former co-star Sonequa Martin-Green, who played Sasha, will be returning to the series this season in cameo appearances.

As confirmed by ComicBook.com, Wilson had already recorded his scenes before his death.

Hershel and Sasha are expected to return as part of the sendoff for exiting leading man Andrew Lincoln, whose Rick Grimes will again encounter long-dead former best friend Shane Walsh (Jon Bernthal) before leaving the series.

Emily Kinney, who played Hershel’s youngest daughter and half-sister of Cohan’s Maggie, remembered Wilson as “an amazing actor, inspiration, and friend,” and “the best TV dad a girl could ask for.”

Other present and past Walking Dead stars, including Jane McNeill, paid their respects to Wilson over social media following news of the actor’s death.

McNeill, who played short-lived Greene farm resident Patricia, wife of the similarly ill-fated Otis (Pruitt Taylor Vince), wrote that she “loved and admired” her late “dear friend.” Madison Lintz, the young actress behind Sophia Peletier in the series’ first two seasons, wrote she “couldn’t say enough about how gracious and kind” Wilson was and that she was “blessed” to have starred with him on both The Walking Dead and Bosch.

Lincoln’s big departure is expected to come in episode 905, “What Comes After,” penned by Scott Gimple and directed by Greg Nicotero. That episode airs November 4.

The Walking Dead Season Nine airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.