Happy Birthday! The Walking Dead's Danai Gurira Turns 39 Today

02/14/2017 01:01 pm EST

Happy Birthday to the one of the biggest bad-asses on television, The Walking Dead's Danai Gurira!

While Gurira may be a veteran of TV and film, many fans will recognize her for her starring role in AMC's zombie drama. There, she portrays the sword-wielding Michonne.

Gurira first appeared as the character in the season two finale of The Walking Dead, and took on a prominent role in the show's third season. Since then, she has gone on to be a significant fan-favorite, and one of the most important pieces of the series.

In the recent seasons, Michonne has developed a loving relationship with lead character Rick Grimes, and that has propelled her to even new heights.

As if one comic book franchise wasn't enough, Gurira is now filming her next big role. The actress will play the character of Okoye in Marvel's Black Panther. The movie is filming in Atlanta, with an expected 2018 release date.

Gurira will also portray the mother of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur, in the upcoming biopic All Eyez On Me. The film is set to release this summer.

MORE THE WALKING DEAD: How Tom Payne Plans To Make Negan Look Stupid / Season 7 Finale Cliffhanger? / Rock In The Road Recap / How Will Rick Convince King Ezekiel? / Khary Payton Explains Ezekiel's Decision / Ross Marquand On Aaron And Eric's Emotional Scene / Those Epic Zombie Kills Almost Didn't Happen!

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on AMC. For complete coverage and insider info all season long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.

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