The Walking Dead’s Avi Nash Nearly Broke Down in His Final Scene as Siddiq

The Walking Dead star Avi Nash admits he nearly broke down on his final day playing Siddiq, who was murdered by friend and confidant Dante (Juan Javier Cardenas) in 10x07, "Open Your Eyes." Because Season 10 filmed out of order — in part to accommodate the filming schedule for Michonne star Danai Gurira in her final season — Nash was due to film beyond Siddiq's death scene: the star last filmed a tender moment with Rosita (Christian Serratos), mother of Siddiq's daughter Coco. ("Open Your Eyes" won't be Nash's final episode: Siddiq appears again in the midseason finale, "The World Before.")

"Well, some of the tears were saved thanks to shooting out of order this year — it's kind of funny to die and then come back the following week and shoot daddy daycare scenes with your baby strapped to your chest. But when we finally got to my last scene on my last day — it was the one where Siddiq and Rosita sit in bed — I was just about ready to lose it," Nash told EW. It sort of took everything I had to keep from breaking down, and I'm so thankful I had [Serratos] there with me. Not only is she a fantastic actress, but she has become one of my closest friends and she kept me from losing my s—."

"I remember just wishing [director Michael Cudlitz] would keep calling for a different shot, or more coverage, or another take… anything to keep it from ending," Nash continued. "And in the end, it was… really emotional. This cast and crew have become my close friends and my family over these past 3 years — they gave my gypsy heart a place to call home and it has been really tough to say goodbye."

Nash learned of Siddiq's demise in April during a pre-season phone call with showrunner Angela Kang, who denies Rosita and Siddiq were on the verge of rekindling a romance before Siddiq's death at the hands of a Whisperer spy. But Nash believes the two parents might have reconnected romantically.

"Everybody asks me that. People are really gunning for a second Coco, huh?! I always loved that those characters had this tragic set of 'what ifs' tied to their relationship from the start: What if they had been more than a fling? What if Siddiq had wanted more? What if Rosita hadn't been with Gabe when she was pregnant? WHAT IF EUGENE WOULD JUST GET THE MESSAGE ALREADY?!" Nash said. "The truth is I don't know. That said… I do think these characters are of the sort of people who find their way back to each other time and time again over the course of their lives, and that maybe just once, the timing is right and it sticks. But that's just another tragic 'what if.'"

The Walking Dead airs its Season 10 midseason finale, "The World Before," Sunday, Nov. 24 at 9/8c on AMC. For more TWD intel, follow the author @CameronBonomolo on Twitter.