Seth Gilliam Teases 'The Walking Dead' Season 9 Changes

The Walking Dead's ninth season will be different from its predecessors in a number of ways, which Father Gabriel actor Seth Gilliam speaks enthusiastically about.

The AMC show began production on its ninth season in late April, bringing the entire cast together in Georgia' State Capitol on horse back (as several photos from the set surfaced online to reveal). Gilliam was very much a part of the scene, wearing his unmistakable priest uniform while riding in a carriage pulled by a horse. During a rare moment of down time at Walker Stalker Con in Nashville, Tennessee, the actor opened up to ComicBook.com about those moments and some changes coming to The Walking Dead's new season.

"I've never been on a horse before, I think I got thrown by a pony when I was a child," Gilliam laughed. "It was a fantastic, fantastic way to get us all back together for this season. The vibe, the look, the story, it's fantastic."

While much of the cast was present for Episode 9x01's production, some behind-the-scenes changes meant they were operating under a new showrunner. Scott Gimple moved from the position, allowing Angela Kang to step into the role. There's a very different but excited vibe among the cast members, including Gilliam.

"I've had conversations with her," Gilliam said. "She's exceedingly prepared. Not that Scott [Gimple] wasn't prepared, Scott was the epitome of preparedness. She's willing to share a little bit more of what's happening than Scott. I think Scott got burned by people giving away his stories before he even set them up the way he wanted to. I would imagine, to me, if I was writing something, I'd be highly upset. So, he played it a lot closer to the vest than Angela does."

Season Nine, as a whole, will features Kang's stamp but inevitably pack the threats and treacheries of the apocalypse as seen in prior seasons. "I think it's gonna be a very, very different kind of world," Gilliam said. "We're trying to lived as civilized people in a world that doesn't seem to support that."

The next Walker Stalker Con will take place in Orlando in August. Gilliam is scheduled to attend.

The Walking Dead will return for its ninth season in the fall. Fear the Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on AMC. For complete coverage and insider info all year long, follow @BrandonDavisBD on Twitter.