Alycia Debnam-Carey Says Goodbye to Fear the Walking Dead: "Time for Me to Move On"
Warning: this story contains spoilers for Sunday's "Amina" episode of Fear the Walking Dead. The Fear family has lost another Clark. Alycia Debnam-Carey is saying goodbye to Fear the Walking Dead after seven seasons, marking Sunday's episode as her last appearance as Alicia Clark. "Amina" ends with Alicia, who has spent Season 7 suffering the after-effects of a zombie bite and infection, unsure of how long she has left to live and staying behind in a radioactive fallout zone to save other survivors. Following her open-ended exit from Fear, Debnam-Carey confirmed she is "moving on" from the Walking Dead Universe in a tribute published on Instagram.
"Tonight marks the end of an extraordinary and life changing journey of playing Alicia Clark," Debnam-Carey wrote in part, explaining her decision to "seek out new challenges, new opportunities and carve out a new chapter for myself." Read the full post below.
To my dearest @feartwd family, tonight marks the end of an extraordinary and life changing journey of playing Alicia Clark.
Where to begin…
I will never be able to fully express the kind of journey I have had working on @feartwd for so long. It has gifted me so much.It has been the most extraordinary training ground as an actor where I've been given the chance to grow and learn. I've had the honour of working with so many inspiring and talented people. It provided new opportunities, such as directing and it has bonded me to such incredible fans that have supported me along the way.
It has been exciting, challenging, fun, hard and inspiring.
I was 21 when we began this crazy journey but now at 28, after 7 years and 100 episodes, I decided it was time for me to move on as an actor and as a person. As is the nature of our jobs I needed to seek out new challenges, new opportunities and carve out a new chapter for myself. I have been so lucky to be a part of something so awesome for so long but I hope you can understand and respect my choice to further expand and grow. I wouldn't be here without you all and I am so grateful.
I had a lot of conversations over the years with our showrunners @goldbergian and @andrewchambliss and I think we found a fitting way to conclude Alicia's story. It is beautiful, hopeful and elusive.
To the crews and casts from Los Angeles to Vancouver, Mexico to Texas, I am thankful for everything you've taught me. I love you all so much and I am so lucky to have had you all by my side. To the cast going forward, I'm so excited for what you will create next! And to my ride or dies who have been there with me every step of the way (you know who you are) I will be forever grateful to you.
It is bittersweet, but it is time.
Thank you for everything.
My love to you all.
Debnam-Carey has played zombie apocalypse survivor Alicia Clark since the pilot episode of The Walking Dead spinoff in 2015. In May, Debnam-Carey was cast in the lead role of upcoming Hulu series Saint X, set to film in the Dominican Republic.
Fear the Walking Dead is moving production to Savannah, Georgia for Season 8, with an ensemble cast that includes series regulars Morgan Jones (Lennie James), Madison Clark (Kim Dickens), and Victor Strand (Colman Domingo).
Follow @CameronBonomolo on Twitter & @NewsOfTheDead for TWD Universe coverage all season long.