The Walking Dead season 11B spoilers follow.
We're over a decade into The Walking Dead now, and while detractors are quick to ask how this show is still going, anyone who's actually watching it will know that things have picked up massively in recent years.
From experimental format changes to the introduction of exciting new characters, it's comforting to know that The Walking Dead will be going out on a high when season 11 soon comes to an end.
While we're sad to see the show go for a number of reasons, Lynn Collins and her compelling take on Leah, Daryl's one and only love interest, is a big part of that. And crucially, it's not because of her connection to the show's most popular character. It's because Leah is a fascinating figure in her own right, one who feels like she still has so much more story left to tell.
Digital Spy caught up with Lynn Collins to find out what's in store for Leah throughout season 11B and beyond.
How do you feel about The Walking Dead coming to an end after all these years? Is there a pressure to get this right?
I just feel like I'm the condiment. I'm the ketchup and the hot sauce. You know what I mean? [laughs] These people have been doing this for 11 years. They're the meat and the potatoes, and I'm coming in like a chilli pepper to serve them – to serve their arcs, basically.
That's a lot of pressure off, you know? And I knew that. And I loved doing it, because I think the two characters that my character changes the most – it's Daryl and it's Maggie. Both of these actors, Norman [Reedus] and Lauren [Cohan], I can't say enough incredible things about them. I would work with them over and over and over.
Season 11A ended on this huge cliffhanger in the middle of that rocket attack. Can you talk us through the scale of filming that battle?
Our props department and our special effects department are, like, bar none. They worked and worked for weeks and weeks and weeks to create this ancient Korean… That's what it is. It's an ancient Korean weapon. And they just nailed it.
It took us – oh my God – it was like three different night shoots to get it all done. And while we were having a lunar eclipse. I mean, it was epic.
A key moment from that whole sequence is when Leah kills Pope. Does this make her the Big Bad now? Or is it unfair to call her a villain given all the moral complexities of this story?
It comes down to: every one of these characters has made good decisions and bad decisions. And what is she going to do? I mean, that's what we're going to see. Who is she? At the end of the day, who is she?
There's a really intense moment in the season 11B premiere where Leah confronts Daryl and Maggie. What was that scene like to film?
It was in July. It was so hot. We had actors passing out. We had crew members passing out. It was crazy. And then we had three hawks – adolescent hawks – who had nested in this place that we were shooting. And they were swarming us.
One literally came down right in front of me, on this weird beam – a metal beam that was above me. He sat there, and he squawked at me. And we had to wait. We literally had to wait for the hawks to stop, to shoot.
And, that morning, the actor who plays Carver, had given me – because he's Native American, he had given me a hawk feather. Then the hawks come. And then he passes out from heat exhaustion. It was just crazy. Shooting those scenes was really difficult.
The conditions that this cast, for the last 11 years, have shot in, are… I don't even know how to describe it.
And also, it's horrible when it gets hot, because there's bugs, and it's hot. You can't even breathe. But then when it gets cold, it's cold in a way that you can't actually get warm, because it's humid.
What can you tease about Leah's future relationship with Daryl following that scene?
I would just say that a woman who hates herself because she couldn't protect her people, and she couldn't keep her man, is a dangerous human.
Someone who hates themselves? That's a terrifying person.
Following all this, the latest episode ends with a surprise six month jump. How do you think things played out for Leah within that time frame?
We can only guess, right? He leaves her. He saves her life. He doesn't kill her. Now, where does she go? What does she do? We have no idea.
Have you filled in the gaps yourself, just so you have the backstory in your head? Or are you leaving it open still?
It's a trick question [laughs]. You will see it. You see it.
Speaking of twists and surprises, has there been a moment where you've read the script, and you've been like, "Oh my goodness, I can't believe you're doing this"?
Yes! Constantly! I'm always like, "Oh my God! Oh my God! Oh no! Oh my God, how am I going to do that?" Yes, constantly!
Any moments in particular?
Yeah. When I killed Pope, I was like, "Oh, God. I thought it'd be…" I kind of knew that I could possibly be the one that would kill him. But I didn't realise it would be like that, and how violent it would be, or how cathartic [laughs].
In terms of physicality, how involved do you get in the fight sequences?
I'm a black belt in an Okinawa-style karate called shito-ryu. And so I've always been fighting. I mean, most of the movies that people would recognise me in, I've done a certain amount of fighting. I just naturally am cast in these roles, like a female spy.
If anything, I would have wanted more fighting. But I think we'll get our dose of it, for sure.
Aside from the set conditions, is there anything else you find challenging about being on The Walking Dead?
Yes. I think the fact that it's ending – I would have done this show… I mean, once I got involved with the cast and crew, I was like, "I'd do this for 11 years, easy."
It's very rare to be part of a project where you'd be like, "Yeah, I can spend my life doing this."
Would you be open to Leah continuing on in some capacity, whether it's in the Daryl spinoff or maybe Tales, the anthology series?
Yes. I'd say yes to anything that this group would ask me to do. Absolutely.
Given how positive you feel about the whole experience, do you have one particular thing, like a favourite moment, or a favourite aspect of just being part of The Walking Dead franchise?
I loved the fishing scene in season 10. I loved being in the woods with Norman. It was super-fun. And the crew loves being in nature. It was the fall, and it was beautiful. It was the first time that his character was exploring romance at all. And it just felt awesome that I was the person to be bringing that sort of Venusian, feminine love and sexuality to it all. It felt awesome.
You've worked with Norman a lot in particular. Is there anyone else in the show that you'd like to have more scenes with that you haven’t already?
Lauren, Lauren, Lauren. And Melissa, Melissa, Melissa.
That was a very quick response! You've thought about this before.
Yeah. I mean, I didn't have any scenes with Melissa, which kills me. And then Lauren and I, which you'll see, we have some really awesome stuff. But I want more. I want more with Norman. I want more with Lauren. I want more. I'm sure, you know, we all want more. Isn't this the human condition? More, more, more!
The Walking Dead season 11 airs on AMC in the US and STAR on Disney+ in the UK.
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After teaching in England and South Korea, David turned to writing in Germany, where he covered everything from superhero movies to the Berlin Film Festival.
In 2019, David moved to London to join Digital Spy, where he could indulge his love of comics, horror and LGBTQ+ storytelling as Deputy TV Editor, and later, as Acting TV Editor.
David has spoken on numerous LGBTQ+ panels to discuss queer representation and in 2020, he created the Rainbow Crew interview series, which celebrates LGBTQ+ talent on both sides of the camera via video content and longform reads.
Beyond that, David has interviewed all your faves, including Henry Cavill, Pedro Pascal, Olivia Colman, Patrick Stewart, Ncuti Gatwa, Jamie Dornan, Regina King, and more — not to mention countless Drag Race legends.
As a freelance entertainment journalist, David has bylines across a range of publications including Empire Online, Radio Times, INTO, Highsnobiety, Den of Geek, The Digital Fix and Sight & Sound.
