During a press invited conference at New York Comic Con for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, Norman Reedus spoke candidly about the range of acting he has undertaken throughout this show compared to the main show when we asked him. Known for his iconic portrayal of Daryl Dixon in “The Walking Dead,” Reedus expressed his enthusiasm for embracing diverse characters and genres.
Norman Reedus, reflecting on expanding his range on his acting when we asked him, shared a glimpse into his thought process and motivation. As he discussed his enduring role as Daryl Dixon in “The Walking Dead,” he emphasized the personal and professional growth he has experienced over the years. Reedus candidly expressed his desire to evolve as an actor and explore new dimensions of character portrayal.
“I’m aging in real time and I’ve learned lots of lessons. I wanted to try to do something different. I spoke a lot about finding vulnerabilities in him (Daryl) and I don’t mind being the hero, I just don’t want to know that I am the hero,” said Reedus.
Reedus stressed the significance of working to earn character moments and commencing from a position of vulnerability. He aimed to genuinely capture Daryl Dixon’s challenging journey, where he grapples with both physical and emotional brokenness as he embarks on the next phase of his life. Additionally, Reedus underscored his intention to portray Daryl in a distinct manner, particularly in showcasing the character’s brighter moments, setting him apart from the main show.
“I wanted to earn the moments and I wanted to start low. And as he character, he’s broken when he gets there. He’s physically broken, and he’s finding himself again and becoming a man again in a different way.”
Norman Reedus opened up about a specific, pivotal moment in his acting career, which was the scenes he shared with Jeffrey Dean Morgan in Season 7, Episode “The Cell” of “The Walking Dead.” In these scenes, Reedus aimed to portray his character, Daryl Dixon, in a raw and unvarnished manner. He sought to strip Daryl down to his most vulnerable state, emphasizing the character’s brokenness and vulnerability. Reedus explained that the intention behind this approach was to create a compelling character arc in which Daryl could rebuild himself from the ground up, both emotionally and physically on The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.
“We did it with Negan in The Cell. I remember being the guy down here and trying to fight my way back up and when Negan is like, ‘what’s your name?’ And I don’t say Negan. That’s like a “fuck yeah” moment, you know? I wanted to be stripped down starting from zero.”