There's no such thing as job security on The Walking Dead.
That's the big takeaway from the cast's group appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Kimmel's been broadcasting from Austin, Texas all week, and while there, he got Melissa McBride (Carol), Norman Reedus (Daryl) and Steven Yeun (Glenn) to stop by to chat about cable's top-rated show.
The main topic of conversation was whether or not the actors are told in advance how long their characters will remain on the show. In other words, when can Carol, Glenn or Daryl expect to meet their end? It's a fair question, as countless characters have already come and gone on the show — giving the impression that no one is ever safe. What's more, the Walking Dead comic book is famous for killing off characters on a regular basis.
But since the show and the comic are separate entities, their characters have often proven to be on different trajectories. Scott Wilson's Hershel, for example, lasted much longer on the show than he did in the comic book. Likewise, some characters from the comic book were bitten by Walkers and killed on the show sooner than in the comic. Still other characters like Daryl Dixon have never existed in the comic but are major players on the show.
As it turns out, the show's writers and producers have a policy of never informing the actors of when their characters will die. This is probably to maintain the sense for the fragility of life, so the actors' concerns for the future are reflected in the portrayal of their characters.
Jimmy Kimmel notes that one character in particular met his end in the comic during the storyline that the show is currently exploring. You'll have to watch the clip to see the response Kimmel gets.
The Walking Dead airs on AMC Sunday nights at 9:00 PM.
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