AfterRick Grimes dramatic send-offon SundaysThe Walking Dead, we were introduced to a new group of survivors.
(More on that from showrunner Angela Kang here.)
And get introductions to the actors playing them.
Jackson Lee Davis/AMC
Played by Nadia Hilker (The 100).
Landing a role on one of the biggest shows in television feels like winning the lottery!
But nevertheless I had to kiss a couple of frogs for meet my princess Magna.
Gene Page/AMC
Tell me about Magna in your words.
Shes an unpredictable animal dangerous but also caring.
No one should ever feel too comfortable around her, nor believe they figured her out.
Gene Page/AMC
She loves her people and would, without a doubt, do anything for her group.
Yumiko brings more a motherly throw in of energy to the group and Magna more fatherly.
So I am growing into her more and more every day and with each script.
Gene Page/AMC
And they STILL are.
Cast, crew, team, production made it very easy for us.
They welcomed us like family members.
Lauren Ridloff on ‘The Walking Dead’.Gene Page/AMC
It is not all glamour.
All the hard work brings everyone even closer together.
I will probably never complain on a film set ever again.
Gene Page/AMC
I really dont know.
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She walked me through everything she envisioned for Yumiko.
She told me about season 9 and Ricks departure and how our characters enter the world ofThe Walking Dead.
I confess Id never watched an episode before, so I binged all 8 seasons in about 4 weeks.
I dont know the exact math but thats a hell of a lot of zombies.
She is fiercely loyal to her girlfriend Magna and the rest of her group whom she considers family.
I still I love to reference them though every so often and see whats happening in that world.
Nadia, Dan, Lauren and Angel are the most talented, fun and generous actors.
How would Eleanor Matsuura do in a real zombie apocalypse?I aint afraid of no zombie!
Like Yumiko, as long as I had my crew with me, Id be just fine.
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LUKE
A fatigued survivor who understands there is safety in numbers.
He values what is beautiful and hopeful and makes us uniquely human.
Played by Dan Fogler (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,Balls of Fury).
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Tell me about Luke in your words.
Who is this guy?DAN FOGLER:Luke is part of Magnas tight knit motley family of survivors.
They all probably wouldnt make it out of the proverbial lifeboat alive without each other.
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CONNIE
Played by Lauren Ridloff (BroadwaysChildren of a Lesser God).
A seasoned survivor deft at using her senses to read people, situations, and trouble.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: What can you tell me about Connie?LAUREN RIDLOFF: Connie is a survivor.
Her deafness is an advantage she is the one who stays on guard.
She is her groups eyes.
Dont you think walkers would be pretty fragrant?
It could just take a breeze to catch a whiff of whos coming.
Connie also picks up on other things shadows, movement, vibrations.
Most of the time.
And shes got excellent aim.
Her group moves like a pack of wolves they travel together and fight together so they help one another.
I happened to be there foryour first day visiting the setand meeting the cast and crew.
After doing an emotionally fraught scene, Andrew did something incredible.
He walked out of that scene covered in fake blood and came up to me with an apology.
Theres a mini fake-hand handshake story in there also.
Like a well-oiled machine all the cogs, nuts and bolts come together to make each episode happen.
Some of the crew downloaded ASL apps on their iPhones to learn to communicate with me.
During down times my costars practice the alphabet or learn crazy random phrases in ASL.
Cailey [who plays older Judith] is my top student.
When we first met, she had some hearing loss and was enthusiastic about learning more ASL.
Then something happened (you couldnt make this up) during filming: Angels hearing loss progressed significantly.
No way would you ever stop dancing you love it too much.
I told her about Beethoven composing some of his greatest works when he was totally deaf.
Music is inside all of us, regardless.
I feel as if shes my little sister on and off the set.
I care about her and I watch her out of the corner of my eye more than she knows.
But the best thing about working with Angel?
I get some master lessons on how to do dance moves like the Milly Rock.
Angels making me a hip big sister.
There are a good number of actors on set with theater experience.
Dan Fogler won a Tony, and Danai wrote an Obie-winning drama.
Avi and Andrew have theater training.
Ive picked some of those actors brains for advice.
Its adrenaline-driven because there is only one shot on stage each night.
Once a scene is done, thats it.
I see the impact of our work immediately.
Whereas on camera I work in fits and starts.
We wait and hurry, then hurry and wait.
We think about the audiences gaze from different angles.
I love working in both mediums.
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KELLY
Connies ever-alert and ever-protective sister.
Played by professional dancer Angel Theory, who is also a member of the deaf community.
I was asked if I could Sim-Com (sign and verbally communicate simultaneously) the script.
Instead, they are going to create a character for you.
Which I found out later would be Kelly.
In the group, shes a bridge between the hearing and deaf.
Kelly is hard-of-hearing, but is able to act as an interpreter while still kicking ass.
Kelly is her sister Connies keeper, making sure she always in the loop.
I relate to Kelly in so many ways.
I feel that she brings balance to the group.
She is a force, I just dont think she knows it yet.
So in the comic book, Kelly is a guy.
I was curious and wanted to see what Kelly looked like and was shocked that it was a man.
Kelly is tall, bald, and built the total opposite of me.
There is no other character I would want to be.
I find it beautiful how they turned Connie and Kelly from a couple into being sisters.
I am also a dancer and choreographer, so music is a very big part of my life.
I wouldnt be able to achieve my goals because I am different.
I played Changes by H.E.R and felt every beat and let all of those emotions and tears out.
Now its my mission to inspire kids around the world that are Deaf/hard-of-hearing -the way Lauren inspires me.
The relationship between Connie and Kelly is very similar in reality.
When the cast goes out together, I am usually the one that interprets for Lauren.
I feel truly blessed to be working alongside her.
She is the big sister I always wished for.
Just like today, I will always fight for a better tomorrow.
If I can survive this world, then I could survive whatever the apocalypse swings my way.
Just know I wont go down without a fight.
And for more Walking Dead scoop, follow Dalton on Twitter@DaltonRoss.
