The Walking Dead star Chandler Riggs discusses his secret series finale cameo. The actor portrayed Carl Grimes for eight seasons of the AMC series, first appearing in the pilot episode, which aired in 2010. As protagonist Rick (Andrew Lincoln)'s son, Carl became one of the show's most important characters as well as a beloved member of the original The Walking Dead survivor's group, due to his strong moral stance and unwavering kindness. However, the character didn't make it to the end, with his death halfway through season 8 marking the end of his journey on the show.
During a post-finale sit-down with Entertainment Weekly, Riggs, who was in the area while they were filming, discussed his blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo in the final episode of the series. After 12 years on the air and 11 seasons, The Walking Dead finally concluded this week with season 11 episode 24, "Rest in Peace," and brought back a few familiar faces. Carl was harder to spot, since his death meant he couldn't truly return to the show, so his cameo appearance in the finale was in the background of one scene. However, his small inclusion, a treat for fans of the character, enabled Riggs to reunite with the cast and crew members and take part in saying farewell to the show that he grew up on. See what Riggs has to say about his cameo below:
It was for one of their wide shots, and they were like, 'Let's get you in there. Here!' I was just in this shirt and jeans that I came down there in. They grabbed a hat from wardrobe. It was like Father Gabriel's hat! And they gave me a hoe and said, 'Be a part of the background for one of the last shots.' And they just tossed me back there, and I just did some hoeing in the ground in the background. [Laughs] It was a lot of fun. It was just a quick thing before the rest of the filming for the day, so it was pretty cool.
How Carl's Death Shaped The Walking Dead
Rick's children often symbolized hope in the dark, post-apocalyptic world of The Walking Dead, and Carl's optimism as he got older despite the terrible things he had seen and endured cemented that ideal. His natural leadership skills, courage, and capacity for joy proved that life was still worth living despite the state of the world, and that children growing up in the zombie-riddled environment still had a chance to turn out well. In addition, Carl and his sister Judith (Cailey Fleming) gave Rick the strength to carry on and stay true to his principles, keeping him grounded despite the many difficult choices he often faced.
Due to Carl's integral role on The Walking Dead, his death altered the fabric of the series heavily and was a controversial choice, since the character does not die in the source material by Robert Kirkman and instead replaces his father as the central figure of the story. Many viewers even gave up on the series around the time of Carl's death, deeming the choice unnecessary and feeling that it harmed the show. Judith stepped in to fill her older brother's shoes after the season 9 time jump, donning the sheriff's deputy hat that Carl passed on to her and reminding viewers of the Grimes family legacy after her father departed the show as well.
Carl's death had several consequences that involved losing or retooling comics storylines, such as his plot lines involving Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Alpha (Samantha Morton)'s daughter Lydia (Cassady McClincy). In addition, his chemistry with the other characters and heartwarming relationships with the many survivors was sorely missed by viewers, though his death did serve as a lasting reminder to his loved ones to carry on his legacy of trust in humanity, since he died to save Siddiq (Avi Nash). Carl's message of mercy resulted in Negan staying alive, which will have far-reaching consequences, as the former villain is set to star in one of the many The Walking Dead spinoff shows. Given Carl's significant role in the series, it's moving that Riggs was able to come back to the show for the last episode.
Source: EW