Norman Reedus reveals that he thought he was going to die after sustaining a serious head injury on the set of The Walking Dead. First airing in 2010 on AMC, The Walking Dead follows a group of survivors after the onset of a zombie apocalypse. Introduced in the show's first season, Reedus' Daryl Dixon is now one of the few remaining original cast members alongside Melissa McBride's Carol. The Walking Dead is currently in the midst of its 11th and final season, with the show's final batch of episodes expected to release later this fall.
Over the course of the show's 11 seasons, Daryl has withstood a host of injuries and near-death experiences. From fleeing on his motorcycle from hordes of walkers to fighting with the Governor to taking down the Whisperors, Daryl has had more than a few close shaves. While Daryl continues to be an action hero on-screen, Reedus had his own brush with danger earlier this year when he sustained a concussion filming The Walking Dead's finale. The star posted an update on his social media shortly after reports of the accident, assuring fans that he was all right and that he was cleared to get back to work.
Now, Reedus reveals in a new interview with EW that the on-set injury was actually much worse than was originally reported. The star says that he "thought [he] was going to die" after sustaining the concussion, explaining that he failed a light-based neurological test and that a security guard had to be posted outside his house in case of emergencies. Check out Reedus' full comment on the ordeal below:
"Oh dude, that was horrible. That whole ordeal for me personally was terrifying. I thought I was going to die. It was very serious. It was scary. I've been hit in the face and the head a million times. I've gone through car windows, but that one rung my bell.
I had a neurologist. I had all sorts of s---. I failed the light test. I had a security guard in the driveway, just in case. I was holding onto the walls walking through the rooms. It was nuts."
The original statement from Reedus' representatives after the injury on The Walking Dead set played down the incident, stating simply that the actor suffered a concussion and that he would return to work soon. Reedus' concussion is one in a long line of head injuries he's sustained, with one particularly brutal car accident in Berlin leaving the actor requiring extensive facial surgeries, which potentially could have played into the severity of his latest incident. The actor also doesn't reveal the circumstances of the injury, and it's unclear what type of scene was being filmed when it occurred.
Reedus' latest head injury also isn't the first time he's been hurt on set, with the actor previously badly injuring his arm during the filming for season 5. In addition to various less serious injuries, The Walking Dead set has also experienced one death, with stuntman John Bernecker tragically losing his life during the filming for season 8. While it's unclear what exactly was going on when Reedus sustained his most recent injury, the set of The Walking Dead sometimes seems to be just as dangerous as the post-apocalyptic world in which the series is set.
Source: EW