Walking wounded
Christian Serratos talks about crises in the popular zombie drama
The Walking Dead has barely staggered into the second half of its fifth season, and already fans are reeling from the death of Tyreese (Chad L. Coleman) — a gruesome zombie fatality that happened a mere episode after the death of Beth (Emily Kinney).
Things aren’t quite as bad for Christian Serratos’s character Rosita, but they’re not all flowers and fun either. Her relationship with Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) is showing its strain, and Eugene (Josh McDermitt) has confessed that he’s not a scientist after all, killing hope that his knowledge of diseases could help save the group.
Serratos talks about the postapocalyptic drama, the secrecy on the set and the heavy physical toll of playing her character.
Q : What was your reaction when you found out that Tyreese was going to die in the Season 5B premiere, especially so soon after Beth?
A : We all get a call when either you or somebody else will be going, so you never really know what’s going to happen or what the outcome of that phone call is going to be. I think we all got the news of both of them in the same phone call.
We’re used to hearing about just one person leaving, but as soon as the shock settled with one, we were told we’re also going to lose somebody else. It was a double whammy for all of us.
Q : Where is Rosita’s relationship with Abraham now? Is she afraid of him?
A : I don’t think she’s necessarily afraid of him. I think you go through ups and downs with everybody you meet in this world, and this is just one of their probably many downs. It’s hard to keep your brain at ease in a world like they live in, to keep your sanity.
But I think both of them are strong enough and capable enough to travel those minefields and know which buttons not to push with each other. Because you only have each other — you can’t really push each other away. You have to fight for the little that you have.
Q : How deeply was Rosita affected by Eugene lying about being a scientist?
A : They’re all losing something so important. They’re losing the possibility of a normal life and the idea of the world that they knew, so I think they’re all pretty traumatized right now.
But like I said, these people go through ups and downs, and this is a down. And they’re going to get through it, and they’re going to find another way, and they’re going to remain hopeful. Because that’s what the show is inevitably about and that’s what these people need to survive — hope.