From casting director to Walking Dead stalwart
Melissa McBride’s character has transformed from fearful woman to a warrior
Andrew Lincoln says The Walking Dead is ostensibly about surviving a zombie apocalypse, but it’s really about “humans changing: you change or you die.”
Transformation has been at the heart of Melissa McBride’s turn as Carol on the show and also her own career growth.
The Kentucky-born McBride, 50, says Season 6, which debuts Sunday (AMC at 9 p.m.), will “be a crazy ride” where other humans will be the biggest threat to the survivors.
Since the show debuted, Carol has become one of its stalwarts.
Her character has changed from a fearful abused woman to a warrior who’s “ready to pay the price, go to hell or whatever” to protect her friends.
“How she’s evolved into such an integral part of the group, making decisions and even fending for herself when she has to, it’s been completely unexpected,” McBride says. “Especially when you compare that to where she started.”
Lincoln observes, “There’s no more enticing a role if you say to an actor, ‘You start here and end up over there, poles apart.’ Any actor would jump . . . Melissa McBride is good, beyond good, and what happens to Carol’s arc is just bewitching.”
McBride was actually working as a casting director in Atlanta when she was offered the role of Carol in 2010. Previously, her career consisted of minor roles in everything from Matlock and Walker, Texas Ranger to Dawson’s Creek.
In amongst other fierce characters on Walking Dead — katana-wielding Michonne, crossbow ace Daryl and Rick, who readily kills to survive — Carol has had some major badass moments.
But McBride doesn’t see Carol as a badass, suggesting she’s someone who’s allowed “her courage to come to the surface.”
“Every death is heartbreaking for her and it just fuels her fire even more to become stronger and to fight harder to keep everybody, including herself, safe. She can’t stand around and watch her friends die, and she’ll do whatever is needed, but she’s not a cold-blooded killer.”