Danai Gurira got ‘depressed for a while’ after a character died on Walking Dead

'Black Panther' European Premiere - Arrivals
Spoilers for The Walking Dead, which have been widely reported, follow
The Walking Dead is coming back after its midseason finale on February 25. We know that Carl Grimes is about to die and/or zombify, because we’ve been hearing about it for weeks. Carl’s demise was a shock to fans of the comics, where Carl still lives on, and was also difficult for the actors, who have worked with actor Chandler Riggs for the past eight years, to process. Many of them have said that they’re a family and that they’re close, and they take character deaths among their ranks hard.

Danai Gurira is part of the incredible Black Panther movie which is premiering this week, I can’t wait! She’s also of course the venerable Michonne on The Walking Dead. Michonne is currently in a relationship with Carl’s dad, Rick. The actress spoke with The Huffington Post about her feelings when she heard that Chandler was leaving the show and about the effect this will have on her character. She also said she got depressed and upset about it.

“Black Panther” actress Danai Gurira, aka Michonne on “Walking Dead,” is opening up about her reaction [to Carl’s death].

“I got a little depressed for a while. Straight up,” the actress said. “You’re in the story. You’re in it, and you’re also in a family. It was hard.”

Michonne was basically Carl’s ass-kicking, sword-wielding, surrogate mother on the show. The two were close. You have to be to share candy bars and scavenge for cat art in the apocalypse.

Gurira says she was “absolutely devastated” to lose that relationship.

“Carl and Chandler are a blessing to Michonne and to Danai, you know what I mean? I adore Chandler, and [for] Michonne, Carl is her healer. Everything she and Rick do is to protect Carl, so this is kind of the worst nightmare realized for him to reveal [the bite] at the end of the last episode,” Gurira said.

“These are very resourceful people who do everything they can,” she added. “Rick and Michonne don’t really stop easily. What do you do when that’s what you’re facing? So, yeah, I was devastated. Michonne was devastated.”

[From The Huffington Post]

This is why showrunner Scott M. Gimple had to go, because he made a unilateral decision about Carl’s fate that not only angered fans but also upset and put his cast off kilter. He was promoted instead of replaced though, which seems so typical lately. I have mentioned several times that I no longer watch this show. I still feel somewhat invested in it, like I want Michonne and Rick to stay together, I thought they were hot together, I want them to survive and I want Carl to survive. That’s never going to happen and I’m glad I stopped watching this for that reason. As a sidenote I can’t wait for Black Panther! I’ll go see with with my son this weekend.

Gurira has been slaying on the red carpets for Black Panther premieres and photocalls. Here she is in Dion Lee, in an incredible red dress with diagonally crossed belt-like details and folds. This is how you do a risk-taking look, with some fashion-forward elements that don’t overwhelm the look. Amazing. The Fashion Court’s IG has the runway look for this dress. This was a NYFW event for the film.

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This velvet dress with a peacock emblazoned on it is Jean-Louis Sabaji. It’s regal and perfect for this movie. She wore this to the European premiere in London.
European premiere of 'Black Panther' at the Eventim Apollo - Arrivals

Look at the back! Her hair is amazing.
Black Panther European Premiere

In Toronto she wore Valentino. Striking but it’s like she knows it’s too short. Imagine this dress falling right above the knee, it would be perfect.
Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

This coat!
Danai Gurira leaving Global studios

Danai Gurira seen arriving at Global studios

Photos credit: WENN and Getty

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39 Responses to “Danai Gurira got ‘depressed for a while’ after a character died on Walking Dead”

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  1. MI6 says:

    Awww I bet that’s hard when you live
    in a character’s head, you suffer that loss along with them. 😔
    What a blessing to have such a committed actor.

  2. Eve says:

    LOVE her.

    WAKANDA FOREVER!!!

  3. Erinn says:

    I can’t handle watching the show – it stresses me out. So I’ll read recaps or watch a few scenes here and there. I always thought Michonne was the coolest.

    And holy crap, I love Danai’s style. She’s stunning, and her clothing choices look so kickass. Tough but pretty. I want that gold and black or navy dress.

    • nikzilla says:

      Ever since the horrific multiple death scene that Negan orchestrated, it’s been hard for me to watch also.

    • C says:

      I stopped watching after season 7. TWD is gone, Scott M. Gimple ruined it! It is soooo boring now.

  4. SuzyQ says:

    Pfft. Privileged people problem. Actors. Ugh. Next!

    • JA says:

      She was speaking as a actress missing someone she worked with for years and saw grow up and as a character who is losing a surrogate son. She wasn’t feeling sorry for herself just expressing it’s been a tough time at work adjusting. Something tells me you’re the type of coworker who sends out company wide emails complaining someone used “your” creamer and refuses to participate in work baby showers & birthdays because it’s not all about you. Just move on..dayuuum

    • lobbit says:

      Sure, if by “privileged people” you mean “anyone that has a job.” If you’ve worked closely with a colleague for the better part of a decade, it’s really tough when they move on – especially if moving on wasn’t their choice.

    • Persistent Cat says:

      You’re on a gossip site.

    • Tanesha86 says:

      I don’t understand the snarky response here. She was asked for her thoughts and she gave them. I’m sure you’d feel sad too if someone you worked with and were close to were to leave right? I see nothing wrong with what she said here 🤷🏾‍♀️

  5. Eve says:

    Love all her outfits here, but that first one is nothing short of spectacular!

  6. V4Real says:

    Danai is so beautiful. I love her. I can’t wait to see two of the baddest chicks in Black Panther.

    But I’m over the Walking Dead

  7. Lucy says:

    She’s amazing and says such lovely things about Carl/Chandler. As for him, I’ve already stumbled upon spoilers for the upcoming episode on Instagram. UGGGHHHHH.

  8. Yeahright says:

    Queen! She’s stunning! Seeing Black Panther twice tonight! Can’t wait!

    • Krill says:

      Yaaasss. Give it a 150M plus Opening Weekend. Let Hollywood finally understand the power of color

    • Eve says:

      Seeing with a friend on Monday. But will probably see it by myself before that.

      @ CB:

      When you said “Look at that back” my eyes went straight to her ass (which looks great, by the way).

  9. Jamie42 says:

    I stopped watching after the horse attack in season one, episode one, so I don’t know her character. I love her commitment to the show, though; and she looks stunning!

  10. minx says:

    Don’t watch the show, but wow–she is beautiful and her dresses are unbelievably gorgeous!

  11. Tiffany says:

    By God she is georgous.

    I am going tonight, YAY. There is gonna be a trivia game before the fil tonight so I am brushing up on all things Wakanda.

  12. Nancy says:

    Rick has immunity……..did he pass it on to Carl. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that this character is so dominant in the comics, how could they obliterate him on the show. It seems everyone else on this thread gave up on WD, but I’m looking forward to the 25th…..if only to say hello to Daryl.

  13. Jess says:

    I love that peacock dress so much! And can not wait to see Black Panther tomorrow night. It is literally the only bright spot in what is otherwise another hellacious week in ‘Murica.

    • Nancy says:

      Oh how I agree with you Jess. I feel strange just posting about fluff when those children were slaughtered. I wanted to keep my two at home forever, but that’s not how it works. I have my youngest on my lap and she’s so oblivious to it all, I can’t stop hugging her.

  14. WingKingdom says:

    Michonne is now the only character left on TWD I really care about. I’ve disliked Rick since about season 2, so I kinda wish he got bit and then Michonne and Carl take the leadership.

    I’m super excited for Black Panther!

    • OOOHH! says:

      @WINGKINGDOM….. I’m with you on this. I have disliked Rick from the moment he reunited with Shane and even more so after Shane’s death. Shane gave me a reason to watch, his stubbornness and courage always made Rick look like such a wimp. And let’s not talk about the dumb-hard decisions Rick makes almost all of the time. Even Merle Dixon was more entertaining than Rick. I hated that Rick only cared about the lady being hit by her husband only cos he wanted to give her the D*, that storyline was just weak.

      My favourite characters are actually badass Carol, then Michonne, then Daryl Dixon (I LOVE Norman Reedus so much), then Carl. I am so bored of Maggie – I feel that her xter was made stronger whilst Glenn’s was made weaker in order for their relationship to survive. I also feel like Michonne is too good for Rick, but I have to admit, I do love that he really gets into his love scenes with her, watching them skin on skin just puts a huge smile on my face.

      Anyway I stopped watching since Season 6 for several reasons:
      – Negan’s disgusting killing of Glenn
      – Carl’s coming death
      – Rick’s dumb ass decision making all da time!
      – I still resent Andrea’s death.
      – Why is Father Gabriel still alive?????
      – Enid’s ongoing verbal diarrhoea

      I’ll miss what becomes of Carol, Daryl and Michonne though, but I won’t miss the slow trudging 1 step forward/5 steps back plotline the writers seem to have been employing since season 3 or so. And OMG, I’ll miss Carl’s hair almost as much as I’ll miss him.

      • WingKingdom says:

        I don’t know if you will ever check back on this thread but I agree with you 100% on literally everything you said!! I went back and watched the first 3 seasons again because they were the best, and realized what an amazing character Andrea really was. She was so complex and so real. But Carol wasn’t badass Carol yet.

  15. Valiantly Varnished says:

    That peacock dress is AMAZING and her body is insane in it. As for TWD I will watch the episode of Carl’s death/zombify but beyond that I don’t know. The show will become something completely different once he is gone and I’m not sure what that it will even be worth watching. The whole motivation of the main character, Rick, is his son. How does a show go on when your protagonist no longer has anything to fight for? Scott Gimple single handedly ruined this show and for no other reason than shock value.

    • Kim says:

      Yes, I’m putting the responsibility for this shit show completely in Gimple’s lap. After hearing what Chandler Riggs and Robert Kirkman had to say about the decision (and more importantly, what they didn’t say) it seems as though it was not a popular one. And then AMC replaced him with another writer from the show and supposedly created a new position for him having to do with overseeing both TWD and FTWD? That’s what I understood anyway. I’m curious as to what happens now with the writing and general pacing of TWD because he’s been struggling hard lately. I am not at all looking forward to February 25th.

      • Kelly says:

        The show has made the point for years now that Carl is the only thing keeping Rick sane. He adores Judith, but Carl has kept him going – remember the suicidal rage Rick went into when Carl was shot in the eye. The Rick I’ve been watching for years would not be able to overcome his grief. They’re going to fu*k this up.

        I’m surprised Andrew Lincoln didn’t have the pull to veto Carl’s death. Carl is supposed to be John Connor and SG destroyed that legacy for a cheap shock, and the episode where Carl was bitten was filmed so poorly that most fans didn’t even suspect it. So it was a WTF moment when the bite was revealed.

  16. Eve says:

    Michonne still holds the title of “Best Zombie Killing” in that show (you know…the Governor’s “daughter” one).

  17. Kim says:

    I love this show so much and usually defend it when people whine about being bored by not enough action, too much action, predictable story arcs, clunky dialogue, etc. It’s got a lot of heart and it’s first few seasons were some of the best TV I’ve seen. There are some really phenomenal talents on that show, Danai included. But even I can’t defend this ridiculous, show-destroying decision to kill off Carl. For those of us determined to finish out the rest of this season, we are basically witnessing TWD’s last dying breaths.

    • Kelly says:

      Some people struggled to stay with the show after the brutal deaths of Abraham and Glenn, and how the show made a cliff hanger of what happened. Carl’s death will be jumping the shark. I will still watch, but for the first time, I often forgot about it last season and only remembered when it popped up on my DVR. Topped off by the unprofessional way Chandler Riggs was notified of his character’s death and I’m rather bitter.

  18. lobbit says:

    Love Danai. She and Rick are the only reason I still watch the Walking Dead.

  19. OOOHH! says:

    The title says it all….shouldn’t have clicked.

  20. Persistent Cat says:

    That peacock dress is everything. Everything.

    I don’t believe Carl will die. TWD is notoriously secretive, the actor who plays Morgan had to be in hiding where they film in Georgia because they didn’t want him seen until his reappearance episode was broadcast and the actor who plays Glenn couldn’t talk to family until he reappeared from under the dumpster. I have a hard time believing they’re cool with everyone being open about Carl dying. Danai discussing it here makes me believe it’s a little bit true but I still don’t believe he’s going to die. I just hope it’s not a cheesy “some are immune” solution, as was (perfectly) done in The Last of Us.

  21. Yogapants says:

    The character of Michonne was one of the main reasons I got into TWD in the first place. Before her arrival, I only watched the show sporadically with my husband, who’s a longtime fan. Danai Gurira is wonderful in the role, and I always enjoyed her appearances on The Talking Dead as well. I am a fan of Marvel films and when I thought of actors who I’d like to see appear in one, she was at the top of the list. I am so psyched for this film . . . as for TWD, I’m still mourning Shiva’s death. The relentlessly repetitive, sadistic, and violent Saviors storyline is killing the show, and killing off Carl might just be the last nail in the show’s coffin.

  22. Sandy says:

    Carl is not dying. They are trying to trick us. In the comics this is about where the Whisperers are introduced – living humans who wear the skin of the dead and act like the dead. Remember when Morgan said he’d seen these people? Carl was bittin by a living human in disguise.

  23. Bread and Circuses says:

    Wow, you are not kidding about her killing it with the fashion. She looks amazing in all these shots.

    You know, I never even realized she was the same actress who played Michonne. She looks so different with a buzzcut instead of long dreads!