The Walking Dead cast ages from the very start of the zombie drama
The Walking Dead had a lengthy run of 11 seasons spanning over 12 years. So it's time to see how old its actors were when the series first premiered.
The date is Oct. 31, 2010. The pilot episode of The Walking Dead is released for everyone to see and takes the whole world by storm. The drama series would go on to gather great levels of success that few could've predicted, changing TV history forever along the way. That allowed the show to have a run of 11 seasons with over 170 episodes under its name, which is something most drama series today can only dream of.
Fans watched Rick Grimes lead a group of survivors through hardships and heartbreaking losses time and time again. Walkers were often the least of their worries, as other survivors and the lack of a safe settlement endangered them more times than we can count. That was the case for more than a decade until The Walking Dead came to an end on Nov. 20, 2022 (though its legacy lives on to this very date through its many spinoffs).
With such a lengthy run, it's time to look back at the beginning of the zombie series and see how old were its titular actors back then compared to now.
Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes
Don't let your eyes deceive you. I know it appears Andrew Lincoln only grew a beard since the premiere of The Walking Dead but never actually aged. However, it's been more than 13 years since audiences saw him wake up from a coma straight into what was still a nightmare. The English actor was born on Sept. 14, 1973, meaning he was 37 years old when the pilot episode of The Walking Dead premiered. As of today (March 2024), he's 50 years old and still fighting walkers in the post-apocalyptic alongside Michonne in The Ones Who Lived spinoff.
Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon
Throughout the years, we've seen many characters come in and out of the zombie drama series. However, few have managed to be as beloved as Daryl Dixon who is portrayed by none other than Norman Reedus himself. His character even got a spinoff series in the form of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, which has a second season slated to come out this summer.
Reedus was born on Jan. 6, 1969, and he's been a recurring character in The Walking Dead ever since its first season when he was 41 years old. For comparison, the American actor is 55 years old today.
Chandler Riggs as Carl Grimes
Being the son of a show's protagonist can come at a great price, and there's no better example than Carl Grimes. Not only was he shot in the eye, but he also had to shoot his mother in order to prevent her from turning into a walker. The little kid that audiences watched grow on the small screen was forced to mature sooner rather than later, and that's also reflected in his age. The first time we saw Chandler Riggs play such a tragic role he was 11 years old. His birth date is June 27, 1999, and he's 24 years old as of today.
Melissa McBride as Carol Peletier
When we first got to know Carol Peletier, she was trapped in an abusive relationship and was mostly defenseless against the dangers of the walkers. However, as seasons went by she evolved into a warrior capable of holding her own. Besides, her friendship with Darryl grew stronger as seasons went by, which eventually led to her being one of the protagonists in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.
Melissa McBride was 45 years old when The Walking Dead premiered and she first portrayed the role of Carol. The American actress is now 58 years old and was born on May 23, 1965.
Steven Yeun as Glenn Rhee
Glenn Rhee was a fan-favorite who was present ever since the inception of the series. Audiences followed him throughout the years as got married to Maggie, had a kid, and unfortunately met his end at the hands (or bat?) of Negan. Glenn made us laugh and cry all the same, and it wouldn't have been the same without Steven Yeun's amazing performance. No one else could've brought the same level of charm to a character as important as him.
Steven Yeun was born on Dec. 21, 1983. He was 26 years old when the pilot episode of The Walking Dead was first released, and he is currently 40 years old.
Lauren Cohan as Maggie
Though absent at the beginning of the series, Maggie became a key character in The Walking Dead once Lauren Cohan portrayed her in the second season of the zombie drama. As with most characters, she endured a lot of pain and heartbreaking losses. Her father, Hershel Greene, had his throat cut by The Governor. Her step-sister Beth also died after being shot in the head. And as if it wasn't enough, her husband Glenn Rhee was beaten to death by Negan.
Maggie went through a lot, without a doubt. However, she also stole the spotlight in both The Walking Death and its spinoff series Dead City. Lauren Cohan was born on Jan. 7, 1982, meaning she was 28 years old when the pilot episode of the former was released, 29 years old when she made her first appearance as Maggie in season two, and 42 years old as of now.
Danai Gurira as Michonne
Out of the many characters to ever appear on The Walking Dead, only one can be crowned with having the best entrance. Slicing a walker's head clean off with a katana whilst having two walkers chained and making them follow you? Yes, that's one for the books. Ever since that moment, we all knew Michonne was the real deal. So much so, in fact, that she would go on to be one of the protagonists in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Lived.
Danai Gurira was 32 years old when The Walking Dead premiered, and 33 years old when audiences saw her make her entrance as Michonne in the second season of the beloved series. The Zimbabwean-American actress was born on Feb. 14, 1978, and is 46 years old to this date.
Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan
Who would've thought that, in a world where the undead rise and fight us, a normal man would be one of the worst dangers Rick and his group could ever face? Granted, while Negan wasn't as inherently "evil" as other antagonists of the series - such as The Governor - he was a force to be reckoned with, without a doubt. For such a ruthless role, you need a man who's able to play the part to perfection. And wouldn't you know it, but that turned out to be Jeffrey Dean Morgan.
Jeffery is currently 57 years old and was born on April 22, 1966. However, he was 44 when The Walking Dead was first released and 49 years old when the sixth season of the series premiered - in which he made his debut as Negan.
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