Spoiler alert! Please note that, if you are not caught up on The Walking Dead or missed the first episode of TWD: The Ones Who Live, there are spoilers ahead. Go stream the premiere on AMC+ before reading below.
Rick is back, folks! Unfortunately, it's no longer a Ricktatorship as Andrew Lincoln's iconic character finds himself in a rough situation. On the bright side, Rick survived the explosion, but he may as well not have, because he is, essentially, being held prisoner in a thriving community. Because, at the end of the day, a golden cage is still a cage.
We'll have to continue watching to see Rick and Michonne (Danai Gurira) reunite after almost a decade apart. But we love what we've seen so far! It's exciting and we're so happy to see Lincoln back. But who are the new faces? Particularly, the characters Donald Okafor and Pearl Thorne stand out. Do you recognize these stars?
Craig Tate plays Donald Okafor
Taking on the role of Lieutenant Colonel Donald Okafor, is Craig Tate. You may recognize the actor from the TV series Snowfall, Reprisal, and the movie 12 Years a Slave, among other projects. And we've yet to see the last of Tate! He is set to star in Ellen and The Nickel Boys, both currently in post-production.
Lieutenant Colonel Donald Okafor has a dark past, and is on a mission to change things at the Civic Republic. Without diving too deeply into spoilers, it does not work Okafor's way.
Lesley-Ann Brandt plays Pearl Thorne
Is that Lucifer star Lesley-Ann Brandt? Yes, yes it is! I didn't know just how much I miss Brandt until I saw the actress on the screen again. In Lucifer, Brandt portrays fan favorite Mazikeen, Lucifer's right-hand woman. So the character of Pearl Thorne fits the actress perfectly!
Audiences only briefly meet Pearl in the premiere episode of TWD: The Ones Who Live, but we will be seeing a lot more of her in the coming episodes. Fans will learn about Pearl's past and how she ended up at the Civic Republic. Stay tuned!
In addition to these four stars, TWD: The Ones Who Live also features Pollyanna McIntosh as Jadis, Terry O'Quinn as the Major General of the Civic Republic Military, Andrew Bachelor as Bailey, and Breeda Wool as Aiden.