:::Obvious Spoilers Involving Season 3:::
Last weeks episode of AMC’s “The Walking Dead” may or may not have been a suprise to you with the death of two main characters in one episode. T-Dog, played by IronE Singleton, was killed by walkers while the much hated Lori Grimes, played by Sarah Wayne Callies, had a redemptive moment for the life of her and Rick’s child.
The day after the shocking episode aired, Callies spoke with critics and the Huffington Post about the implication of Lori’s death and why it was imperative for the show to move forward. It is important to note that Lori’s death is one of the few within the show that are caused by the person’s choice to die.
“I think the Lori death is very unique among the ones we’ve had on ‘The Walking Dead’ because it’s one that she’s chosen. It’s an interesting tone because it’s not surrounded by quite the same level of crisis and panic, althogh she’s clearly in a situation where things are going to go badly.”
In regards to being one of the most unlikeable characters (at least until the end of her character) described how that was the point from the very beginning.
“I loved Lori. I love Lori. She’s one of those characters that I think will live in my heart for a long, long, long, long time. I learned so much from her. [In] one of my first conversations with Frank [Darabont], we agreed that we wouldn’t do the TV version of this. Lori was not going to be some big busted, beautiful woman with flowing perfect hair who was standing by her man. We talked about doing the ugliest, dirtiest, most dangerous and sometimes unlikable version of this that we could. It was so exhilarating to be able to dig deep into the darkness of motherhood and the darkness of marriage … To work on a production that had the courage — even though some fans kicked up a fuss about it — to have the courage to say, ‘We’re going to tell this story a way it’s never been told before’ is remarkable. It’s the best work I’ve ever done on camera, and that’s because the material was so strong. It’s an experience unlike anything I’ve ever had, and I’ve learned so much from it. I love Lori so much. Her passion, her fire, her lack of vanity … [laughs] I love that woman and I am going to miss her.”
Her death, while shocking, was completely neccesary for the storyline to progress, especially for Rick and Carl.
“Frank and I talked a lot about the necessity of Lori dying, and we fought about it. Glen [Mazzara] and I talked about that scene a lot — what pieces had to be in place for Lori, for Carl and for Rick. In a way it was an intimate process, because Glen had lost his mother shortly before they started writing the season … The death of Shane. The death of Lori. Those, to me, were very difficult things to get around. I had spoken to Frank about that at a certain point and he goes, ‘I don’t need to kill you.’ And I said, ‘Due respect, sir, yes you do.’ [Laughs.] He said, ‘I’ve never had a leading lady argue her way off a show.’ And I said, ‘In the books, Rick goes nuts because his wife died. And I think the way he goes nuts is pretty cool, and I think you’re gonna do that at some point, so know that I’m a big girl when you make that call.’ I can’t wait to see those episodes afterwards and see what happens.”
Callies also spoke about how the scene was important for the cast members outside of the show.
“It was pin-drop quiet throughout that whole scene … there was a level of concentration and respect and focus from all 80 people who were there that was remarkable. It was also significant that the entire cast showed up. I finished the scene and I came out, and there was almost every single member of our cast that had just come to sit and watch and be there. It was difficult, I’ll be honest. Chandler and I didn’t really talk at all the week that we were shooting that because we couldn’t really look at each other without losing it. I love that kid.”
In case you were wondering who is the baby’s daddy, Callies explains there is only one way to tell.
“The only definitive way to tell in a world where there’s no paternity test would be if the baby has blue eyes, then the baby is Rick’s … both Rick and Carl have blue eyes, and it’s a recessive trait. Shane had brown eyes, and Lori had brown eyes. If it’s a brown-eyed baby, there’s no way to know.”