What are the Walking Dead's ex-cast members up to now?
With a few notable exceptions, most shows are reluctant to kill off their main characters.The Walking Dead, however, more than lives up to its name, regularly butchering cast members every season.
This particular zombie apocalypse has taken a number of fan favourites over the years and now that Rick Grimes is leaving too, no-one on the show is safe. However, dying on The Walking Dead doesn't mean that your career will die too.
While we wait to see how the upcoming time jump will play out in season 9, join us as we take a look at what some of the most popular characters from The Walking Dead have been up to since they shuffled off to a new life outside of the show.
1. Dale (Jeffrey DeMunn)
How he died: Dale unfortunately encountered a walker on patrol that Carl provoked earlier in the day and was subsequently disemboweled before Daryl shot him in the head.
What he did next: After he left The Walking Dead, DeMunn took on a recurring role in the short-lived show Mob City, which was created by regular collaborator Frank Darabont. On top of that, he also appeared in programs like The Good Wife and The Blacklist, but hasn't yet nabbed another recurring role as juicy as Dale.
2. Shane (Jon Bernthal)
How he died: Shane's descent from hero to villain across the first two seasons ended after he was stabbed in the chest, then shot by Carl after turning into a walker.
What he did next: Bernthal's brief tenure on The Walking Dead left a powerful impact that will continue to be felt in season 9 when the actor somehow returns, but that doesn't mean his career hasn't thrived since he first left the show. Aside from roles in the likes of Baby Driver, The Accountant and The Wolf of Wall Street, Bernthal also became a superhero of sorts in Marvel's Punisher series, which has been renewed for a second season.
3. Merle (Michael Rooker)
How he died: Daryl's antagonistic brother only appeared in a handful of episodes across the first two seasons, but finally became a recurring character in season 3, just in time for the Governor to shoot him in the chest. Cue a devastating scene where zombie Merle is put down by his brother, something which is even more painful to watch knowing that Rooker's character finally had a heroic change of heart just before he died.
What he did next: Just like Bernthal, Rooker also joined the Marvel universe, taking on the role of Yondu Udonta in Guardians of the Galaxy Vols 1 & 2. Director James Gunn also cast his friend in another one of his films called The Belko Experiment, and voice work for The Walking Dead videogames kept the star busy too. Rooker doesn't have many projects lined up in the future, but a cameo in the upcoming Mary Poppins movie must surely be on the cards.
4. Andrea (Laurie Holden)
How she died: Initially a fan favourite, Andrea lost her way somewhat in season 3, but she still didn't deserve to be locked in a room with someone who had been infected by a walker. After he attacked her, Andrea managed to escape and then shot herself in the head before she could turn completely into a walker herself.
What she did next: Holden has been busy in both films and TV, appearing as a love interest in The Americans while also starring in the comedy sequel Dumb and Dumber II and Pyewacket, a well-received horror movie. Next up is a part in the action thriller Dragged Across Concrete, which also stars Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn.
5. Beth (Emily Kinney)
How she died: To escape the hospital that she'd been held prisoner in, Beth stabbed her captor with a pair of scissors, but she was then tragically shot in the head by accident before she could be reunited with her friends.
What she did next: Recurring roles in the TV shows Conviction and Ten Days in the Valley unfortunately didn't last long as both were soon cancelled, but Kinney will soon have a recurring role in the upcoming Netflix series Messiah, which will explore how the world reacts when a man claims to be the world's saviour. Oh, and there's always a chance that she'll return to the Arrow-verse too as the bee-obsessed villain, Brie Larvan.
6. Glenn (Steven Yeun)
How he died: In one of the most gruesome and controversial moments ever depicted on The Walking Dead, Glenn had his head smashed in by Negan with help from his beloved baseball bat, Lucille.
What he did next: Initially, Yeun stuck mostly to voice acting roles in animated shows like Trollhunters and Voltron: Legendary Defender. However, he's since gone on to star in a variety of movies shot in both the States and his homeland, South Korea, including Okja, Sorry To Bother You and Burning, which opened to rave reviews this year at Cannes.
7. Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green)
How she died: Negan trapped Sasha in a coffin after she failed to assassinate him. In revenge, she took her own life and, transformed into a walker, almost succeeded in killing her captor.
What she did next: Alongside her time on The Walking Dead, Martin-Green also had recurring roles on New Girl and Once Upon a Time, but she's now more successful than ever thanks to her part on Star Trek: Discovery, where she became the first black woman to lead the franchise.
8. Carl (Chandler Riggs)
How he died: After Carl is bitten by a walker, he spends one last day saying goodbye to his loved ones before taking his own life in a church while Rick and Michonne wait outside.
What he did next: As one of the younger stars to leave the show, Riggs has a bright future ahead of him, including two movies called Only and Inherit the Viper which also star Freida Pinto and Josh Hartnett respectively.
The Walking Dead airs on AMC in the US, and on FOX and Now TV in the UK.
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