And then there were three.
But one of the followers just found herself elevated to name-brand status after saving their leader.
But it also showed something else.
Gene Page/AMC
We met two sisters among the Whisperers' ranks.
Alpha rewarded that decision by dubbing her savior Gamma.
(Also read our episode Q&As withshowrunner Angela Kang, andRyan Hurst, who plays Beta.)
Jace Downs/AMC
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did this whole casting process go down where you ended up playing Gamma?
And I was super intrigued.
So what was the homework you had to do?
I had to watch the show!
It’s kind of a rabbit hole situation that I dived into willingly.
What was the hook that really got you excited about playing Gamma?
Also, I love sweating my butt off, and stabbing things that are already dead.
So I was super excited.
I didn’t get a lot of information up front.
What’s it like wearing that zombie skin mask?
It’s actually a wonderful exfoliant.
You just take that deep dive, and you’re all in.
It’s been a blast, honestly.
Have you gotten any ticks or chigger bites working in the woods down there in Georgia?
One will be the polite, friendly bug spray that’s nontoxic, blah, blah blah.
And then the DEET, which is the opposite of the polite stuff.
And I always go, “No, no, no, give me the toxicity.
Let’s go.”
Do you have a backstory for Gamma’s life before the apocalypse, or did Angela give you one?
Like it all works.
She always has like a lot going on, and honestly it might even come across as slightly confusing.
Gamma also has a tough love approach to her own sister.
Why then does she ultimately choose saving Alpha over her sister?
I believe that in that moment it’s very much a snap decision.
So when it’s do or die, what are you going to do?
You’re going to protect the pilot.
And any other personal concern isn’t really even registering in that moment.
I think she’s just not thinking.
She’s just, like, protect the president.
She’s like a secret service agent.
So is that a survival instinct to you?
It’s a mixture of survival, but also I think that there’s fear there.
Gamma’s got this sycophantic quality about Alpha.
But also I think that that comes out of a place of fear.
Gamma knows very well what happens if you find yourself in a disagreement with Alpha.
I think that that’s not something that she would really ever want to face.
How do you think Beta feels about her new position?
He doesn’t seem too happy about it, I got to say.
I don’t think that that Gamma and Beta were friends before this.
Did you have to practice your Whisperer walk at all before filming?
It’s kind of a funny story about that.
It was my first shot and I’m like, “Oh, okay.
I’ll do that.
How do I Whisperer walk?”
I’m like, “Oh, okay.
That’s helpful.”
So, I just kind of learned a lot from the extras.
What can you tell us about what is coming up with Gamma in the future here onThe Walking Dead?
What I can say, for sure, is there are many Gammas.
She constantly has two simultaneous thought processes running through her head at a congruent time.
And remorse is a thing that she ultimately has to contend with as well.
Also read our episode Q&As withshowrunner Angela Kang, andRyan Hurst, who plays Beta.
And for moreWalking Deadscoop, follow Dalton on Twitter@DaltonRoss.
