Thanks to Digital Spy, we have the following interview with The Walking Dead's Danai Gurira; the actress cast as 'Michonne' after the iconic character made her anonymous debut in the closing minutes of the season two premiere. Below are a few key excerpts, but be sure to click on the link at the bottom of the page to read the interview in full. The Walking Dead returns to AMC on Sunday, October 14th.
On How The TV Version Of 'Michonne' Differs From The Comic Book Version:
It's been a lot of love, so that's really been the overwhelming experience I've had. People are really excited that she's finally alive and they can see who she's alive through. It's just been an overwhelming amount of love I have received from people, from fans of the book and the show. We all know that the TV show has never literally interpreted the book - it always does its own thing. It's a different genre of storytelling so it has to, of course. It would be wretchedly predictable if it did follow the book to the letter. This Michonne... definitely a lot of the same aspects are there, but she is reinterpreted for the screen and we will see how people respond to that. Ultimately I think we've retained a lot of who she is known to be, but when someone comes to life there have to be some differences from what is there on the page.
On Why 'Michonne' Decided To Save 'Andrea' At The End Of Season Two:
We see in the season finale earlier this year that Michonne saved her and the reason she saved her is... she sees a fighter. She sees someone who is a strong woman who won't go down without a fight. Andrea is running and fighting - she's running out of ammo and bashing their heads in and won't go down without a fight! Michonne is watching all of this, and Michonne doesn't do anything unless she understands why she is doing it. She listens to her instincts, so she takes out the zombie and saves Andrea. I see a fellow woman of strength and determination and know that's someone I can hang with. I think that dynamic you can definitely see going into the next season - a mutual respect.
On The Training Required To Use 'Michonne''s Swords:
I had to do a lot of work and it was intense and it was a lot. It required a lot of commitment, focus and dedication, but of course I was more than willing to give it that to give her the life she needed. I did enjoy it after a while, but at first it was painful and a lot of muscles I never knew were needed in life were needed for that weapon! It was a new experience in that regard - I'm quite athletic and active but it's a whole other ball-park, a whole other thing. When I started to feel more comfortable and find my own body's response to the weapon and live in it more, it became really fun. I love having it, I love using it and I love every aspect of it - it's an amazing weapon. I started watching samurai films - obviously I'm never going to do it like them but just watching how they manoeuvre the weapon is very inspiring. It's such an interestingly delicate yet powerfully precise relationship [she has with her sword] and I love it. I think that is so Michonne too, y'know? She is efficient and she is precise.
On Joining The Cast And Working With David Morrissey, a.k.a. 'The Governor':
It probably sounds terrible because we're enemies in the show and in the book, but I love David and we do hang out and we do have a good time! He's hilarious and he's very great to work with - he is an awesome guy. It's been great to connect with the new cast mates as well as the old. It really does feel like a gift to be among this group of actors.
On What It Has Been Like To Spend Time On The Prison Set:
Yeah, from the time I've spent there, it is very impressive and very interesting and very authentic-looking. There are amazing amounts of detail, like the splattered blood against the wall. I would try and go up into a little area to do my own little prep for a scene and because I didn't know the set, I walked into the place where [on the show] the guards watch over the common room and there's this dead guard in there who'd shot his own brains out! I was like, 'Oh God!' - there are these little things that they put in there that are really amazing.