Without a doubt, one of the most popular characters in Robert Kirkman's Walking Dead saga is Michonne. However, actress Danai Guirra was unfamiliar will the series or television show prior to auditions. Before auditioning, Guirra said that she had heard about "The Walking Dead," but never watched because, "I'm a scaredy-cat, honestly. I don’t watch scary things," she said while laughing. But it was the toughness of Michonne that drew her to the role. "I've always wanted to play someone who is just active, fierce and kind of scary," said the actress.
And while she had never watched the show or read the series, she was definitely aware of the show's immense popularity. "I pay attention to the trades and what critics are saying about new shows so I knew that it was considered a stunning piece of work… When I got the first audition, I watched the first full season on Netflix. I got so sucked in because it's a filmic piece of work… I remember watching a scene that was really riveting before my final audition, and somewhere from the deepest part of my being came out of my mouth, 'I want to be a part of this!'"
So is she basing her portrayal of Michonne solely on the script and her own interpersonal sensibilities or has she read the comic books? "I wanted to read the comic books, so they got me everything that had been published so far. I have read almost all of them. They were very helpful to me with some strange, physical things. The way that Charlie Adlard draws Michonne, even her eyes and her expression in them, were very telling to me about who she is and about her pain and sadness and rage. She is inspired from that depiction so it was important to see what birthed her."
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The Walking Dead is an American post-apocalyptic horror television series developed for television by Frank Darabont. It is based on the comic book series, The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore, and Charlie Adlard.
The series stars Andrew Lincoln as Sheriff's Deputy Rick Grimes who wakes up after being in a coma to find the world dominated by "walkers", resembling the zombies of George A. Romero's horror movies. He sets out to find his family and other survivors along the way.
The series premiered on October 31, 2010, and is broadcast on the cable television channel AMC in the United States. The first season premiered to wide acclaim and was nominated for several awards, including the Best Television Series Drama at the 68th Golden Globe Awards. Based on its reception, AMC renewed the series for a second season of 13 episodes which premiered on October 16, 2011. Two episodes into the second season, AMC announced that the show would return for a third season.
The first season of The Walking Dead was well received by critics, with a rating of 82 out of a 100 on Metacritic. The season one premiere was watched by over 5.3 million people. The season two premiere was watched by more than 7 million viewers. The Walking Dead also received many nominations, including a Writers Guild of America Award and a Golden Globe Award for a Best Television Series Drama.
Running Time: 60 minutes (45 min actual air time)
Release Date: October 14 (Season 3-premiere)
TV Rating: TV-MA for sex & nudity, violence & gore, profanity, alchohol/drugs/smoking and frightening/intense scenes
Starring: Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal,Sarah Wayne Callies,Laurie Holden, Jeffrey DeMunn, Steven Yeun, Chandler Riggs, Norman Reedus
Creators: Frank Darabont (show) Robert Kirkman (comic)
Written by: Frank Darabont, Charles H. Eglee, Jack LoGiudice, Robert Kirkman, Glen Mazzara, Adam Fierro, Charlie Adlard, Tony Moore, Evan T. Reilly