GLEN SAID, “NO, YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND. HE SAID, YOU’LL BE TAKEN OUT IN THE 11TH OR 12TH EPISODE – I’M NOT SURE WHICH ONE.”

Can you imagine a Season 3 storyline of The Walking Dead that didn’t include Hershel Green, played by actor, Scott Wilson?  As the resident father, grandfather, god father, physician and voice of reason, where would Walking Dead be without him.  Scott Wilson spoke with The Walker Stalkers Podcast with James and Eric on Friday about The Walking Dead, the return of Season 3, and his amazing character, Hershel Greene.  Scott answered fan questions and gave insight into his decorated career and the character, Hershel.

“I hitchhiked to California at age 19 and I actually got drunk and ended up in an acting class,” said Wilson, when asked about how he got into acting.  From there on, Wilson has been in countless film and television productions.  When he stumbled into that acting class, he felt sorry for what he had done and returned to apologize to the instructor.  He was given a monologue to perform and became an actor. Wilson said, “I found that I loved it and this is it!”

After an amazing career, Scott still had never participated in a production that took place in his home state of Georgia.  He tells the story:
“I was talking to an old school friend of mine and mentioned that with as much production that had taken place in Georgia, that I had never worked in Georgia.  An hour later the phone rang and it was about The Walking Dead.  The people that were involved with it, Frank Darabont and Gale Anne Hurd, are certain names that you see those names and you say, “let me look a little closer at this.” 

And I watched the first season and I became a huge fan of the show.

I think the cast was just incredible and the scripts were wonderful. Then I got involved.  And, I’m glad that I did because it’s a lot of fun.”

For Wilson, there is a new-found recognition that has come with The Walking Dead and the show’s success.  “I don’t think anyone could have expected the show to go over as it has.  But, Robert Kirkman’s books had a huge following so there was a fan base that came with the acquisition for television.” Scott continues, “I’ve been around for a long time.  But, I’ve never had the public reaction that I have now.  I was driving down through the bottle neck in Atlanta.  It was kind of slow traffic.  All of a sudden I hear, “Hershel” this guy and his wife were leaning over and they were waving and smiling.  I gave them the thumbs up.”

As always, the production team executed perfect casting in choosing Scott Wilson to play Hershel Greene.  But Hershel wasn’t intended to last as long as he has on the show.

“Prior to last season, I got a call that I was going to be taken out by Glen Mazzara.  Then I said, well, it’s been fun!  He said, “I don’t want to take you out.” I said, “It’s okay, you’ll get over it.” And Glen said, “No, you don’t understand. Anyway, he said you’ll be taken out in the 11th or 12th episode – I’m not sure which one.” As the scripts came in, you start looking to see where you’ll be taken out and didn’t happen last season.”

Getting a phone call from one of the show’s producers, on a show like The Walking Dead, is typically viewed as a death march – you are informed that your character is being killed and it’s a move towards the end of the actor’s participation on the show. 

Unfortunately for Scott, he received a second phone call from a producer.  This time it was Executive Producer and Effects Supervisor, Greg Nicotero.  But this call wasn’t for the death of Hershel, it was for the death of Hershel’s leg.  Wilson said, “So starting this season, I got a call from Greg about the leg and going out for him to make a cast of the leg.  It was kind of a shock.  I understand it because I think the logic and the reason behind it is what that you have veterans who loose limbs in wars.  So here we are.”

Hershel may have lost his leg, but don’t worry about him losing his trademark beard and ponytail, “I’m keeping it now just to see how long it will grow.”