Jeffery Dean Morgan has a few words for fans upset over Melissa McBride’s exit from The Walking Dead spinoff. Some of the more vocal viewers of the AMC drama blamed TWD star Norman Reedus, who is slated to star in the untitled spinoff.
“Some of you have gone WAY too far,” he wrote on Twitter late Thursday. “Attacking Norm for crap he has NOTHING to do with? Melissa made a call that was hers alone. She wants/needs a break. Respect that. Factors involved that are nobody’s business. Norm, who’s given more than anyone to you all. Just SHITTY.”
Some of you have gone WAY too far. TOXIC. Attacking norm for crap he has NOTHING to do with? Melissa made a call that was hers alone. She wants/needs a break. Respect that. Factors involved that are nobody’s business. Norm, who’s given more than anyone to you all. Just SHITTY.
— Jeffrey Dean Morgan (@JDMorgan) April 29, 2022
When a fan suggested that Reedus might have requested a particular location for the series to be filmed so he could be closer to his family, Morgan replied: “Norman had nothing to do with picking location. That decision is all about story, ideas… MONEY. That’s studio/network. Not actors.”
“We can say yes and do, or no, and not do… MAYBE. SOMETIMES. If we’re lucky and don’t have contract yet. Rarely does actor have that power.”
It’s unclear where the rumours of Norman requesting a location change came from but this fan reaction is typical of toxic fans and their sense of entitlement. After 11 years of watching Reedus and McBride on-screen, some fans may have developed a parasocial relationship with the pair and are now experiencing the adverse effects.
McBride, who has played Carol in The Walking Dead since the series’ launch, was to appear in a Carol-Daryl spinoff scheduled for 2023.
The spinoff will be shot in Europe according to the announcement made by AMC:
“Melissa McBride has given life to one of the most interesting, real, human and popular characters in The Walking Dead Universe.”
“Unfortunately, she can no longer participate in the previously announced spin-off focused on the Daryl Dixon and Carol Peletier characters, which will be set and filmed in Europe this summer and premiere next year. Relocating to Europe became logistically untenable for Melissa at this time. We know fans will be disappointed by this news, but The Walking Dead Universe continues to grow and expand in interesting ways, and we very much hope to see Carol again in the near future.”
Jeffrey Dean Morgan is set to star in his own TWD spinoff Isle of the Dead, set in New York City, revolving around Negan (Morgan) and Maggie (Lauren Cohan).
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