The actor behind The Walking Dead‘s endearing Kingdom resident Jerry has commented on his character’s contribution to the AMC series and how Jerry became on of the few beacons of hope in the zombie apocalypse. The Walking Dead season 8 continued this week with “Some Guy” and focused squarely on the current misfortunes of King Ezekiel and his followers. Last week’s complacency quickly became the King’s downfall, as Ezekiel’s mission resulted in the loss of many Kingdom lives, including his beloved tiger, Shiva.
Aside from Ezekiel and Carol, the only other survivor of the mission was the King’s right-hand man, Jerry. Played by Cooper Andrews, Jerry has been one of The Walking Dead‘s unsung heroes since debuting in season 7, providing one of the show’s few (some might say its only) comedic outlet. Jerry’s commitment to the Kingdom’s Shakespearean way of life, his endless enthusiasm and his massive axe quickly endeared this TV-only figure to The Walking Dead‘s legion of fans.
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Andrews has now given some insight into the creation and function of his character on The Walking Dead. Speaking earlier this week (via My AJC), the actor states:
“I love this part, the fan in me was really really trying to make this character special without taking up all this space… I know it’s an ensemble. I’m like the pretty mailbox in a picture with a big house and yard. I’m that guy… In order to be happy in this world, Jerry’s learned to move on, I didn’t want him carrying any ghosts… I get this question all the time: ‘How could he be so happy in the apocalypse?’ It’s not the apocalypse for him. This is the new world. This is how life is now. He’ll find the optimism where he can, the light in every dark side.”
One complaint frequently leveled at The Walking Dead is that it can sometimes venture a little too far into dark and serious territory, with moments of levity truly few and far between. The introduction and recent focus on Jerry is perhaps somewhat of a remedy for this issue, with the character’s immediately likable personality and wisecracking ways contrasting nicely against the show’s usual helping of blood, death and impending doom.
As things stand, Jerry is perhaps more a cult favorite than other popular figures on The Walking Dead due to his relative lack of screen time but “Some Guy” marked the character’s most revealing episode yet, particularly in regards to his relationship with Ezekiel and the possible cracks in his happy-go-lucky persona. As such, it’s possible that as All Out War rumbles on, viewers will get to see more of Ezekiel’s personal bodyguard – especially since there aren’t exactly many Kingdom members left to feature.
Of course, in The Walking Dead, it’s wise to never get too attached to a character, especially as many cast members have confirmed that this season will be a particularly bloody one. Is there a morbid possibility that The Walking Dead could be building up Jerry’s popularity, only for Negan to cruelly snatch him away in a later episode?
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The Walking Dead continues with “The Big Scary U” November 19th on AMC.
