Although the series came to an end in 2022, the main characters of The Walking Dead continue to hold a special place in fans' hearts. The eleven-season franchise focuses on a group of survivors after a zombie apocalypse and ended up revolutionizing the genre with its well-crafted plot and captivating characters.
Want to know more about the cast of The Walking Dead? This article is especially for you! Here we've separated the eleven central characters of the plot, taking into account their relevance and how much they appear in the series. You'll also find fun facts about the actors who played them and much more! Come and see if your favorite character is on the list!
Glenn (Steven Yeun)
Glenn was one of The Walking Dead's most striking main characters. It was with him that the protagonist Rick had one of his first contacts and it was also he who ended up starring in one of the series' most popular scenes when he was eliminated by Negan in the seventh season in a situation very similar to the one portrayed in the comics that gave rise to the work.
Steven Yeun is the actor behind Glenn's charisma in the series. The actor has already been nominated for an Oscar in 2021 for his work in Minari: In Search of Happiness. He was also scheduled to appear in the MCU film Thunderbolts, but left the project due to the actors' and screenwriters' strike that took place in 2023.
Aaron (Ross Marquand)
Aaron is another of The Walking Dead's main characters who has won the public's affection, even though he only appeared in the fifth season. The boy is an incredible fighter and becomes a key part of Rick's group of survivors, even after he leaves the series.
His interpreter, Ross Marquand, is also an excellent actor and shows all the dedication that the character demands when he appears on screen. You may remember him from his role as the Red Skull in the MCU film Avengers: Infinity War and also from his voice acting work in various animations such as Invincible (2021).
Carl (Chandler Riggs)
Carl is the son of protagonist Rick. He's one of the characters with the most potential in the franchise, but he also has one of the most fan-hated endings of the entire Walking Dead cast. That's because he ended up being eliminated to save another character who didn't even get much screen time after that, moving away from the boy's fate in the comics.
Actor Chandler Riggs was highly praised by the public when he played Carl on the big screen. He managed to portray the character's emotions well, even when fans were already disappointed with his end. On his CV you'll also find works such as Wanted (2019), Evil Pact (2014) and Keep Watching (2017).
Eugene (Josh McDermitt)
Eugene was presented as a kind of antagonist at the beginning, full of lies and stories to get protection, but over time he became an ally and one of the main characters in The Walking Dead. His cunning made him one of the only people to finish the series alive, and he also helped the group at various points in the plot.
Josh McDermitt is the actor who plays Eugene in the series, and his work has left audiences very satisfied, both in terms of characterization and acting. If you're interested in his other work, you can find him in the series Retired at 35 and also in the movie Crime in Hollywood 2021.
Judith (Cailey Fleming)
Sweet and helpful Judith is the daughter of protagonist Rick and one of the main characters in The Walking Dead most beloved by fans of the series. Her entire life story, from birth to adolescence, was shown during the plot, which brought viewers very close to the character and created a great affection for her.
Due to the fact that she has appeared in several age groups since her first appearance, Judith has changed actresses a lot, but the one who made the biggest mark in the role was Caley Fleming. The girl has also made appearances in the MCU series Loki and in 2018's The Punisher. Her acting and charisma are noteworthy and her presence is striking whenever she's on stage, even if she doesn't have any major awards to her name.
Rosita (Christian Serratos)
Rosita only joined the main characters of The Walking Dead in the fourth season, but that didn't stop her from becoming a fan favorite. She was the central figure in the scene in which a storm occurs and she single-handedly defends Alexandria from a gigantic amount of zombies by showing what she is capable of.
Christian Serratos plays Rosita very well, giving the character the necessary touches to make her as popular as she is today. His work can also be seen in the Twilight movies where he played the character Angela Weber, a friend of the protagonist Bella.
Michonne (Danai Gurira)
The next of The Walking Dead's main characters to earn a place on this list is Michonne. The woman specializes in cutting up zombies with her katana and stars in several impact scenes in which she has to kill these monsters with her combat tool. She has a different fate from the comics in the series, leaving the scene during the tenth season to look for Rick.
The actress who plays Michonne is Danai Gurira, who also played General Okoye in Wakanda in the MCU. The number of strong, independent women on Gurira's character résumé is quite large and says a lot about the actress's ability. There's no denying Michonne's importance among the main characters in The Walking Dead, and even less the talent of the actress who plays her.
Rick (Andrew Lincoln)
One of The Walking Dead's most important main characters is Rick Grimes, who has been the franchise's protagonist since the first season. He was a respected sheriff before the zombie apocalypse struck, having woken up from a coma with the monsters already spread across the Earth. He goes in search of his family on an emotional journey and ends up becoming the leader of a group of survivors.
He's played by British actor Andrew Lincoln, who has made quite a name for himself for his role, being the one most remembered as his character among the actors in The Walking Dead. However, although his fame is more attributed to the fact that he played Rick in the series, you can also follow his work in series such as Talking Dead, This Life and Strike Back.
Maggie (Lauren Cohan)
Maggie is one of the main characters in The Walking Dead and also one of those who has appeared on screen the most throughout the series. She was married to Glenn for a long time and became one of the key members for the group's survival, helping a lot during the incident that became known as "open skies".
American actress and model Lauren Cohan brings Maggie to life on the big screen. She has many action, thriller and horror films under her belt, making her stand out in this field. You can see her work in titles such as Boneco do Mal (2016), 22 Milhas (2018) and in the series Diaries of a Vampire and Supernatural.
Carol (Melissa McBride)
Carol is one of the main characters in The Walking Dead who has had her fate changed the most compared to the comics that gave rise to the series. In the original, the character is eliminated very early on, unlike in the series, where she remains alive until the final moments, having taken part in several remarkable scenes, such as the moment when Lizzie, a very troubled child, is eliminated.
Melissa McBride's performance as Carol is impressive and makes it worth changing the comics to keep her alive for so long. The actress manages to show what she's here for by embodying the character in the fight against the zombies and the group's quest for survival. She can also be seen in The Fog (2007) and The Happys (2016).
Daryl (Norman Reedus)
Daryl is one of the most recognizable faces among the main characters in The Walking Dead. His sense of survival and his personality have endeared him to the public and made him more popular than even the protagonist himself. He ends up taking on a prominent role after Rick's departure from the series, acting as a father figure to Judith and the son Rick has with Michonne during the plot.
The actor who plays Daryl is Norman Reedus, a face well known to movie fans. He is an actor, director, photographer and model, showing a lot of talent in all the areas in which he has decided to act. His acting work can also be seen in the movie The Boondock Saints where he played the character Murphy MacManus.
Conclusion
The series has several other characters that have been introduced over the course of its eleven seasons, but these are the main characters of The Walking Dead in general. Did you see the franchise through to the end? What did you think of the ending? Let us know! We're looking forward to hearing what you think! Don't forget to take a look at our article about all the main characters in Prison Break!
Questions that might interest you:
Which actress stood out in The Walking Dead?
Danai Gurira, Michonne's character, has been very prominent throughout the series.
Who are the new cast members in the second season of The Walking Dead?
Hershel Greene (Scott Wilson), Maggie (Lauren Cohan), Beth (Emily Kinney), Michonne (Dani Gurira), Patricia (Jane McNeill) and Otis (Pruitt Taylor Vince) are the characters making their first appearance in the second season of The Walking Dead.
