Bernthal reflected on his emotional reaction to his exit from The Walking Dead.

Jon Bernthal, known for his tough on-screen roles, admitted he wept after leaving the ABC post-apocalyptic drama The Walking Dead. Throughout its run, the show featured a variety of characters, including Bernthal’s unstable, merciless, and lovestruck Shane Walsh, a character who appeared in the first two seasons before being killed by Rick Grimes.

A still from The Walking Dead | Credit: AMC

The 47-year-old actor reflected on his departure as he candidly revealed instead of saying goodbye directly, he took a different approach to wrap up his time, which made him realize how much he valued the show and the people he worked with.

Jon Bernthal’s Candid Reflection on His Exit From The Walking Dead

After making his acting debut in the early 2000s, Jon Bernthal gained recognition portraying the role of Shane Walsh in The Walking Dead. In a conversation with Conan O’Brien, the actor reflected on finally getting a significant role on the show, only to have it abruptly end.

Jon Bernthal as Shane Walsh | Credit: AMC

“It’s like, here we are, I finally got on this show. It’s finally taken off, and boom, they got me the hell outta there,” he shared. He also recalled visiting the set to pick up his stuff from where he witnessed the filming of the first episode that no longer included him.

While he wanted to say goodbye to his co-stars, The Punisher star chose to quietly observe the symphony among the cast and crew of the show and came to the realization that he was no longer part of it. He shared on Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast,

I just sat on this rock in the woods and watched this sort of beautiful symphony. I saw Norman doing his thing and Scott Wilson, rest in peace, just standing out on the… you know bellowing, and just this beautiful crew, and these people there, my family. And I saw them all working, and I just palpably understood I’m not part of that anymore.

The Walking Dead | Credit: AMC

And as the realization settled in, he was overcome with emotion. “I sat there, and I weeped, and I felt sorry for myself,” he said before adding, “I knew it was over.” Despite his departure, the actor shared that he is grateful for the show and the lifelong friends he earned working on the show.

Jon Bernthal Expressed Gratitude Towards The Walking Dead

Despite his limited time on the show, Jon Bernthal expressed gratitude towards the show and playing a character with a complete arc. “The only thing I can look at with Walking Dead is just unbelievable full gratitude,” he said.

The Fury star further stated, “What a privilege, what an honor, what a thing to play a character with a real beginning, middle, and end.” Along with the significant professional experience, Bernthal also highlighted the invaluable friendships he formed with his co-stars, describing them as “lifelong friends.”

“These are like lifelong friends who really taught me how to be an artist and a father and a husband all at the same time,” he said while emphasizing that his co-stars from the show have been his closest friends in the industry.

The Walking Dead is available to stream on Netflix.