Zombie drama The Walking Dead is proving a hit with hearing-impaired viewers around the world – not least because two of its cast members are themselves deaf.

“They’re just thrilled to actually see more representation on the screen and not just by one deaf actor, but two,” says Lauren Ridloff, who plays journalist Connie on the show.

While Connie, like Ridloff herself, does not speak and relies on sign language, her sister Kelly (played by fellow deaf actor Angel Theory) can talk and often acts as her interpreter.

Lauren Ridloff, who plays Connie on The Walking Dead, says the series is “a wonderful sample of how deaf people are not all the same”.
Supplied / Not-For-Syndication

“It’s a wonderful sample of how deaf people are not all the same. With Kelly, you notice the hearing-loss journey that she’s on, how she’s reacting to it and also the grief that she’s experienced,” Ridloff says.

“That’s the opposite of Connie who’s been deaf from birth and never experienced any kind of loss, so there’s no need for that grief.”

It mirrors the real-life stories of the two actors. Ridloff was born deaf – and has two deaf sons – while Theory started losing her hearing after a car crash in her teens.

Connie debuted on The Walking Dead in its ninth season and her fellow survivors quickly learnt that despite her disability, she had an excellent ability to read people and situations and sniff out the first signs of trouble.

The former Miss Deaf America says she had no idea what the writers had in mind when she joined The Walking Dead.

“And I still don’t truly know exactly what’s going to happen moment to moment and I think that’s kind of the beauty of The Walking Dead,” she says. “Just like in real life, I have no idea what’s going to be happening tomorrow.”

While Connie is a character in the original The Walking Dead comic books, she bears little resemblance to Ridloff’s character.

“The only thing that is similar really is the name. After that everything kind of deviates so I really relied a lot on my knowledge of the show as a fan to blend in and be part of that new character,” she says.

It has been a busy few years for Connie. After surviving the cave-in that trapped her among Alpha’s (Samantha Morton) walker horde in season 10, Connie collapsed and was found by helpful stranger Virgil (Kevin Carroll).

Angel Theory as Kelly and Lauren Ridloff as Connie on The Walking Dead. Ridloff admits when she started on the series, “I kept wondering, ‘When is she going to get killed off?’. I expected that to happen.”
Supplied / Not-For-Syndication

The character disappeared until towards the end of the first part of the 11th season (in real life Ridloff was away playing superhero Makkari in Eternals), when she was seen escaping the creepy Ferals before reuniting with her sister Kelly and returning to Alexandria – just as the community came under attack by walkers during a violent storm.

After surviving the attack, Connie is now living in the Commonwealth where she enjoys some status as a one-time-renowned journalist who was responsible for exposing corrupt politicians.

“In the beginning, I kept wondering, ‘When is she going to get killed off?’. I expected that to happen and I was like, ‘Bring it on’,” Ridloff says. “And then I became a series regular and I was like, ‘OK, I guess I’m going to be staying here for a little while’. And I’m still here.”

There was a nervous moment last year when show runner Angela Kang and writer Scott Gimple called her on Zoom.

“I was at our beach house and I was like, ‘Here’s Angela and Scott and they’re in their offices and they look very serious’ and my very first thought was, ‘OK, so this is it’. But no, it was actually just a heads up that season 11 was going to be the final season.”

Ridloff says knowing the show is nearing its end is bittersweet.

“In the beginning, my relationship with this show was as a fan. I have been a massive fan since the very first episode,” she says.

Lauren Ridloff, as Connie on The Walking Dead, says she wanted this season ”to be perfect”.
Supplied / Not-For-Syndication

“I was hooked on the story of Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Shane (Jon Bernthal) and I wanted more.

“And now, I’m here as an actor, as a pivotal character, and I feel a responsibility to give the fans what they deserve after the years of loyalty that they’ve given to the show.”

This caused her some anxiety during production of the final 24 episodes.

“I wanted this season to be perfect. I want to give the audience what they deserve. And I think probably what is most challenging is just keeping my focus on the story and my focus on Connie, and her arc and her growth as a character and to not (let myself) get distracted by performance anxiety.”

The Walking Dead, TVNZ 2, Monday