Let’s get to know the gang outside of the zombie apocalypse.
Ranging from Oscar-winning dramas to record-breaking box office hits, the series’ ensemble cast has amassed quite the expansive and acclaimed filmography that presents each of them at their best. While TWD franchise continues to expand through its many spin-off series, each of them exploring different fan-favorite characters, these 10 TV shows and movies are perfect for lovers of the show who can’t wait for the spin-offs to drop to see their favorite actors on screen again.
10‘Star Trek: Discovery’ (2017 – 2024)
Sonequa Martin-Green as Michael Burnham
Sonequa Martin-Green‘s plucky sniper, Sasha, became a fan-favorite on The Walking Dead, with the actress bringing the character to the screen in a manner that established her reclusive and stand-offish nature while still revealing her endearing and courageous personality. While fans were sad to see her go in the Season 7 finale, they can flick over to Star Trek: Discovery to enjoy Martin-Green’s charismatic lead performance as the science specialist, Michael Burnham, aboard the USS Discovery.
The sci-fi series runs with the usual premise for Star Trek, following a crew of intergalactic adventurers as they explore the far reaches of space and come across many new lifeforms and planets, but it does so with a progressive lens that makes it feel comfortable and accessible to modern audiences. The approach, as well as the wondrous thrills associated with the Star Trek brand, have given the spin-off series a dedicated fan base throughout its five-season run.
9‘Retired at 35’ (2011 – 2012)
Josh McDermitt as Brandon
While a comedian by trade, Josh McDermitt has embedded himself in the hearts of The Walking Dead fans everywhere with his personable, plucky, and amusing portrayal of Eugene Porter. First appearing in Season 4 alongside Abraham (Michael Cudlitz) and Rosita, he claims to be a scientist of vital importance who needs to get to Washington, something that is eventually revealed to be a lie in order to receive protection. Despite his initial cowardice, Eugene gradually endears himself to viewers with his growing courage and his offbeat demeanor.
One of McDermitt’s first forays into television came in the short-lived sitcom, Retired at 35, following a young man who decides to quit his job and relocate to his parents’ retirement community only to learn that his mom and dad are on the brink of separating. Viewed as being largely derivative of other sitcoms that have run with a lovable slacker protagonist, Retired at 35 only lasted two seasons. However, it did grant McDermitt an opportunity to shine in his supporting role, showcasing his natural comedic chops that TWD viewers came to love.
8‘The Boy’ (2016)
Lauren Cohen as Greta Evans
While she had been active in both film and television before, Lauren Cohen was afforded the opportunity to make an impact on fans when she entered The Walking Dead in the show’s second season as Maggie Greene. As she fell in love with Glenn (Steven Yeun) and grew to become an invaluable leader in the group, Maggie fast became a central fan favorite, a sentiment that has only intensified as the series has gone on. While Cohen has recently appeared in The Walking Dead: Dead City to keep franchise fans happy, her performance in The Boy is worth watching as well.
The 2016 horror film plays on the common fear and unease that many people have surrounding dolls, following Greta (Cohen) as she is hired by a wealthy couple to serve as the nanny to their son. While she is shocked to find that their “son” is merely a doll, strange things begin to occur when Greta disregards the instructions left for her concerning caring for the child. It is a creepy and effective horror movie rife with the brand of tension that TWD fans have come to love in the series.
7‘Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide’ (2004-2007)
Christian Serratos as Suzie Crabgrass
It doesn’t matter who it is, there is always a peculiar buzz to seeing stars in the roles that got them started in Hollywood. This is doubly true when there is a stark contrast in the roles they began in, and the types of characters they would later be famous for playing. Christian Serratos, known to The Walking Dead fans as the formidable and resilient Rosita who is a fierce combatant with an iron will, is a wonderful example of this.
Her very first acting role came in the Nickelodeon teen comedy seriesNed’s Declassified School Survival Guide in which she plays Suzie Crabgrass across its 3-season run. As the girl that the titular Ned (Devon Werkheiser) has a crush on, who also functions as something of a rival to Jennifer (Lindsey Shaw), Suzie is the series’ integral supporting character. Amusing and creative with its premise, the series offers more fun than many would give it credit for. It is especially delightful for TWD fans who get to see the indomitable Rosita as a comical high school sweetheart.
6‘Supernatural’ (2005 – 2020)
Jeffrey Dean Morgan as John Winchester & Lauren Cohen as Bela Talbot
While he wasn’t instantly admired in The Walking Dead, Jeffrey Dean Morgan‘s charismatic villain Negan did evolve to be a uniquely adored anti-hero, even if he did have some flaws. Morgan’s captivating screen presence has also been seen in the hit series Supernatural, in which he portrays Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean’s (Jensen Ackles) father, John.
The series is actually perfect for TWD fans who haven’t seen it, excelling as a long-form television story with engaging characters, plenty of action thrills, and Supernatural‘s firm basis in the horror genre. While Jeffrey Dean Morgan is only a recurring character, his presence feels significantly greater and his moments on screen are always worth watching. Additionally, Supernatural‘s third season also features Lauren Cohen as a recurring character, with her English con artist, Bela Talbot, a far cry from the Southern survivor Maggie Greene she stars as on The Walking Dead.
5‘The Mist’ (2007)
Melissa McBride as an unnamed woman, Laurie Holden as Amanda Dunfrey, & Jeffrey DeMunn as Dan Miller
It has been made famous by its harrowing conclusion and its unnerving tone, but fans of The Walking Dead will take great delight in seeing many of the series’ earlier stars on the screen. Both Laurie Holden (who played Andrea on The Walking Dead) and Jeffrey DeMunn (Dale) appear, while it also features Melissa McBride (the fan-favorite Carol) as well.
4‘Black Panther’ (2018)
Danai Gurira as Okoye
Making her formal introduction to the series in Season 3 (following a tease at the end of the Season 2 finale), Danai Gurira‘s portrayal of Michonne has become one of The Walking Dead‘s most iconic characters. A strong-willed leader with firm conviction in her own values and a handy set of skills for killing walkers and other threats to the group, Gurira plays Michonne with a fantastic presence that captivates all viewers. Her performance as Okoye throughout the MCU has been similarly effective, with Black Panther serving as her debut in the franchise.
As it is probably the biggest cinematic property in the history of the medium, it is unlikely that fans of The Walking Dead haven’t seen Gurira in action as Okoye. Having said that, the action-packed franchise is a treat of fun yet vibrant spectacle that, like TWD, has a penchant for engrossing fight scenes and relatable, endearing characters. There is some hope that Okoye could get a spin-off series in the future.
3‘Penguin Bloom’ (2020)
Andrew Lincoln as Cam Bloom
A powerful tragedy that has no qualms about being an overt tearjerker, Penguin Bloom is an Australian film from 2020 based on the somber yet hopeful true story of the Bloom family. Sam Bloom (Naomi Watts), a loving wife and mother with a passion for the outdoors, finds her life forever changed when an accident leaves her paralyzed from the chest down. While she and her family struggle to adjust to what life will now look like, they find an unlikely helper in an injured magpie they dub “Penguin.”
It marks essential viewing for lovers of The Walking Dead as Andrew Lincoln co-stars as Sam’s loving husband, Cam Bloom. Playing an Australian, the film saw Lincoln master yet another tricky dialect while turning in a moving performance as a desperate man trying to show his distraught wife there is still plenty to live for. While the hypercritical may take aim at the movie for being overtly sentimental, no one can deny that Watts and Lincoln’s performances give it an emotional core that is both heartbreaking and beautiful.
2‘Ride With Norman Reedus’ (2016 – )
Norman Reedus as himself
While he was introduced in Season 1 as a rough-around-the-edges redneck with an aversion towards helping out the group, Norman Reedus‘ Daryl Dixon fast became a cult hero of the series, and one of the most instantly recognizable TV characters as well. Naturally, as he was on The Walking Dead through the entirety of its 11-season run, and has even appeared in a brilliant spin-off, The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, franchise fans have taken a keen interest in the actor beyond the series.
For Reedus fans, there is no better show to get hooked on than the docu-travel series Ride with Norman Reedus. With each episode featuring a different guest star, the series follows Reedus and another celebrity personality as they ride motorcycles to set locations, exploring the local area’s biker culture in the process. Multiple TWD stars have appeared, including Andrew Lincoln, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Steven Yeun, and Melissa McBride, while the series has also featured Keanu Reeves and Josh Brolin among many others.
1‘Minari’ (2020)
Steven Yeun as Jacob
Working on the assumption that many TWD have seen Steven Yeun in the hit Netflix series Beef, this American-Korean drama is the perfect place to see more of what Yeun is capable of as an actor. Minari focuses on an immigrant family in the 1980s who move from California to rural Arkansas so Jacob (Yeun) could pursue his dream of farming and selling Korean produce. However, the family faces significant obstacles along the way, the most apparent of which is their young son’s heart condition.
The film became a critical hit, earning universal acclaim for its touching tale of family aspirations that never shirked the opportunity to address its themes of cultural assimilation and the hardships faced uniquely by immigrants. Steven Yeun was celebrated for his starring performance, and was even nominated for Best Lead Actor at the Academy Awards. After seeing him break into the industry through The Walking Dead, it is a treat for fans to see how he has excelled in his career after his character’s horrific death in the Season 7 premiere.
