It’s been almost five years since The Walking Dead first premiered on AMC. When the series was originally announced, names like Andrew Lincoln and Jon Bernthal were known to only a few. This crazy new series about the zombie apocalypse seemed like a shot in the dark with the majority of those involved being unsure if it would live beyond its original six-episode order.
Now, it seems that every name attached to AMC’s television juggernaut is a star. Robert Kirkman has become a household name that carries with it a rabid sort of fandom as he branches out from comic books to numerous other TV projects and soon, the big screen.
One of those TV projects is Fear The Walking Dead, The Walking Dead‘s new sister series, which will premiere on AMC this Sunday.
We already know that the new show will explore how the undead infection spreads, causing the full societal collapse familiar to fans of The Walking Dead. However, unfamiliar to many are the cast members taking on the various roles in L.A.’s soon-to-be decaying urban sprawl. So to get you zombiephiles up to speed, here’s where you may have previously seen the cast of AMC’s Fear The Walking Dead.
Cliff Curtis
Cliff Curtis has taken on the role of Travis Manawa in the new series. Manawa is a recently divorced school teacher who does his best to raise his kids while courting a new romance with Madison Clark, the school’s guidance counselor. Manawa has made a name for himself on the big screen with a variety of roles in films such as Three Kings, Live Free or Die Hard, The Fountain, and Sunshine. Recently, he played Mexican drug lord Javier Acosta in Fox’s short-lived series Gang Related. Oh, and let’s not forget his memorable turn as gang member named Smiley in Antoine Fuqua’s Training Day.
Kim Dickens
Probably the most recognizable actor on the Fear The Walking Dead roster, Kim Dickens is playing the role of guidance counselor Madison Clark who is the love interest to Sean Cabrera. In recent years, Dickens has been featured in some pretty high profile projects like LOST, Friday Night Lights, Treme, House Of Cards and Gone Girl. However, she’s mostly recognized for her portrayal of brothel owner Joanie Stubbs on HBO’s Deadwood which — by the way — makes her portrayal of escort agency owner Colette Jane on Sons of Anarchy seem like weird bit of typecasting.
Rubén Blades
Rubén Blades has built an intriguing career in entertainment over the past four decades. Getting his start in the world of Latin Jazz, Blades is a 7-time Grammy Award-winner and an icon in his home country of Panama where he ran a failed campaign for the country’s presidency in 1994.
Aside from his work in politics and music, he’s also an actor who has appeared in films like Predator 2 (Danny “Danny Boy” Archuleta), The X-Files (Conrad Lozano), Once Upon A Time In Mexico (Jorge FBI) and Safe House (Carlos Villar). In Fear The Walking Dead, Blades will take on the role of an immigrant barber named Daniel Salazar whose troubled past comes back to haunt him.
Elizabeth Rodriguez
Elizabeth Rodriguez is playing the role of recently divorced nursing student Liza Ortiz. While her new job requires her to take on a more nurturing role, most people recognize her from her as the abrasive Aleida Diaz on Netflix’s Orange Is The New Black. She’s also been seen as Paz in Starz’s Power and as Agent Chavez on NBC’s supernatural procedural series Grimm.
Colman Domingo
Playing the role of “Strand” on the new series is Colman Domingo (pictured above on the left). While not much is known of the mysterious role, the actor’s resume is filled with compelling roles in some high profile films. The Tony Award-nominated broadway actor has worked with Stephen Spielberg on Lincoln, was featured in Lee Daniels’ The Butler, played the role of Ralph Abernathy in Selma, and even appeared in an episode of Cinemax’s brilliant series The Knick as Dr. Russell Daniels. I threw that last one in because my love for The Knick is undying…like a zombie!
Other Notables In The Cast
Rounding out the cast are Mercedes Mason, who is most known for her performance as Louise Leonard on ABC’s short-lived ridiculous series 666 Park Avenue. She’s also appeared in Chuck, Californication and NCIS: Los Angeles and will be playing the role of Daniel Salazar’s daughter Ophelia Salazar.
Alycia Debnam-Carey will play Madison Clark’s daughter Alicia and has been seen in films Into The Storm and The Devil’s Hand while most recently playing Lexa on the CW series The 100.
Frank Dillane got his big break on Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince where he played Young Tom Riddle. Most recently, he’s been seen on the Netflix series Sense8. He’s playing Nick Clark in Fear The Walking Dead, presumably the son of Madison Clark. He’s also that semi-shirtless running drug addict featured in the first scene of the series.
