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The Walking Deadis incomplete without Andrew Lincoln’s protagonistic character Rick Grimes. Similarly it’s hard to imagine the show without Norman Reedus’ Daryl Dixon, or his on-screen best friend, Carol Peletier, played by Melissa McBride. Over the years and throughout the episodes, these original characters have been embedded in the hearts and minds of the devout fans of the show.

Norman Reedus in a scene in The Walking Dead

AMC’sThe Walking Dayis one of those shows that had had a fabulous run throughput. Debuting in 2010, the post-apocalyptic zombie horror drama had many immaculate character developments and the series has given birth to several spin-off series including,Fear the Walking Dead, Tales of the Walking Dead,The Walking Dead: Dead City,and most recently,The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.However, Dixon was not a character from the original comic bookThe Walking Deadwas based on.

Norman Reedus’ Daryl Dixon Was Not In The Comics

Norman Reedus’Daryl Dixon was indeed a fitting portrayal of the grandness of the narrative. However, Daryl Dixoncan not be found in the original comic book seriescreated byRobert Kirkman. However, Frank Darabont, one of the show’s original developers, created the character of Dixon after Reedus’ audition for Merle Dixon, albeit the role was already gone toGuardians of the Galaxystar,Michael Rooker.

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“I went to Los Angeles for pilot season and that’s where all the TV shows are cast and first thought of and, um, I went out there and was just stacks of scripts it was buddy buddy, roommate drama, cop drama, lawyer drama and then Walking Dead it was so original but I heard all the parts were cast and I just said you know let me come in and audition for anything and I’ll play a day on it because it’s so good,”Reedus said in an interview withThe Wall Street Journal.

The actor further said that he wanted in for any role and that propelled him to try out Merle Dixon’s lines in the audition.“I went in and I read those lines and knowing that that part was taken,”he added.

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon in a scene in the wild

“And then I went back to New York and they had me do it again reading different Merle lines and then when I left, I got a phone call that Frank created a new character so that’s how that happened.”

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Arguably, Daryl Dixon is one of the most powerful characters in the show. He has the charisma of a classic biker capable of going to the extreme height to protect the ones he cares about.

Daryl Dixon Went On To Have His Own Show

Thanks to Reedus’ portrayal of Daryl Dixon,The Walking Deadfans have a new spin-off entirely based on his character, while Merle dies in the 15th episode of season 3,This Sorrowful Life,in the original show. After the end ofThe Walking Dead, Dixon went on to have his own show,The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. Reedus, who played the character for over 13 years, said,“We’re making art,”with this new show (viaEW).

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“I think with doing a show as long as The Walking Dead for that many years, whether you know it or not, you fall into a rhythm of repeating things that work. I found myself saying some of the same lines over and over, and did all the other sorts of storylines that we had done before, maybe with another character or whatever. Now, we’re not following anything.”

The actor went on to explain that the new show was quite personal to him.“I was part of a giant machine that was awesome,”Reedus said:

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“With this, there’s something really personal to me about what we’re doing, and it just feels so right. We have all the elements of The Walking Dead that people love. There are tears and screams and it’s full of all the things that the original show had — especially those early years of The Walking Dead — but it’s also unique and going to speak for itself.”

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixonshow was released last year, and it met with decent responses from critics and fans. The show claimed a 71% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Regardless, the journey of the character is no less than a spectacle over the years.

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon at a gunpoint

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The Walking DeadandThe Walking Dead: Daryl Dixonis available to stream on AMC+.

Lachit Roy

Articles Published :1031

Lachit Roy is a seasoned writer specializing in science and entertainment news. Armed with a postgraduate degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Tezpur University, he brings a wealth of knowledge and skill to his craft.Lachit is particularly passionate about crafting engaging content on entertainment news and trends. A dedicated movie enthusiast, he possesses an in-depth understanding of the cinematic world and takes joy in disseminating the latest updates to the global fandom. When not immersed in writing, Lachit can be found indulging in his love for movies and series, occasionally tending to his garden, but predominantly expanding his expertise in the realms of his interests.

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