AMC's FEAR THE WALKING DEAD

Moderator Chris Hardwick

Scott M. Gimple

Andrew Chambliss

Ian Goldberg

Lennie James

Alycia Debnam-Carey

Colman Domingo

Season Six premier is Sunday October 11th, 2020 on AMC

At the end of the season Morgan is left for dead.

Ian: Okay can mean a lot of different things. Physically? Spiritually? Emotionally?

Andrew: He might need a couple of pints.

Was that Morgan with the red eyes?

Andrew: Yes, it was Morgan with the red eyes and it’s not allergies.

Lennie: Shooting with Colby, it was really kind of the time where we worked intensely with each other. She is lovely and had a slightly off kilter energy and it's lovely. Everything is just a little bit coming from an unexpected direction. That's why she made a fantastic villain. In all the villain's she is the most unnerving. She is also one of the most successful adversaries we've come across. She's not running one encampment, she's running seven, eight, nine, ten or eleven of them. So whatever she is doing is working. She's met groups like us before, but we've not met groups like hers. That smile that Colby has when she's condemning someone to death is fantastic. She is a beautifully realized character.

How would you say Virginia compares to other villain's?

Scott: She is a hero to herself and to her people. I think she ranks as the cheeriest villain's than all of the shows, but that cheeriness can turn on a dime. We are going to see other dimensions to her this season. Colby has done an amazing job crafting a threat out of a weirdly chaotic good personality. This character is going to get further dimensionalized and it’s through some really amazing story.

Victor has had quite an amazing journey, he made a deal with Virginia, what does that say?

Colman: I think he's very complicated but now that you know who Strand is that by the end of season five he has to go deep into his skill set of survival. He's got to negotiate with this person, and he goes rogue. He has got to depend on his own skillset now. He has got to trust his instincts. I believe you will see some of the elements of Victor Strand that is a survivor is going to come out.

Who does Alycia put the most trust in?

Alycia: I don't know there is a whole lot of trust going on in general. No one is trusting anyone, I think she has some serious trust issues, I guess it would be Strand because she has known him the longest. They went through so much together and he's been there for her when Madison was gone and the same with Nick. He has also taken her under his wing a little. There are sentiments of 'your mother would be proud'. She has that bond with Strang but understands that anyone can flip on a dime.

Can Alycia trust Strand?

Colman: Absolutely, you should trust me. I made a promise to Madison, but she knows Strand operates in a way that he will keep things from her.

Alycia: She knows inherently who he is because she's seen it and seen all the different aspects of him. At least she is aware of that. If you know people duplicitous personality you can navigate it.

Colman: Accepting for all of me.

Alycia: I'd hesitate to say Morgan because even though he's been peaceful and if he flipped it would be like 'whoa!'.

How has the shutdown affected the production?

Ian: We were so close to finishing the season before the shutdown. We finished writing season six and we are waiting to see what happens so when we come back, we come back safely. We are excited for where the back half of the season is going to go. We are getting antsy.

Andrew: I miss everyone.

There was a spark with Grace last season, would you like Morgan to find love?

Lennie: Yes, I think I would really. I'd like to explore what it looks like for Morgan. In season five when we were putting together Grace and Morgan's relationship, I called it the scariest thing that Morgan has faced since the apocalypse began. What she's done, he's opened a part of his heart that was locked down and belonged to his wife. Now it has opened up possibilities and it scares the hell out of Morgan. Being Morgan, it ain't going to be easy or straight forward.

Alycia: Poor Morgan, it's never easy for Morgan.

Any chance Allan and Isabel will meet again?

Scott: There is more story there, we want to explore that story more. Individually with those characters and potentially together. We were really happy how that came out and got a bigger look at the world and Al. Al was such a guarded character. The answer is there is a chance.

What are you hopes for Alicia?

Alycia: At the end of Season Five she was attempting to let go of things she was holding on to. Negative and unhappy emotions and mentality. Moving forward I hope there is a bit of renewed hope and happiness. I felt like she has been in the dark for such a long time. I want to see her take the qualities from other people and how they have survived and how to be the most successful at it with the least damage. I hope to see her be able to really land in herself and think 'I know what I'm doing, and I can lead well'. Maybe the better bits of Madison that she can do it and can do it well were its not destructive or violent.

What was the mindset going into season six?

Ian: Virginia is calling the shots and living under her rule and in her communities. It’s a paradigm shift and the thing we were interested in exploring is what does it do to the characters. What you are going to see is a different shade of these characters and they are all going to be tested in ways they haven't been tested before. How are they going to fit in Virginia's world? Are they going to rage, rebel, understand it in a different way? I think you will be surprised to see how they react in these circumstances and it's going to be a darker season because of the way these characters are going to be tested. We are going to do an anthology structure to the episodes and deep dive into the characters in Virginia's community. You are going to see a lot more that that story telling.

Colman directing episodes in the last season, talk show launched called BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH WITH COLEMAN.

Colman: You can join me at my house, and we've been approved for six more episodes, hopefully I can get people like Lennie James to join me. Basically, it’s about bringing people into our homes and connecting and getting to know people in a different way and taking a break from the world. Directing, I did an episode die hard, cool episode and features a few wonderful actors on the show. Its' fun.

Lennie James also directed an episode.

Lennie: My first time ever. Luckily, I didn't have to do much acting in the actual episode. I spent more time getting ready to do the scene then act in the scene. I have to say that I loved the experience. I have been doing this a very, very long time and I had two weeks of firsts, things I have never experienced before. I have been working on FEAR THE WALKING DEAD and I met people I never met before. It was a trip, it was really fantastic. I was given a fantastic episode that prominently features Alycia and Colman. On the morning we started filming Colman sent me a txt that said 'do this, don't do that, do this, don't do that and whatever you do, don't do that'. There is a moment where everybody stops and the director has to go okay, this is what we are doing, this is where we are shooting from, these are the different angles and the first time I did that I've never been so frightened in my life. I was in an incredibly supportive atmosphere; the crew couldn't have been more generous and I don't think I'll ever direct again. I'm so happy I got to do it with these people.

Colman: Your first time you are willing to adapt and watch you over the eight days and grow into it. I think you did beautiful work.

Lennie: It was a trip and I was given a good episode and I was trusted. The crew were really, I saw another side of them. It's like a time shift and you step on the other side. Because its all about time and stuff you won't have time to shoot. Once I got over myself, I had a really good time.

What would Rick Grimes make of Season six Morgan?

Lennie: I'm not sure I can speak for Rick but I think he'd be happy that his friend is still alive but I also think that he might be really worried about what will be left of his friend in Season Six. What might remain, he might be very scared of the prospect of who his friend might be or where his friend might me.

Will there be a time jump?

Scott: Not only is there a time jump, but there might be time jumps.

Will we see the musical episode of Season six in the first or second half?

Ian: It won't be the first half.

Describe what season six is to you?

Colman: It is opportunistic, it is daring.

Lennie: It is a look at the other side of everybody.

Alycia: Deceptive and different.

(Adding the second part of the cast)

Ruben Blades

Danay Garcia

Jenna Elfman

Karen David

Lucia was with Virginia's group in the oil field?

Danay: She really has a plan and the thing about her is that she has a plan we don't know. She is very curious and wants to find out what's up. It's an unpredictable decision but the right way to figure out the bigger plan. That's what she tells June to find that place she's looking for. She tells them what they should keep doing while she's on the journey with Virginia. I know that I have this great tool that I can make oil and she's not going to kill me tomorrow, she needs me. That's as much as I know. In season six there is a bigger plan. The makeup artists are very sweet covered in the oil, at this point I'm like 'just get it over with' and at the end of the day we have to be covered and it's the nature of the show. You see Jenna and all the girls covered in it.

Karen: It’s a show were you celebrate getting a zit or freckles.

Danay: We have been covered in crap for six months and we forget about it till we see people’s faces. Like 'I'll hug you late'.

Scott: I've gotten the blood and guts hug from Danay. I had to tell people from the hotel that I work with The Walking Dead because people see it all covered.

If Daniel, Grace and Charlie started a band what would they call themselves?

Ruben: The Living Dead?

Ian: The Rocking Dead?

Karen: The Talking Dead?

Ruben: The Singing of the Dead?

Grace admitted to having feelings for Morgan?

Karen: That was a big thing for Grace. For someone that has not been allowing herself to live and have hope for the future let alone to allow herself to love and be loved or to feel something for someone else. That was a big step toward her healing. I was really proud of Grace because I didn't think that she would be able to come to that place as quickly. I thought it would have taken a longer time. Getting to know Morgan and realizing that they have so much in common with all they have been through. There was the profound connection she had been aching for. To see her open up to it and allow herself to move forward with possibility and hope in her heart was a really big thing.

What about being pregnant?

Karen: So nothing major really. I didn't see that coming at all. Grace didn't see it coming, she had accepted what her outcome would be. She knew, that was her plan, she stuck to it. She made her mistake to make things right again and all of a sudden, she's pregnant. It’s an emotional roller coaster of feelings. Does she dare to be hopeful, she is tethering between two sides of being excited and feeling all feelings you should feel when you get miraculous news. Then she is reminded of the situation she is in. What does that mean for her future? So many questions run in her head. Will she be alive for her child's first birthday? What does it mean? That's what she is wrapping her head around. She has no support. All she has is her and her baby bump and her thoughts.

June struggles to find home, how much more complicated it is?

Jenna: I think thank gawd they have the strong foundation they have. She trusts that John is taking care of himself and June's whole thing that keeps her oriented and sane is helping other people. As a nurse that is her purpose. She is able to maintain her purpose during this hard time. She knows that's valuable to Virginia and she's keeping her nose down and maintaining faith?

Under Virginias rule?

Jenna: June is strong, observant and smart. I think that she will be pulling all of her abilities from her soulful toolbox to apply them where necessary based on what is going on. I think June has a high tolerance for stuff that comes at her. She was a trauma nurse and that' snot for the lighthearted so she can face things. Now that she's gone through a healing journey with John, she knows what she has is valuable to Virginia. That aligns with her purpose. She is just holding her line and paying attention.

Dwight and Sherry, can you talk about that?

Ian: Of course not! We did release a photo of the two of them together, so I won't play to coy. We will see Dwight and Sherry this season. The thing exciting is that we are huge fans of Dwight and a very different man by the end of season five then he was on The Walking Dead. By the end of season five he's in a place of new hope and found this new family despite he hadn't found Sherry. There was a whole new light to him. What is interesting to us is what happens because he is a different person now. The reunion might not be what they think it is, doesn't mean it can't be a great thing, but they are different people.

The shows are starting to bleed together, any new characters?

Scott: There are a number of new characters and with each new character they open up whole new worlds and there are some huge developments that come out of new characters and new worlds that we see. One of the characters will open up a whole new side of Virginia and that's her little sister Dakota and I talked about this other side of Virginia, we see a vulnerability and a relationship that shows another side of her motivations. Seeing Dakota with Virginia is really good stuff. Scary and fun.

Ruben, what do you miss about being on set?

Ruben: I miss everyone. It's very nice to have that connection we have when we are working. I love to work with a team of people, I like to collaborate and contribute as a group. I miss the daily contact; it is a lot of fun for me and I miss everyone a lot. I miss Skidmark and I wanted him to live with me during this, but the trainer said no because then the cat wouldn't listen to him. I want to know about the cat!

Scott: His nine lives will be spent.

Andrew: There is a plot point around Skidmark. Virginia has major rat problems she has to take care of first.

Ian: Daniel won't be the only person with a pet this year.

Andrew: Our dream is to do a Milo & Otis episode with Skidmark.

Scott: We have been talking about this for years, a lot of CGI would be deployed. It might have to be animated.

Would Luciana have made a weapon if she lost her arm?

Danay: Of course. I would say call John I need a gun on my arm!

How has playing June changed you?

Jenna: I think on a personal level in terms of an artistic journey, its given me the opportunity to prove to myself that I could do things on such a full level before. It's been a big gift to try my hand at certain things and helped me grow as an artist.

If you had a say, what would you name Grace's baby?

Karen: I think she would instinctively name it Morgan or name it after his son Dwayne or maybe if it’s a girl his wife's name. It just feels right.

A western vibe in the trailer, does the show curve that way?

Ian: Most definitely, we have talked about it as a western since season four and now that landscape opens up even more as we go into Virginias communities. It is not a lawless wild west because Virginia rules with an iron fist, but the world will open up in an exciting way.

Andrew: Because we are doing this anthology, there are other genres that we will be dipping into. A little more flavor coming from episode to episode.

Can you share how this season of Fear maps on and compares to The Walking Dead universe.

Scott: The format will be unusual to the universe, it’s like 16 movies that fold into the show. We are the only show doing that right now. The Walking Dead characters are fully evolved, A World Beyond they are starting. This show has characters in the middle of their evolutions and what they are going through. I think that makes it unique in the universe right now.