'It's a very brave, bold and challenging story we're attempting': Andrew Lincoln defends brutal violence in season seven of The Walking Dead
There were reports it was going to be brutal, and that was not an exaggeration.
The first half of season seven of The Walking Dead has been filled with plenty of violence and fans have had mixed reactions.
Now Walking Dead star Andrew Lincoln has told Entertainment Weekly he doesn't understand why it all has to be 'so painful,' for both the actors playing it out and the audience.
'I stand by everybody telling this story, particularly the writers and everybody directing it,' the 43-year-old star said. 'I think it’s a very brave, bold, and also challenging story that we’re attempting.'
Tough critics: Andrew Lincoln has heard mixed fan reactions to the brutal first half of season seven of The Walking Dead, and he even agreed with some of it, according to an interview with Entertainment Weekly published Friday
But the show's leader of the battle against walkers, rotters and biters wasn't without his questions for showrunner Scott M. Gimple, who helped him understand why he and his audience had to be subjected to what he called a 'painful' start to this season.
'Rather than just have a very cool exciting buildup to war between between Negan and Rick, Gimple wanted people to want more than that — to really feel that they wanted justice,' Lincoln said.
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'And then to also acknowledge the cost of what had happened and why they were willing to risk it all again while realizing that they were putting many, many, many lives back in the firing line.'
The British actor went on to explain that Gimple wanted it to feel like the audience actually wanted justice, 'rather than just baying for blood.'
Standing by: But he also insisted he understood why it 'had to be so immersive and so painful,' for both the actors playing it out and the audience; seen here in Los Angeles in October 2016
Up against it all: Lincoln with a co-star in a still from The Walking Dead
'This season made a lot more sense once we got the last role of film in the can for episode 716,' Lincoln added.
With 16 episodes in each season, there are still eight more to air in season seven, which has been on hiatus since December 11, 2016.
With episode eight not airing until mid February, fans waiting to understand where Lincoln and the rest of The Walking Dead team are going with all of this still have a ways to go.
Season seven of The Walking Dead resumes February 12. The show airs Sundays at 9 PM eastern on AMC.
Almost time: Season seven of The Walking Dead resumes February 12; The show airs Sundays at 9 PM eastern on AMC
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