Jeffrey Dean Morgan says 'Walking Dead' fans will hate him, cast weighs in on death

Jeffrey Dean Morgan spoke about his role as Negan on The Walking Dead and how fans would feel about his character.

Editor’s Note: This article will contain spoilers for the Oct. 23 season 7 premiere.

In a behind-the-scenes interview, Morgan said the fans of the show would definitely hate him. He said “I’ve always kind of been the guy that people like on shows, so this has been the first time that I’ve done something that I just know people are going to hate me.”

Despite his feelings, Morgan also stated he was having a great time on the show. The season 7 premiere saw Negan making good on his promise to kill one of those in Rick’s group.

However, after he bashed in Abraham’s skull, he took the life of another character. When Daryl lashed out at Abe’s killing, Negan turned around and brutally beat Glenn to everyone’s horror.

On the after show The Talking Dead, actor Steven Yeun spoke about reading the death scene in issue #100 of the comics. He said he did not want anyone else to have that scene once he read it. He said he felt playing it out was “brave and at the same time super affecting.”

Actor Michael Cudlitz said that for Abraham to die after his verbal comeback to being beaten, it was “very appropriate for him to go out that way.”

Also in the after show, Scott M. Gimple and creator Robert Kirkman said the idea for both deaths have been two years in the making.

Gimple said, “I think the hardest thing about it was thinking while starting the script, ‘Well, what would break Rick?’” He also said it was about putting the audience through that same experience as Rick “so that they would believe that Rick could do what this guy says.”

Seeing two of his friend brutally murdered and nearly having to chop his own son’s arm off certainly did the trick.

The Walking Dead airs on Sundays on AMC.