Everything else disappears into the backdrop and we listen.
Some might call the latter group softer.
Strand started off in the first group, but now he seems to be softening up.
COLMAN DOMINGO: If he should live, I think he is a combination of both.
A new kind of character we havent seen before.
I think he is recalibrating and figuring out who he is.
I think he would.
I think he absolutely needed a softer side, and he has been challenged to have that.
To care about others more.
As the characters are learning in this universe, you need people.
You cant do it alone.
In the beginning, Strand started out as a leader.
He had the boat and he was smooth, with a my way or the highway attitude.
And he constantly would butt heads with Madison.
Then in Pillar of Salt he had to take a backseat and Madison stepped in as the self-proclaimed leader.
How do you think Strand feels about that?
I think that Victor Strand is a feminist.
I think he is all about girl power and supporting women.
I think he is unlike anything we have ever seen.
I think he is very much about, if you have a better idea he will take it.
Otherwise, hell initiate the room.
I think he is establishing that with Alicia, and Alicia could definitely be his daughter.
He is empowering this young woman to be seen in the world and to have her voice.
I am on the same page, there.
And now we see the same happening with Alicia.
Strand tells Alicia that she can stand up for herself to Madison.
That she can let Madison know she is there and strong and what kind of person she is.
Alicia has been amazing these last few episodes.
I think that is the thing with Victor Strand.
He sees people for who they are and their potential.
He wants people to rise to their potential.
I think that is the way he operates.
Especially with a young mind, he wants to empower.
Saying things like, dont run on my deck.
But now he is seeing this strong young woman and he is really interested in helping her find herself.
There are so many layers to him that we are peeling back.
I think there are things that he doesnt know that frustrate him.
But would he admit that to himself?
He said before to Madison, I am not the boys daddy, when it came to Nick.
But he sure did sort of become a surrogate father to him in a way.
There was care there.
Its just the same with Alicia, there is care there.
But I am sure he would say, Id would never be a father.
There is almost like a role reversal happening between Madison and Strand.
Where Madison is kind of off and leading while Strand is playing daddy to her kids.
That is exactly it.
I think they are being pushed to go to places they didnt even imagine.
I dont think Strand or Madison would have ever imagined thats where theyd go.
Where the other has shortcomings.
As you said, Strand is becoming this new character and he might not even realize.
In the beginning, he was so mysterious and cloaked.
It seemed he thrived there.
Do you think he is a little insecure now that some of that cloud of mystery has dissipated?
Im sure he does.
Im sure he is very vulnerable right now.
This character has been completely stripped bare throughout the season.
You know all his inner workings, you know some of the things he held close to himself.
He is in this really precarious place of trying to define and redefine himself in this universe.
If he can pull it off, it will become even more formidable.
I think Strand is sort of an illustration of that.
I think Strand strikes the line.
We all have the power to be evil or good.
He does straddle that line.
I think, though, he is conscious of exactly his behavior.
How he is doing it.
Or do something very good.
I think he is very conscious about it.
There is definitely something humanizing about a person like that, where you might see that unfolding.
Instead of just responding emotionally and doing something because you are upset or hurt.
He is more methodical than that.
What is happening now kind of blurs it all and we have to reevaluate.
We have to go back and look through that lens and really look at the mechanics of Strand.
I love the fact that people say, Oh, he was so mysterious.
But the fact is he didnt say a lot.
But when he did, he meant business.
He was very on the nose.
Hes watched a lot of George A. Romero.
[Laughs] Right.
Like Nick, do you think some part of him feels at ease in the zombie apocalypse?
you’re free to take a breath and it is actually very simple.
The thing that we can do and have agency with right now is to have a cocktail.
[Laughs]
I think Strand makes himself at home wherever he is.
It does seem to be like that.
He understands who he is in the realm and he can take stage and have a seat.
Thats very disarming for people because most people dont do that.
People apologize or they are not certain.
But thats the way he survives.
He will walk into boardrooms.
He will walk into real estate development meetings, and he would own the room.
Thats jus inherently a part of him.
Hes so smooth and commanding.
Even though he doesnt say a lot, its felt.
Aww, thank you!
I think he knows his power.
I think he still has glimmers of knowing that.
Even when he is lying on this bed fighting for his life.
He always has a sense of self and power.
I think that if the light is on him, he knows it.
He walks into a room, he knows where the light is.
I think he knows that power he has, when to support and when to take stage.
Its funny youre talking like that because youre a stage man.
You come from that long impressive history of theater.
Do you think that helps you with the character?
I am sure it does.
There is something theatrical about Victor Strand.
He is a creation.
The way he used to dress.
The way he would present himself and speak and understanding language.
I give a shot to create characters that are very, very detailed.
Even in the post-apocalyptic world, he is looks so cool.
Like his whole life is just sitting at the end of a bar with a martini.
Its like suddenly, we dont know.
Is there a secret?
Did he used to bartend?
I made the decision that he is very comfortable at this bar.
He knows his way around any bar.
So for me, that is another layer of this character.
It adds a whole other dimension to his character and to the episodes that he is in.
These characters are new to all of this, but you are also new to thisWalking Deaduniverse.
It has all been such a great challenge in every single way.
When it comes to stunt work, the long hours we work in Mexico.
We are just learning new things about ourselves, about how we take care of ourselves.
How we make our day.
All of it is a tremendous challenge, honestly.
All the locations we work in.
But I think it is all met with such a great spirit and camaraderie between the cast and crew.
We give it all, which is great.
We also just enjoy ourselves.
I am having the time of my life.
Do you think there is something uniquelyFear the Walking Dead?
I think it is really examining these human relationships.
We are at the beginning and have frailties in the way we are handling things.
Language barriers, and trying to get the things you need while being a foreigner.
I think that is all fascinating and really does differentiate the shows.
Thats different for me!
InThe Walking Dead, the people are superheroes now.
And that is also a phenomenal dynamic and I watch that show for that.
But we are just ordinary Joes on our show trying to work it out.
[Laughs]
It definitely feels more human.
you might connect to all the emotional struggles of every character separately, which is weird for the universe.
This franchise is just so popular.
People go nuts when it comes toThe Walking Dead.
Was it a weird experience for you to just hop into this established world?
No, because I did not know anything about it.
I didnt watch these shows.
I think many of us didnt know.
So I am still a virgin… Well, now I am not.
Now I am fully realized in the universe.
The fans are fantastic.
I love all the people who are engaging with the conversations aroundThe Walking Dead.
So I am glad to be a part of it.
Well, I enjoy it!
Thank you so much.
I really enjoyed talking to you!
Im sure well cross paths again!
you’re free to catchFear the Walking Deadon Sunday nights at 9 PM on AMC.
Daniella Bondar is a TV contributor and the host of Den of GeeksWalking Deadpodcast,No Room in Hell!
you might listen to the latest episode below:
