Katelyn Nacon, who plays Enid on AMC’s The Walking Dead, talks about what to make of Georgie and life without Carl.
Q: As a teenager yourself, what’s it been like portraying another teen in a completely different kind of world?
A: It’s pretty crazy, but it’s been really interesting and intriguing because you get to see what happens to a girl that’s pretty similar to you. You see what happens when she’s put in a completely different situation, in a completely different environment, and how it affects her and turns her into a completely different person than what she probably was before the apocalypse.
Q: Enid lost a really significant person in her life. How have you as an actress adjusted to not having Chandler around anymore?
A: It’s weird… When anyone leaves the show, we lose a certain characteristic that they have and that they add to the environment of the workplace. With him gone, it changes the atmosphere. It’s still a lot of fun, but it’s just different. It sinks in. It was nice to have someone my own age to complain about the same things like, “I have five tests tomorrow!†[Laughs] I don’t think his character has left because you see how it affects every single character, especially in this episode. In a sense, he’s still here. People are trying to continue his teachings.
Q: The Alexandrians took Enid in after the loss of her parents. How is she processing the permanent loss of her physical home among so much more loss?
A: It’s a lot! [Laughs] It’s a lot for her. One of the first things we saw about Enid when we first met her is she did not let anyone in. She didn’t even stay in Alexandria. She stayed outside of the community because she knew nothing was permanent. Everything could be taken away so easily and she didn’t want to deal with that loss, so she didn’t set herself up to it. Of course, that didn’t work out because she let Carl into her life, she let Glenn in, she let Sasha in. Now, she’s found her role at Hilltop with Maggie. It’s hard. It’s a lot of adjusting for her. She’s taking on a lot. She’s trying to find a new way of dealing.
Q: On the outside, Enid seems to be okay with the fact that she killed Natania, but is there some buried internal conflict?
A: I would totally say there’s an internal conflict. In Episode 10, she explains to Aaron that she had to do it and she would do it again. That’s pretty much how she views it – something she had to do in order for someone else to survive. It’s hard though because she’s not okay with killing people… She’s trying to stay strong, but showing that so-called strength is showing the weakness that’s behind it all.
Q: What’s the toughest part of accepting Carl’s wish for the future while currently living in a dangerous present?
A: Because he’s dead. Because even though he has this view – being open and so willing to help people – she believes that view led him to his death. That’s why we see in Episode 12, she doesn’t want to help these people. “If we do that, we’re opening ourselves to so many chances of us getting hurt.†That’s all she’s thinking about now. “I don’t want any more chances of death.†She’s just looking back on everything that Carl did and she’s very cautious now.
Q: We’re introduced to Georgie in Episode 12. What did you think about her request for records?
A: I thought it was very, very strange. [Laughs] As if records are the new currency in the apocalypse or something. I think it might just be her way of holding onto the old world. It’s pretty cool. I really liked the introduction of her character. It was very strange to film because these characters are so out of place in this apocalyptic world.
Q: Were you surprised that Enid is immediately on-board with holding Georgie hostage and robbing her of her supplies?
A: I think this was a good thing to happen to Enid. She’s in a bad place right now and you don’t want to cross her path. She’s not happy right now. She doesn’t know this person. She could be another Negan for all we know. I mean, you see the way she dresses – it’s completely out of place. And she wants records?! No one survives like that. The whole thing is really sketchy, but to see Georgie’s generosity and the fact that she gives us the information and a great supply of food, I think it shows Enid that maybe Michonne isn’t completely wrong and maybe what Carl was saying isn’t completely wrong either. She’s stubborn, so it might take her a little more time to turn around.
Q: What do you think about this book that holds the “key to the future�
A: I think it’ll be great for Hilltop. It brings in all of these new techniques that can help them sustain their food source and water source and get energy back. It’s an amazing book and an amazing source of knowledge to better their community and help them survive. I really think it’s going to help out.
Via: AMC.
