Andrew Lincoln has starred in various television and film offerings over the years, but it was The Walking Dead that propelled him to international stardom. After nine seasons as Rick Grimes in the original series and one season of the spinoff, The Ones Who Live, it could be time for Lincoln to cut ties with the character and pursue other acting roles.
Walking Dead Franchise Has Expanded Massively Thanks to Lincoln
When it comes to leading stars in television series, it’s hard to think of many people who can top Lincoln as a protagonist. The Englishman’s performances as the postapocalyptic hero helped boost the Walking Dead and made it one of the most beloved series ever.
The fact that the show has spread out into various spinoffs is testament to its popularity and the great work that Lincoln did on the show. Along with the other television offerings, there are even online slots like The Walking Dead and The Walking Dead Cash Collect. These have helped the series reach a much greater audience, as there are different titles to appeal to a broad range of demographics.
After leaving the flagship series halfway through season nine, Lincoln was always due to return as Rick later. Originally, AMC had planned to make a trilogy of movies wrapping up the character’s arc. In the end, the studio opted for The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, which lasted for six episodes and finally gave Rick a satisfying conclusion.
The series was met with a positive reception, and now there’s a chance that it could return for another season. However, it may be in Lincoln’s interest to cut ties now that Rick’s story has been completed.
Lincoln Strongly Associated With Rick Grimes
When actors do such a good job at becoming the character they are portraying, it can often be difficult for them to shake that role and move on to other parts in film or television. Jason Alexander and Rupert Grint have both reported having difficulty finding roles after playing such iconic characters, and Lincoln may suffer from the same fate if he doesn’t try to break away from The Walking Dead franchise soon.
At 50 years old, Lincoln is entering his prime acting years and could be in search of more parts on the big screen. He has only been in 15 films to date and has never taken on a major part in a sliver screen offering. His most famous appearance was in Love Actually in 2003, and his most recent showing was in Penguin Bloom in 2020.
Now that Lincoln has shown his prestige as an action hero in The Walking Dead, it could be high time that he took on some similar roles in film. He could attempt to follow the career trajectory of Jason Statham, who managed to rebrand himself as an action legend when he starred in the Transporter trilogy between 2002 and 2008.
The Walking Dead was a massive career move for Lincoln, which helped him make his name. However, it could now be time for the 50-year-old to move on and seek other parts.
