If you’re like us, Manish Dayal’s casting was one of the most exciting announcements for The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon‘s sophomore season.
The AMC spinoff was already one of the most buzzworthy of the franchise.
With visually arresting cinematography, thanks to the sprawling French scenery and creepy, cool zombie iterations, TWD: Daryl Dixon distinguished itself and provided a refreshingly unique experience that still preserved the essence of what we knew and loved about the titular character and mother series.
And Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol promises to elevate that further, reuniting the gruff redneck with his formidable badass best friend, Carol, delivering more must-see content for one of the franchise’s most revered dynamic duos.
But TWD: Daryl Dixon – Book of Carol will also introduce another compelling duo amid Carol’s quest to find her friend, Carol and Ash.
We had the privilege of catching up with a TV Fanatic favorite, Manish Dayal, the talented, thoughtful actor who brings Ash to life.
We discuss everything from what makes Ash a character who resonates with viewers to the thrill of joining the popular franchise, working alongside the incredible Melissa McBride, and a little The Resident nostalgia.
Check it out!
On the Excitement of Joining an Established (and Popular) Franchise.
Did you have any trepidation about joining such a massive franchise like this, or was it just all excitement?
It was all excitement. I went in knowing so little and then learning so much on the ground from Melissa [McBride], Norman [Reedus], Greg Nicotero, and co.
They were all so welcoming and great and educated me on the world and the show’s tone. I saw some episodes from season one before coming on board to get the feel, tone, and energy of the show, and I was excited to be a part of it.
Everyone loves action and zombies. Ironically, I’m not a big horror fan, but I’ve always loved the TWD franchise’s rich character-focused storytelling. So, who is Ash, what is his story, and how did you bring him to life so well?
Oh, for sure! To touch on what you said, another thing about the show that I find so fantastic and meaningful is that each character is so rich and devoted. The writers are just devoted to their history and past, playing in their current moments.
Each character has a rich, big history woven in so well, making for powerful characters. Ash is a guy who is mourning a loss. As a result, he’s become sort of a recluse and protected himself on a compound that he built himself as a former engineer. He lives this regimented, scheduled life.
For him, it’s his way of controlling his existence, survival, and future. And he’s just so devoted to that reclusive lifestyle and that way of protecting himself and keeping people far away from him. It’s how he’s made it this far in the apocalypse.
He’s an edgy guy with a lot going on underneath his hard exterior and a lot of pain and grief that comes to the surface when Carol comes into his life.
She’s able to connect with him, and they form a friendship that is, at first, built on trust, and it allows him to open up a little bit for the first time in a very long time. Without her, he wouldn’t have been able to go on such a wild and important journey for his life, future, and survival.
Carol and Ash’s Complex Dynamic is Rooted in Mutual Understanding and Grief
You touched on my next question. I was going to ask you about that dynamic between Carol and Ash. Of course, you’re getting rave reviews for your performance and your chemistry with Melissa McBride.
Can you talk more about that dynamic and Melissa as your scene partner?
It was fantastic. Melissa is a terrific actress and a great scene partner.
She’s very generous and was able to work with me on the scenes, fine-tune what we wanted to say and do in certain scenes with our director, of course, and bring those things to life. She’s great and a lot of fun.
I found working with her to be very enjoyable. We were always laughing and having a good time, which made the work much better.
This is a show where these people are a family, so coming into this space as the new guy in this established world, I was just there to listen, learn, and see what they were doing that created such a powerful franchise over the years, and they’ve done so much.
I was able to lean on her for a lot of things that were unknown to me, and I appreciate what you said about the great response to the character. I heard a little bit about it yesterday, which is super exciting.
The chemistry between Ash and Carol is definitely undeniable because they have a lot of things in common.
They both are searching for something, and they share a grief. People who share grief can connect with each other in a very visceral way because they’re able to communicate nonverbally; they understand what the other person is going through emotionally and what loss has done to their lives.
As a result, their relationship has moved at warp speed because they understand each other and know why the other is behaving a certain way. Loyalty and your past are super important to both of these characters.
Ash opens his door to Carol, and she realizes what a big deal that is. These two characters certainly form a quick bond and go on a really incredible journey together.
The Importance and Fun of Representation in Action and Genre Programming
The franchise is a delicate balance of profoundly emotional character work and physical action. Do you prefer one over the other, or did you enjoy getting to do both?
As an actor, I typically do pretty dramatic work, but the action elements in this show were so cool and fun that I want to do a lot more of them.
There’s something about this genre that I really connect to, and being a part of this action-driven space, and this genre space is very interesting. You get to flex totally different muscles.
There are certain realities you can throw away that don’t really apply in this horror genre space.
I’ve said it before: Ash is a character that I certainly didn’t see on TV when I was growing up. To see it now in this space, an Asian guy wielding an ax and a gun in the apocalypse is really cool and super compelling. We haven’t seen it on TV much.
When I saw you were cast for it, I was like, “Oh my god, this is gonna be so awesome,” partially because you don’t see that representation often. I recently watched Monkey Man, which brought up a similar thought process about how there aren’t enough Brown action stars.
Dev Patel is brilliant! Outstanding. Outstanding film.
He’s amazing, but okay, let me stay on track because I can go on.
No, but to your point, it’s important. It is a really interesting thing to think about. We don’t see that often in the action space, so it was even more exciting for me to be part of it here.
In The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon, Location is Its Own Character
The series primarily films in France, right? How did the locale inspire and influence your performance as an actor? It has to be pretty cool.
Oh, it definitely influences. I’ve shot in France before, so I’m familiar with some of the landscapes and just the beauty of the countryside.
These remote locations only illustrate how strange these people’s reality is and how separated they are from the real world.
These sweeping locations take you in and out of urban, decayed environments, and these beautiful landscapes widen the scope of the show.
It also tells you a lot about the characters because of those who choose to live where they live.
Location plays a big part in TWD: Daryl Dixon, whether it’s people living in the city center, Saint-Michel, or Paris. Whereas Ash and Carol are in this remote location, a compound Ash built high up on a cliff, likely because he’s a pilot, where no one can access it.
Yes, when watching the series, the location feels like its own character, adding to the experience and storytelling.
Hats off to David Zabel, who was able to conceptualize this world and put these people in remarkable situations to see their behavior, how they interact with each other, and how they ultimately get what they’re looking for.
I think he did such a good job with the show and staying true to The Walking Dead tone and franchise, but also creating something new, special, and sort of intimate, if you will.
The Walking Dead: Dary Dixon Season 2 Delivers Long-Awaited Reunion and Compelling Character Dives
What more can you tease about this season or your character? What are you most excited for the audience to see?
Well, what I can say is that I recently just screened season two, and it’s one of the most compelling and interesting six hours of TV I’ve seen in a very, very long time. It is fantastic.
It takes you on so many twists and turns and keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time. Daryl and Carol’s relationship is rooted in so much history, and their chemistry is wild. Watching them takes you on a journey; their performance together is very special.
And seeing them come together is a big victory. The show bends the genre in so many ways. The performances are so great, the locations are amazing.
Nicotera’s work with the zombies is remarkable. I don’t know how he does it, but it’s remarkable what he’s able to do, how creative he is, and the world he’s painting for us.
Ash’s Integral Role in Carol’s Arc is a Must-See
In terms of what’s ahead for Ash, he plays an integral part in Carol’s journey to France and, ultimately, whatever happens after that.
Is he going to be part of helping them or not? We don’t really know. You’ll have to watch the show to find out those things.
Ash, Carol, and all the characters are going on a journey that ultimately forces them to leave their comfort zones, change everything about themselves, go towards an unknown future, and take a lot of risks. They’re all pushed to their impossible limits.
It all sounds so exciting! It’s a bit of a throwaway question, but would you direct an episode if the opportunity ever presented itself?
Hell. Yes. Without a shadow of a doubt, if they would have me, I would do it in a heartbeat. Without a doubt!
The Resident Nostalgia and Revisiting the Series
I know you were so generous to us on The Resident, so I really appreciate all of your support with the show and the episodes I directed. You’re really important to us, so thank you.
Oh, God, that was really sweet. Thank you so much.
I love The Resident. I started my journey here at TV Fanatic by covering it. It was my baby, so the show, cast, and crew always have a really special place in my heart. I love you guys; you’re amazing.
The Resident is having a resurgence now that it’s on Netflix. People are falling in love with this series all over again.
For sure. It’s super exciting to see people who discover the show six years later and for the series to develop a whole new audience. It’s pretty cool.
We’re in a revival and reboot craze. Would you ever be interested in a reboot/revival of The Resident?
I think so. I think the entire cast would be down for that. We remain friends, and we’re all very close. I could speak for most of them and say we’d love to do it.
You can catch Manish Dayal as Ash in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol, which premieres September 29 at 9/8c on AMC.
Watch The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Online
