Next year, The Walking Dead will return to AMC with six bonus episodes that will pick up where its recently-concluded 10th season left off. At least one of these episodes will give fans new insight into Negan’s backstory. Apparently, that means flashbacks will finally introduce his late wife, Lucille. Now, the producers have found the perfect actress to play this role. ComicBook.com broke the story that Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s real-life wife, Hilarie Burton, has been cast as Lucille.
Burton is probably best known for her six-year stint as Peyton Sawyer on One Tree Hill. More recently, she’s had recurring roles on shows like Council of Dads, Extant, and Lethal Weapon. She and Morgan have been together since 2009 and finally got married last year. They also have two children together. During the pandemic, Burton and Morgan also began hosting their own AMC series, Friday Night In with the Morgans.
Negan has mentioned his marriage to Lucille on several occasions. Before the apocalypse, she was suffering from pancreatic cancer. But when Lucille finally died and reanimated as a zombie, Negan couldn’t bring himself to kill her. He later named his trademark weapon, a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire, after her.
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Apparently, Morgan and Burton have already started filming scenes together in Georgia. Burton also reacted to the announcement on Twitter. You can check out what she had to say below.
Been pretty hard to keep this a secret.
But I love working with @JDMorgan . I love watching him become #Negan and take on that swagger. And I love the @TheWalkingDead family. They’ve been a part of our family for ages and I’m so grateful for their kindness. Xoxo #hereslucille https://t.co/9tRh7NB8WY— Hilarie Burton Morgan (@HilarieBurton) November 3, 2020
The Walking Dead will premiere its new episodes on AMC in 2021.
Are you excited to watch Burton act opposite her husband on the series? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: The Walking Dead Omnibus Vol. 1
