Fear The Walking Dead: Cast & Character Guide

Summary

• Fear the Walking Dead is a standalone spin-off that serves as a better starting point for new viewers of The Walking Dead franchise.
• With a rotating cast of characters, Fear the Walking Dead offers a true ensemble effort that is well worth watching for fans.
• The show’s resurgence in popularity on Netflix has brought attention to its debut in a Walker-infested Los Angeles setting.

A spin-off of AMC’s ultra-popular The Walking Dead, Fear the Walking Dead boasts a completely new cast of characters — and a few notable crossovers and cameos. Created by Robert Kirkman and Dave Erickson, the post-apocalyptic horror series was the franchise’s first-ever spin-off. Instead of being set near to its parent show’s Atlanta setting, the series began in a Walker-infested Los Angeles, California. The first few seasons follow a dysfunctional, blended family, led by Kim Dickens’ Madison Clark, but, as time goes on, more characters join the show’s ever-expanding roster.

Although Fear the Walking Dead ended with its eighth season, the show is seeing a resurgence in popularity thanks to its debut on Netflix. In some ways, Fear the Walking Dead is a better starting point for viewers who are hoping to delve into the franchise for the first time. Of all The Walking Dead‘s spin-offs, Fear is the most standalone entry. Plus, it’s a chronological prequel set at the very beginning of The Walking Dead‘s timeline. With a rotating cast of characters, Fear the Walking Dead feels like a true ensemble effort, making it well worth a watch.

Alycia Debnam-Carey as Alicia Clark

Date Of Birth: July 20, 1993

Actor: Born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, Alycia Debnam-Carey landed her first role at the age of 10 in Rachel Ward’s award-winning short-feature film Martha’s New Coat. After guest-starring in Australian shows like McLeod’s Daughters, Debnam-Carey came to the US for the lead role in a thriller called The Devil’s Hand. Soon enough, the actor had her international breakthrough moment playing fan-favorite character Lexa on The 100. Aside from Fear the Walking Dead, her recent credits include The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart and Saint X.

Character: Alicia is Madison’s fiery-yet-compassionate daughter who initially struggles in Fear the Walking Dead‘s post-apocalyptic world, but goes on to become a hardened survivor and, for a majority of the series, the key protagonist.

Kim Dickens As Madison Clark

Date Of Birth: June 18, 1965

Actor: Born in Huntsville, Alabama, Kim Dickens moved to New York City to study at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute, which led to early roles on stage. The actor’s first film role came in 1995 with Palookaville. In the late ’90s, Dickens landed several back-to-back lead roles in feature-length movies, including Truth or Consequences, N.M., Zero Effect, and Mercury Rising. The actor’s other notable credits include The House of Sand and Fog, The Blind Side, Deadwood, House of Cards, Treme, Gone Girl, Lizzie, Friday Night Lights, and The Good Nurse.

Character: The first major protagonist in Fear the Walking Dead, Madison Clarke fights at all costs to protect her family. However, as the losses pile up, Madison begins to crumble under the weight of being a survivor.

Rubén Blades As Daniel Salazar

Date Of Birth: July 16, 1948

Actor: Born in Panama City, Panama, Rubén Blades is not just an actor, but a musician, singer, composer, activist, and politician. The writer of dozens of hit songs, Blades has won a staggering 12 Grammy Awards and 11 Latin Grammy Awards. By the mid-80s, the musician had made the successful transition to acting as well, appearing in films like Crossover Dreams, The Milagro Beanfield War, and Predator 2. Blades has also received Emmy nominations for his roles in The Josephine Baker Story, Crazy from the Heart, and The Maldonado Miracle.

Character: A member of the cast since the spin-off’s first season, Daniel Salazar might survive more near-death experiences than anyone else on the show’s hard-to-kill roster. Although he seemingly meets his end in Fear the Walking Dead season 2 thanks to some heroics, Daniel does return in the following outing.

Colman Domingo As Victor Strand

Date Of Birth: November 28, 1969

Actor: Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the stage actor rose to more mainstream prominence in The Big Gay Sketch Show before landing a role in Fear the Walking Dead. Since appearing in the AMC spin-off, Colman Domingo has experienced a meteoric rise, appearing in acclaimed films like 42, Selma, If Beale Street Could Talk, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Zola. Nominated for an Oscar for his leading role in Rustin, Domingo won the Primetime Emmy Award for his role in Euphoria. Most recently, Domingo put forth an Oscar-worthy performance in Sing Sing, one of the best drama movies of 2024.

Character: In the first season of The Walking Dead‘s spin-off, Victor Strand is a conman and antihero, who latches on to Nick. Although he’s very self-serving, Victor reevaluates his ways as the series continues, especially after a core character’s apparent death.

Danay García As Luciana Galvez

Date Of Birth: July 5, 1984

Actor: Born in Havana, Cuba, Danay García took ballet at the esteemed Debby Allen Dance Academy, all while pursuing acting lessons. The actor landed her first screen role in the psychological thriller Danika, and went on to appear in high-profile TV series, including Prison Break, Supernatural, CSI: NY, CSI: Miami, and The Cleaner, all in addition to her long-term stint on Fear the Walking Dead.

Character: Luciana showed up in the Fear the Walking Dead cast in season 2 as part of the La Colonia community in Mexico. Resourceful and determined, she winds up assisting Morgan with his goal of uniting the zombie apocalypse’s survivors.

Lennie James As Morgan Jones

Date Of Birth: October 11, 1965

Actor: Born in Nottingham — an area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England — Lennie James aspired to play professional rugby before he was introduced to acting. After graduating in 1988, he landed his first role in the TV series ScreenPlay. Since then, James has become a star of the small screen thanks to roles in The Walking Dead, which led to his time on the spin-off, as well as Line of Duty and Jericho.

Character: One of the biggest names to join the spin-off’s cast, Lennie James’ Morgan Jones was introduced in the parent show, before making the leap more permanently to Fear the Walking Dead in season 4. In The Walking Dead, Morgan has moments of anger, though he tries to embrace pacifism in the face of losing his son. In Fear, he takes on a leadership role as one of the more experienced and well-traveled survivors.

Jenna Elfman As June “Naomi/Laura” Dorie

Date Of Birth: September 30, 1971

Actor: Born in Los Angeles, California, Jenna Elfman made her small-screen debut in an episode of Murder, She Wrote, and went on to appear in other hit TV projects like Roseanne and Townies. Eventually, she landed one of the leading roles in Dharma & Greg — a show that earned her a Golden Globe and several Emmy nominations. The actor is also well-known for her roles in Dr. Dolittle (1998), Town & Country, the FX legal drama Damages, and AMC’s psychological neo-Western Dark Winds.

Character: A kind-hearted nurse who meets Madison in season 4, June has a connection to another late-addition character, John Dorie. Throughout the series, she uses different aliases, which exacerbates the fact that no one really knows her very well.

Other Key Fear The Walking Dead Cast Members

The Walking Dead Spin-Off Has A Massive Ensemble Across Its 8 Seasons

Cliff Curtis as Travis Manawa: After making his film debut in Jane Campion’s Oscar-winning film The Piano, Curtis has appeared in hits like The Meg and Avatar 2.

Frank Dillane as Nicholas “Nick” Clark: Best known for playing a young Tom Riddle in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Dillane’s post-Walking Dead work includes The Essex Serpent.

Mercedes Mason as Ofelia Salazar: The actor is most well-known for her roles in TV shows like Chuck and The Rookie.

Elizabeth Rodriguez as Elizabeth “Liza” Ortiz: The Tony-nominated actor is best known for her breakout role in Orange Is the New Black, though she has also appeared in Power and Shameless, as well as in the hit movie Logan.

Lorenzo James Henrie as Christopher “Chris” Manawa: A child actor who appeared in 7th Heaven and Malcolm in the Middle, Henrie also appeared more recently in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Daniel Sharman as Troy Otto: Aside from Fear the Walking Dead, Sharman rose to prominence for his role in Teen Wolf.

Maggie Grace as Althea “Al” Szewczyk-Przygocki: Best known for her role in Lost, Grace has also appeared in film series like Twilight and Taken.

Garret Dillahunt as John Dorie: Most well known for his critically acclaimed role in Raising Hope, Dillahunt also appeared in Deadwood, No Country for Old Men, and 12 Years a Slave.

Karen David as Grace Mukherjee: In addition to playing Princess Jasmine/Shirin in the sixth season of Once Upon a Time, David appeared in hit CW series Legacies.

Austin Amelio as Dwight: Known for his portrayal of Dwight in The Walking Dead and its spin-off, Amelio has also appeared in several of Richard Linklater’s movies, including Everybody Wants Some!! and Hit Man.

Mo Collins as Sarah Rabinowitz: After an enduring and acclaimed stint on Mad TV, Collins landed a hit recurring role on Parks and Recreation as morning talk show host Joan Callamezzo.

Zoe Colletti as Dakota: After landing her first major-film role in Annie (2014), Colletti appeared in Fear the Walking Dead and Only Murders in the Building.

Keith Carradine as John Dorie Sr.: Remembered for his role in Robert Altman’s Nashville, Carradine also played Wild Bill Hickok on the HBO series Deadwood, and appeared in other hit shows like Dexter and Fargo.

As of August 2024, AMC’s Fear the Walking Dead is streaming on Netflix.