Since 2010, The Walking Dead has been making headlines with its zombie slaying, suspense building story plots. You may think you're an expert on the show, but we found 20 facts most people — including you— don't know.
Fair warning, there may be spoilers involved. Also, click through to find out why Andrew Lincoln is talking about leaving the show after the 9th season of 'The Walking Dead'!
20. The Flesh The Zombies "Eat" Is Actually Ham Soaked In Vinegar
Not that it sounds any more appetizing, but it's good to know no humans were harmed during these scenes.
19. Norman Reedus Originally Auditioned To Play The Role Of Merle
Imagine a world where Norman Reedus didn't play the part of Daryl Dixon, and instead played the role of Daryl's brother, Merle.
As most fans know, Merle's character was short-lived on the show compared to crossbow wielding Daryl.
18. The First Scene Involving Michonne Was Not Actually Actress Danai Gurira
Danai Gurira was not yet casted as Michonne when her character was first introduced.
That explains why her face was hidden during this scene.
17. The Word “Zombie” Is Never Said During The First Four Seasons
This is because “zombies” don’t exist in The Walking Dead world.
The characters don’t understand the situation of the living dead because zombie movies don’t exist in their world, which explains why they didn’t know to shoot them in the head in order to “kill” them in the beginning of the series.
16. Andrea Survives In The Comics, And She And Rick Are Lovers
Talk about a plot twist! Fans were saddened by the loss of Andrea, but she's alive and well in the comics.
In fact, she and Rick are lovers!
15. There Are Several References To ‘Breaking Bad’ In The Series
The bag of drugs Daryl finds includes blue meth, which is a subtle reference to Breaking Bad.
The red car Glen drives in the first season is also a reference to the Dodge Challenger used in Breaking Bad.
14. The Missing Walkers' Arms Are Made Using A Green Screen
The actors who played Michonne's armless walkers wore green screen gloves to hide their arms.
13. The Zombie Noises Are Added In Post-Production
The extras who play the role of zombies don't actually make noises, and instead their grunts and groans are added in after filming.
However, some zombie actors may make a few sounds to help them play the part.
12. Character Dale's Guts Were Made From Chicken Breasts In His Death Scene
All those gory guts were actually chicken breasts— not that it makes it any less gross.
11. Realistically Eating People Was One Of The Hardest Things For Actors Playing Zombies To Master
One "walker" said devouring human flesh was one of the hardest things to get down. "But then when you eat someone you have to look like an animal devouring prey. You can’t look like you have any specific motive or where you’re going to take a bite.
You’re just blindly eating prey. That’s something that I wanted to get right, making it look very animalistic and not human at all. I wasn’t making choices a human would make."
10. The Walkers Continue To Decompose More And More Each Season
The producers want it to look as real as possible, and that includes deteriorating zombies.
9. The Mouse Lizzie Uses To Feed A Zombie Is Made Of Gelatin And Jelly
In season four, the "mouse" Lizzie feeds to a zombie is actually made of only edible ingredients.
Of course, the "zombie" wouldn't really put a live mouse in his mouth!
8. Carl Was Really Eating Chocolate Pudding During This Rooftop Scene
By the time filming wrapped, actor Chandler Riggs “absolutely hated pudding” following the scene involving the 112-ounce can of the stuff.
7. People Actually Called The Police When Merle Was Shooting From A Rooftop In Season One
The SWAT team was called in as people thought Merle was really an active shooter.
6. Rick’s Hand Get Cuts Off In The Comic, But Not In The Show Because It Would Be Too Complicated
It would take too much computer-generated imagery to edit his scenes and would also negatively impact his action scenes.
5. Both NBC And HBO Passed On Airing The First Episodes
Surprisingly enough, AMC was not the first choice of producer Gale Anne Hurd.
She first approached NBC and HBO, but both networks passed on the show claiming it was too violent.
4. Green Screens, Blue Screens, And Other Tricks Are Used To Create Realistic Looking Scenes
Such as this tights-wearing zombie and scary cliff drop.
3. The Actors Who Play Zombies Are Told To Act As If They're Leaving A Bar At 2 AM
This makes sense once you think about how the walkers stumble and fumble around.
2. Carol's Husband Doesn't Exist In The Comic Book Version
While Carol's abusive husband plays a major role in defining her character for the TV series, he is never mentioned in the comic books.
1. None Of The Walkers Blink
Any blinking done by zombies is edited out in post production.