Looking back on her work as Lori Grimes, one would have to imagine that Sarah Wayne Callies was a "Walking Dead" fan going in. She was a standout on the series, displaying a strong understanding of the property's balance between drama and horror. As it turns out, that wasn't at all the case. The actor has admitted that she's not the biggest fan of horror or comics, and that was no different when she was cast on "The Walking Dead." In fact, upon reading her first script for the show, Callies was overcome with a feeling of sickness.
"When I read the first 'Walking Dead' script, I felt physically ill. I don't watch horror, and I don't really read comic books, so it was a very new world to me," Callies shared in an interview with Forbes, but this response did little to turn her away from the show. It actually made her want to delve deeper into the world of "The Walking Dead." Callies explained, "I figured that I had such a visceral reaction to it that it must mean that there was something important there for me to explore." With that, she became one of the key players in the series' early years.
Lori Grimes may not be a fan favorite, but Sarah Wayne Callies certainly deserves recognition for her efforts in the role. Despite a horrific reaction to the script, she stuck it out, collaborated with Frank Darabont (before he was dramatically fired from the show) and Gale Anne Hurd, and became a "Walking Dead" icon.
