Cooper Andrews – The Walking Dead

By starrymag | October 6, 2019

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) What are the recent projects that you are working on?

A) This year it feels like it’s just been getting ready for “The Walking Dead.” I have a few projects that I’m actually going to be working on with my friends. So, we’ve been kind of getting into pre-production with that for some movies we’ve been working on for a while. It’s just been doing little projects like that we’re getting ready for in the next year or so and “The Walking Dead.” I’ve been quite content with my life this year. [laughs]

Q) What can you tease is in store this season on “The Walking Dead?”

A) I definitely tease that we’re seeing our characters…I like to call it in their “superhero mode.” They are at their best. Everyone is at their best. And when it’s like that and we’re still going against a villain like Alpha (Samantha Morton), it makes it very scary for me to watch because everyone is fixing mistakes they’ve made in the past so they don’t make them this year. It still may not be enough. Even seeing our characters at their best might not be good enough, which I love. If we treated seasons like video games the characters where they are at this year than everyone would have easily taken care of things in the past. Our characters can handle all of that now. This being different makes it that much cooler.

Q) We loved seeing Jerry’s loyalty to Ezekiel. What is it about Ezekiel that even without there being The Kingdom anymore that makes Jerry still refer to him as “king” and treat him so royally?

A) Jerry sees that Ezekiel (Khary Payton) ran his own community for ten years well. It was just after a colossal tragedy that kind of took that all away. It took that fire that they had to end it. Ezekiel and his way of thinking is pretty much what led to Jerry having this good way of life. He has a wife and three kids and clearly being able to eat well enough to live a happy lifestyle. [smirks] Cobbler at every meal. Knowing that is because of Ezekiel, Jerry owes him everything, I think. Also, he just loves him. That’s his brother. Kingdom is his closest family since the world ended, so of course he’d want to see it and everyone in it stay strong.

Q) Was there someone(s) you were hoping to share more scenes with this season?

A) There is definitely going to be some people that Jerry will be hanging out with and working with this year that hasn’t before. I would have always have loved to have seen Jerry and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) have something together. They are the two happiest guys in the apocalypse. They are the two happiest guys in the apocalypse so I always sort of wanted to see them do something. [laughs] I don’t know what it would be, but it would have been funny for me to see that.

Q) Was there a backstory you created for Jerry or something in particular that helps you to slip into the role?

A) I don’t have a backstory for Jerry. I don’t rely on backstory. That isn’t part of it, but I try to use the negative space to kind of fill it in. So, even though I don’t know his backstory…I like to joke around and say that he owned a food truck and did that. I like to think, “Okay, what makes someone this genuinely happy and not insane? What makes him optimistic?” For me, I don’t want to place it on a single thing. For Jerry, I like to think he loves life and he respects life and he appreciates it. When we shot Season 8, or whenever he had a gun in his hand, he hated it. Jerry hates killing. I try to make that clear. It was never really written in there, but I always try to make that…Walkers are one thing. He can have fun with that, but he’s able to disconnect to see they were not who they were. He doesn’t see them as humans. He just seems them as a weird infestation. Just the fact he loves life and respects life is what makes him this happy person. When you look around, yeah, there are a lot of corpses. But most of the stuff that is still around is just beautiful nature and beautiful life. I think that’s what Jerry holds on to, trying to make sure the world always looks like that.

Q) The Whisperers continue to be a menace. What does it mean this season for Jerry?

A) When you look back on Negan and his people, they were all planning to kill us. They had the same goal. We can say that he wanted them to take a knee, but at the end he wanted them all dead. The difference is that all The Whisperers agree with Alpha, love her and accept her as their leader. Negan bullied his way into it and he held it with fear. No one is with Alpha because they are afraid of her. Her way of life is the new way of life and they agree with that. It’s not just that they have the same intent, its’ what kind of person has that intent? This is the kind of person who fully believes what she is doing. It’s not out of greed or some way to make people good. Like Negan will have this thing where he lays down the law, but it’s for looks. It’s for appearance. So, some of it is motivated by something grander than wanting to be in power. I think it pales to Alpha’s belief of what she is doing is the way of nature – is the way of law. Even though she might not use that word since she doesn’t believe it anymore, but being a Whisperer is more of a religion than being a part of a political affiliation. That was what Season 8 was a lot of and this time we’re going against people who truly believe in what they’re doing. Knowing that we have that kind of fanatic…That puts Jerry on high alert. And knowing that Ezekiel is not where he was, it’s even more important. Jerry believes he can help Ezekial. He can help The Kingdom and anyone else a part of it (including Hilltop and Alexandria and Oceanside). So, it’s saving Ezekiel and everyone else. I think that’s what Jerry believes right now.

Q) With such high stakes, does Jerry’s armor get an upgrade?

A) [laughs] There are a few more little pieces put together now that he’s been on Hilltop. There is a little more flair. You can see the two little pieces of fabric that I keep on the chest armor that I’d ask for. One is a piece of Henry’s old shirt and a piece of Enid’s shirt. Not the shirt from what they wore when they died, but I think just a little piece of fabric. I like to think at some point they were kept. For me, as an actor, I look down at it and remember what the season was about. Losing Tara (Alanna Masterson), Jesus (Tom Payne), Henry (Matt Lintz) and so many friends to The Whisperers, I like to think he keeps it close to the vest. It helps remind him who is at stake and what is at stake. No matter how comfortable things are or how they seem, there is a loose agreement to stay off the border. No one has forgotten what is happening, but Jerry is definitely making sure that he’s got an armor upgrade and he’s been working the swords a little more than he used to.

Q) How do you shake off a long day of filming?

A) It takes a few hours to do that. First, it starts with a shower no matter what. Even if you are dry by the end of the day, it doesn’t mean that you didn’t sweat like three times earlier. So, you just smell it. It starts with a shower, for me. I definitely feel different while we’re filming than when I’m not filming because even though we have our off days, you’re still aware that Jerry is in there somewhere and he’s going to have to be out every few days. So, I try to keep him kind of close so I don’t have to pull from somewhere far away to get back. I like to reflect on the day. I like to think about what everyone did. Again, my favorite things on the show (after having read the script and what not) has been watching all your friends perform it. I’m like, “Man! That’s not at all how I thought it was going to sound like! That is so good!” You see your friends act and you’re like, “Man, you guys are good!” I get super excited and inspired by everyone I work with. I look back at what my friends did that day and what I did that day and think what I can do better. I also think about the fun we’ve had. I’ve always been very aware of the moment I’m in. I think I’m very lucky when it came to this. My entire life, when I realized something good was happening, I knew I was in a good thing. I know that’s a big thing that a lot of people aren’t able to do. I can definitely reflect on the day and enjoy the day, which sometimes helps me sleep. And sometimes video games are involved. [chuckles]

Q) What are some of your most memorable moments from filming the show?

A) We had a lot of it in previous seasons, but I wanted to see how everyone reacts to everyone else. After all this time, I think that the communities should definitely feel more like family than they have. In the previous years we were all estranged from each other and now we’re all keeping that clear line of communication open. Because we now have one enemy and we’re not in this loose alliance with each other, we’re strong and tight. We’re definitely seeing people have that regard for each other, that respect and kindness that only comes from when you know each other that long. We can kind of see that. It might not be as exciting for other people, but for me it is exciting that you can see how much care everyone has for each other – character wise. You can see how everyone is important to everyone. To me, that was kind of cool knowing that “Yes, they know each other so of course they are going to act like they care about each other.” Even though we all knew each other, when we were shooting Season 8 and 9…Because we went from that estrangement to everyone being together as a team. That’s the thing I’m liking most. Like I said, you’ll see the characters at their strongest. You’re going to see them become united because they are together on things. That’s what I’ve wanted to see on “The Walking Dead” for the longest time. They’ve had it in moments and whenever Rick (Andrew Lincoln) was at strongest because everyone was on the same page. Now you have communities that equal a few hundred people so it’s different now.

Q) What are some standout episodes for you this season?

A) There will be some episodes this season that are just truly, truly terrifying. I don’t know how people felt about Jesus in the graveyard, but I thought that was one of the most terrifying scenes they’ve had in a long time. We’re going to be chasing a lot more of that. There is going to be a lot more of that kind of fear. Not in the same way! It’s going to be different each time. I’m going to tease that there is going to be some stuff that truly belongs in some horror movies. Not gore movies – horror movies. Like a truly scary film and I shot they were shot so awesomely and so well that I can’t wait. I love watching those reaction videos. I’m looking forward to seeing every reaction video this year.

Q) What has it meant to be a part of such an iconic series?

A) It means everything! I truly was a fan of the show from the beginning and knowing that I’m helping to continue to tell this story has always been a lot of pressure and always something I’ve never taken lightly because I respect the show and I respect all the work that everyone has put in for it to get to where it is. I truly just want to continue the legacy of this show by helping with new stories that truly are different than what we’ve had. I always considered Season 9 as the end of the first anthology of the show, in a way. The end of 905 and picking up onward is the new phase of “The Walking Dead.” There is a lot I want to be able to help make better. It means everything to me. I don’t take this job lightly and I definitely love every minute of being on there. I love being on the show.

Q) Is there something you’d love to have from your time starring as Jerry that you’d someday like to take with you?

A) Yes, but if I say it they might be on to me. There are things that Jerry enjoys that he’s kept his eye on for a long time that when the time comes they may…[laughs] If I got to keep a thing with them being cool about it, I’d like to have Tori Amos and Janis Joplin. Those are the names of my ax and sword. [laughs] The first ax that everyone knows I called her Tori Amos and my second ax I named it “The red Wedding.” I never used that ax. Then, my sword I call Janis Joplin. You can actually hear it if you watch episode thirteen of last year “Chokepoint” there is a moment where Ezekiel…And Jerry would very much like to have his sword back. If you actually turn up the volume (because they won’t have it on the subtitles) you can actually hear me asking for Janis Joplin like, [whispers] “I also want Janis Joplin. And Jerry would very much like his sword back.” I always whispered that into his mic because I wasn’t wearing a microphone so I had to make sure the boom heard it. [laughs]

Q) What is the significance to those names, outside of the obvious “The Red Wedding?”

A) With both Tori Amos and Janis Joplin, with the weapon design and comparative musically, I just thought they were both super beautiful and super powerful at the same time. I just like to think of the voices and what their voices are saying. I felt like the names of the swords were appropriate. I listened to it a long time ago as a kid. My mom would play Janis Joplin on tape (A and B sides). It just reminded me. It was the first thing that came into my head. I didn’t give it much more thought. Pretty, elegant and powerful – both of them. So, I wanted to name them that.

Q) Is there anything else you’d like to be sure we share with our readers about this coming season of “The Walking Dead?”

A) I feel like with everyone that I’ve talked to about it, this season feels like a very, very much as close as it does to the first two seasons as far as going with it and rolling with the punches and everyone being what they are again. Everyone being what they want to be is what makes it cool. I feel like in Season 1 and 2 everyone was very much themselves. They weren’t quite followers. They all had a leader. Rick was, I think, pretty much recognized as the leader from the moment he showed up. But everyone felt like huge contributions to that. Like, “Okay, great, you want to do that but we need to think about this.” I feel like we’re there again because in Season 1 and 2 people made dumb decisions, but they didn’t know and we didn’t know that it was going to be a bad decision. That is what this season is. So, all of us are excited about that just for being close to that. I’m really, really, really excited for this season because our characters are having more freedom to be themselves and fight this how they want to fight it.

Q) You are a part of social media. Do you enjoy the instant fan feedback you receive to the episodes?

A) I’m always excited. I’m always nervous. Like I said, I really am excited to see the fan reactions to these episodes. Even with our season opener, I think this is one of the strongest season openers that has been on here for a few years. So, I wish October 6^th would get here already because I just want to watch the show. [laughs] This isn’t for you guys now. I just want to watch the show. [laughs] I would love to watch this just for me only just because it’s such an incredible season and watching what everyone is doing has been great. We’re killing it this season. A lot of the Michonne (Danai Gurira) stuff I’m excited to see.

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and a supporter of you and the work you do?

A) I’d like to say to everyone that I truly am thankful. I had no idea how I’d be welcomed into this world, just into acting in general. How everyone is kind of treated me and I’ve met with many fans at conventions…Just how much people can relate to me and that means I can relate to them. I feel so connected with everybody just knowing how much they care about Jerry and liked about Jerry were all the things I liked about him and cared about him. I like knowing that I can make people happy and that it makes them feel good because it makes me feel really good when people are happy. Thank you to everyone. It inspires me to do better and I appreciate every moment that I have. I’m thankful for everything and that is because of the fans and how they react to me. Thank you. I really am thankful.