Recently in Paris for Comic Con France, Seth Gilliam spoke with us about his enduring connection to The Walking Dead universe, his recent return in The Ones Who Live, and the wide range of projects that continue to define his career.
Gilliam’s appearance in the spin-off series brought Father Gabriel back through a series of flashbacks, charting a quiet but powerful relationship with Jadis. The episode explores a quiet, recurring encounter between the two characters over several years, offering a reflective look at how both have changed since the fall of civilization. According to Gilliam, the scenes added emotional depth while reinforcing Father Gabriel’s evolving moral compass.
While Father Gabriel met an early end in the comics, Gilliam feels the television version benefited from a longer, more complex journey. By the series finale, Gabriel was given the chance to redeem one of his earliest and most painful mistakes, completing an arc that resonated strongly with fans and actor alike.
“Things seemed to come full circle for Father Gabriel in the finale of The Walking Dead,” he said, pointing to the moment where Gabriel redeems his past by opening doors instead of closing them. “I thought that was a fantastic full circle moment.”
Father Gabriel’s complexity is also what made him such a divisive character among fans. Neither a traditional hero nor a villain, he was shaped by fear, guilt, and gradual growth. Gilliam believes those flaws made Gabriel feel deeply human and helped him stand apart from more archetypal characters in the series. Early on, some fans even struggled to separate the actor from the role—something Gilliam now looks back on with humor.
Asked whether he would return for a Father Gabriel spin-off, Gilliam didn’t hesitate:
“Absolutely. Especially if it was set in Paris.”
Off-screen, Gilliam’s memories of The Walking Dead are defined less by storylines and more by relationships. He speaks warmly about the deep sense of family among the cast, a bond he believes directly contributed to the franchise’s ability to sustain multiple successful spin-offs.
“The sense of unity and family on The Walking Dead set was unlike many other shows I’d been on before.”
As a convention regular, Gilliam has also witnessed firsthand the creativity of fans, particularly through cosplay. Rather than focusing on walkers, many fans embody iconic characters like Rick, Michonne, or King Ezekiel—one memorable costume even included a rolling animatronic tiger.
With humor, Gilliam acknowledged that years on an apocalypse series have left him unusually well-prepared for fictional disaster scenarios. Between survival skills learned on set and a collection of gifted weapons, he jokes that he’s better equipped than most.
“I’ve learned how to be a Survivor. I’ve picked up a a few skills from the show that would do me well and also we were given lots of weapons as gifts. I have hatchet and a katana and a few other things to help just in case the world goes sideway.”
Outside of The Walking Dead, Gilliam has continued to explore varied genres. His return to Teen Wolf for the recent movie was a nostalgic experience, reconnecting him with a younger cast whose enthusiasm reminded him of his early days in television. Meanwhile, upcoming projects like Zombie Wedding showcase his comedic side, while The Legend of the Lake Ronkonkoma allows him to explore a quieter, emotionally grounded role as a father dealing with loss.
“One of the things I enjoyed about working on Teen Wolf was working with all the kids because they helped to keep me young. They helped to remind me of the enthusiasm of being a young actor and being in your first job on TV (…) and then seeing them all five years later, everyone’s grown up. They’re all adults now so that was very cool.”
Although he has become closely associated with sci-fi and supernatural worlds, Gilliam admits his personal preference lies with grounded, reality-based dramas. One project in particular remains especially meaningful to him: The Wire, which he cites as both a career milestone and one of his most rewarding creative experiences.
With decades of work across television and film, Seth Gilliam continues to balance genre storytelling with deeply human performances—proving that even in worlds overrun by the undead, it’s character and connection that matter most.
