The Big Picture

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon is set in France, where he teams up with a nun and a child to navigate a dangerous journey. Romain Levi and Lukerya Ilyashenko discuss the show’s blend of European and American sensibilities, its fairytale vibe, and meeting Norman Reedus. The co-stars share their experiences filming in Paris, their first day on set, and their characters’ arcs without giving away spoilers.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon sees the fan favorite character relocated to France, where he’s washed ashore and trying to figure out what comes next while navigating a very unfamiliar landscape. Along the way, Daryl (Norman Reedus) meets a nun (Clémence Poésy) with the goal of protecting a child named Laurent (Louis Puech Scigliuzzi) who’s in her care, and the trio find themselves on a very dangerous journey as they evade foes of both the human and walker variety, all with the hope that he’ll be able to find a way back home.

During this 1-on-1 interview with Collider, co-stars Romain Levi (who plays Codron, a high-ranking soldier who’s part of The Cause) and Lukerya Ilyashenko (who plays Anna, a singer at the Demimonde with a personal connection to the club’s owner) talked about their experience on such an incredible project, how the show manages to maintain a level of hope in the darkness, having a bit of a Tim Burton-like fairytale vibe, what it was like to meet Reedus and how much he surprised them, learning to sing in French without actually knowing the language, and why Codron will probably never end up being friends with Daryl Dixon.

Collider: It’s easy to love Daryl Dixon and the show is named after him, but there’s such an interesting world of characters that surround him and inhabit this world. When I spoke to director/EP Dan Percival, he told me that this series is a real blend of European filmmaking sensibilities with a genre that’s distinctly American, which you really get a sense of with watching these episodes. What was it like to be a part of a show like that? What most stood out to you, taking this very familiar world of The Walking Dead and dropping it into a location that’s previously entirely unfamiliar?

ROMAIN LEVI: Personally, I’m very proud of this show. Being part of this amazing project is incredible. We had the chance to see so many beautiful locations that are real places. I didn’t get any scenes in Paris, but it’s amazing to be able to see Paris like that, the City of Light with this dark energy. It’s amazing.

LUKERYA ILYASHENKO: I’ve been to two locations, Demimonde, which was a decoration built for the show, and Genet’s office. Those locations mixed with zombies gave the show this very mystic feeling that was a little bit like a fairytale. All the outfits that I wore and all the decorations, the whole thing felt like it was some sort of historical movie. It felt like it wasn’t happening today. It’s a bit like 19th century with a Tim Burton feeling.

LEVI: Absolutely. The way the script is written, you can relate to some tough period of our history, all over the world. I had that feeling when I went to Genet’s home.

Image via AMC Networks

Romain, as a French actor, what was it like to see the apocalyptic imagery of Paris, especially to see what the Eiffel Tower would look like in the show?

LEVI: It’s amazing, really. I was shocked by the work they did. It looked so real. It brings a weird feeling to see that. I’m a Parisian and I’ve always lived in Paris, so to see Paris like that, in a way, made me sad, to tell you the truth. When you see Paris destroyed like that, there is a feeling of how life might be later. So, it created something a bit sad. At the same time, what I really like with the show is that, even if it’s very dark and you see that Paris is destroyed, there still is hope there. Maybe one day Paris and France will be better again.

For each of you, what was your first day like on set?

LEVI: For me, the first day was very fun. It was a big fight with Daryl. Straight away, the first day, we had to fight, and I really loved it. It was very intense, but at the same time, it was perfect. I had the chance to meet Norman [Reedus], and he was so kind with me. He was always asking me if my head was okay and if my neck was fine because he punched me a lot. To feel his kindness, I couldn’t dream of a better way to start the show.

ILYASHENKO: It’s all mixed up in my head. When I arrived in Paris for the shoot, I was really stressed out because I was trying to memorize those French songs. I remember the day that I met Norman Reedus, I was brought on set for hair and makeup and they asked me if I wanted to go to the set. They said Norman Reedus and Clémence Poésy were downstairs in the catacombs, and I was like, “Oh, my God, I’m so terrified.” Out of politeness, I said, “Sure, okay, let’s go.” We walked downstairs to the catacombs and I watched the scene being shot, and I was like, “Okay, I’ve gotta get out of here and go do my makeup and hair test.” So, I went back upstairs and was just standing near the entrance to the catacombs and trying to pull myself together like, “It’s okay. He’s a huge Hollywood star, but he’s normal.” And then, I turned my head to the left and there he stood, Norman Reedus. He was like, “Hey, you’re the one who’s playing Anna.” And I went, “Yeah, that’s me.” He said, “I’m so happy you’re here with us on the show. Those catacombs were so cold and I got a little claustrophobic. What a terrible day.”

I was standing there looking at him and thinking, “Oh, my God, he’s the most humane human. He’s the coolest guy.” He’d ask, “Would you like some coffee, or something to eat?” He was always very supportive and very caring, and he’s a great actor. That was my first day, and I realized how great Norman Reedus actually is. After that, all the stress I was experiencing, at that moment, disappeared. Instead of fear, I got the feeling of confidence and the realization that I was working in a safe place with great people who were very talented and very hardworking, and who really wanted to get the greatest result they could. That’s just fantastic.

Image via AMC Networks

Lukerya, your character makes quite an entrance in the club, singing on stage. What was it like to do that performance?

ILYASHENKO: I don’t speak French, at all, and I had to learn three songs in French. I had a month to do that, and they were quite long songs. French is a very difficult language. It felt really impossible. So, I went on YouTube, found the songs, and slowed them down, three times. When I arrived to Paris on the 4th of January, my first shooting day was on 16th of January, so I had less than two weeks. I could have gone and walked around Paris to do some sightseeing, but instead I stayed in my hotel and 12 hours a day, I would just go over the songs, again and again and again, trying to memorize the lines even though I did not understand the language. And then, on set, I was so nervous and so scared, you would not believe it. But then, I got up on the stage and I thought to myself, “You did what you could. You can’t do better. Really, you are not able. You don’t have abilities to do better. Just let it go.” So, I tried to enjoy the moment. At some point, it was fun.

Romain, do you think your character is someone who could come to like and respect Daryl under different circumstances, or is he the guy that will always be a thorn in his side?

LEVI: What happened between Daryl and his brother, it’s not easy for Codron to forgive or be respectful. In a way, to forgive someone is to accept what happened, and Codron doesn’t accept the situation. His brother was a part of himself, really, and Codron will never be the same after that. His brother was the only human being that he was very close to. And what would his brother think, if Codron were friends with Daryl? I’m not sure he’d be so happy about that. So, I won’t say yes he can or no he can’t because it’s not so easy in this situation.

Image via AMC Networks

Without spoilers, how did each of you feel about the arc your character had, this season?

ILYASHENKO: I left my character in a very guilty place, where she should reconsider the values in her life. That doesn’t spoil anything.

LEVI: I don’t wanna say too much about what’s going to happen. What I really like with Codron is the fact that he will do anything to get what he really wants. In a way, I like this guy because he wants something and he’s a go-getter. I like that.

He does make some choices that we don’t necessarily expect him to make, which makes it feel like he’s not particularly calculated.

LEVI: Absolutely. That’s one of the things that I really like with this guy. He’s not a manipulative man. He is a simple man. He got hurt and he wants to take revenge for his brother’s death. And then, some things happen and he’s going to react to those things, but he’s not a manipulative man. There is a simplicity to him that I really like.

The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon airs on Sunday nights on AMC and is available to stream at AMC+.