Actor Seth Gilliam joins Rocking With Jam Man at Frightmare in the Falls for a revealing interview about The Wire, The Walking Dead, and his career on screen.
Watch the full Seth Gilliam interview on YouTube.
Seth Gilliam originally auditioned for Stringer Bell
Gilliam reveals that before playing Ellis Carver, he read for Stringer Bell, the iconic part played by Idris Elba. He explains how his own version might have leaned more toward impulsive intensity rather than Elba’s famously controlled stillness. When asked how close he got to leaving The Wire, he responds: “A couple of phone calls away, I guess.”
Living with his Wire co-star and filming Randy’s heartbreaking scene
Gilliam describes living with his on-screen partner, Domenick Lombardozzi (Herc), during the first season to understand their characters’ bond. They would play Madden into the early morning before reporting to the set on little sleep. He also recalls filming the memorable sequence when Carver leaves Randy at the group home: the emotion came in the moment, and he found out just how hard a steering wheel is when he hit it.
Why he thought Father Gabriel would be dead in three episodes
Turning to The Walking Dead, Gilliam says he initially expected Father Gabriel to survive only three episodes. Instead, Gabriel developed from a frightened newcomer into a remarkably tough survivor. Gilliam reflects on the cast’s gratitude in filming the final season, including scenes involving Rosita.
Could Gabriel return to The Walking Dead?
Having returned in The Ones Who Live, Gilliam says he sometimes hears ideas being kicked around but has no confirmed new Gabriel project to announce. He especially enjoyed working with Ross Marquand and says he could imagine a two-person story focused on Gabriel and Aaron. This was an idea in the interview, not a confirmed spinoff.
Ride or Die, Stakeout and the Death Row Meal
Gilliam discusses his enjoyment of unpredictable new roles, including Ride or Die, and talks about trying to revive conversations around the proposed paranormal crime thriller Stakeout. To close, Jam Man asks his signature Death Row Meal question. Gilliam jokes that he’d choose something heavy “to buffer the electricity.”
More from Rocking With Jam Man
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