The San Diego Comic Con trailer for "The Walking Dead" season 7 not only teased fans of the impending doom of one of the main characters but it also gave the first official look at Ezekiel, played by Khary Payton, and his pet tiger Shiva. Payton has since managed to give some insight regarding the character in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.
In the report, it was confirmed that Ezekiel will indeed be the leader of the community known as the Kingdom, which has been teased with the appearances of a few citizens during the second half of season 6. However, the actor also explained that he would not be portraying the character exactly the way Ezekiel was shown in the source materials.
"I looked at the comics, but more to just kind of get a feel for the world and everything," Payton explained. "I don't feel like I need follow it exactly. I don't worry about being affected by it too much. I feel like I live in the moment enough that a little bit of information here or there isn't going to kill me if they totally go off the rails and Ezekiel becomes a very different version than he is in the comic books."
GamesRadar also points out that he is in the same situation as pretty much most of the cast members of the show given that "The Walking Dead" is known for not following the comic books exactly the way they are, more often than not choosing to make alterations to some characters such as how Carol (Melissa McBride) is still alive while in the comics she died early on in the stories.
Payton also explains that Ezekiel is a breath of fresh air as he doesn't look at the walkers as people with a deadly disease but instead as people whose joy has been robbed of them, counting himself as one of the lucky people still able to enjoy life.
"The Walking Dead" season 7 will premiere this Oct. 23.
