‘The Walking Dead’ Alum Michael Cudlitz Reacts to Co-Star Scott Wilson’s Passing

Former The Walking Dead actor Michael Cudlitz was the cast member to respond to the death of Scott Wilson, who played Hershel Greene on the AMC series. Wilson was 76 years old.

“Rest easy my friend…… rest easy,” Cudlitz wrote on Twitter.

Cudlitz and Wilson were both on The Walking Dead at the same time. Cudlitz starred as St. Abraham Ford from seasons four through six and was seen in the season seven premiere. He also made an appearance in the season seven finale.

Wilson’s death was first reported by ComicBook.com and later confirmed by AMC on Twitter.

“We are deeply saddened to report that Scott Wilson, the incredible actor who played Hershel on [The Walking Dead], has passed away at the age of 76. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. Rest in paradise, Scott. We love you,” the network wrote on the official Walking Dead Twitter page.

Wilson’s death came while most of The Walking Dead cast was in New York to screen the season nine premiere at Madison Square Garden during New York Comic-Con. Showrunner Angela Kang confirmed that Wilson filmed a cameo appearance, even though his character was killed off during the season four finale in 2014.

During the Nashville Walker Stalker Con last year, Wilson told ComicBook.com that he knew Hershel would die after he read his character’s famous “risk your life” speech.

“Soon as I read that, I knew I was dead,” Wilson said at the time. “That’s it. That scene, Hershel became more proactive. Usually, he was reactive. He was reactive to the issues of the characters around him. He was good but he was reactive. In that, he comes out and he was proactive and he says, ‘This is what you should do,’ and he’s reaching the point where you can do without him.”

Wilson said he understood his character was always trying to find the best in the people around him.

“He was looking out for the best interest of the people who had become walkers before he found out they couldn’t be brought back,” Wilson told ComicBook.com last year. “And, after he found out, he was still looking out for the best interest of the people that were there, so he never really changed who he was. It was just a loss for him that he knew he wouldn’t be meeting the people that he knew again. It was an interesting character and a lot of people think he started thinking differently but, basically, he didn’t.”

The Walking Dead returns Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on AMC.