'Fear the Walking Dead' Star Keith Carradine Explains Why John Dorie Sr. Died (Exclusive)

[Spoilers ahead for Fear the Walking Dead, Season 7, Episode 12] John Dorie Sr. (Keith Carradine) became a key character in Fear the Walking Dead. But while he died in Season 7's 12th episode of the AMC series by sacrificing himself to save baby Mo and Morgan (Lennie James), he will make an impact going forward. In an exclusive interview with PopCulture.com, Carradine explained why Dorie died after becoming one of the stronger characters in the series. 

"It made me sad, honestly, and the writers understood that," Caradine exclusive told PopCulture. "We had a good conversation when they let me know that was the choice that was being made and why they had to make that choice and they needed something that was going to be truly impactful in the telling of the story. They decided that one of the most impactful things that they could do was to have John Dorie Sr. meet his end and I understood it. Then of course, what they gave me to do as a sendoff it's the kind of stuff that we actors dream of being given the chance to do. So, it was a mixed bag, man. I was sorry to move on, but honored to have been given to do what they gave me to do, so."

Dorie made his Fear the Walking Dead debut late in Season 6 when he runs into June (Jenna Elfman). After pointing guns at each other, June realizes that Dorie Sr. is the father of her husband John Dorie (Garet Dillahunt) who was killed by Dakota (Zoe Colletti) earlier in the season. Dorie Sr. and June become allies and are together until Dorie's death. 

Carradine also talked about how he going to miss working with Elfman. "Oh, she's the best of the best," he said. "And I miss Jenna every day and we stayed in touch and that's not often the case when these families come together and it's a brief life, and then everybody scatters to the winds and you lose touch. But there are those who, for whatever reason, you try to stay in touch with, because there was a connection and a real friendship. Jenna's the best of the best."

Now that June has lost her husband and father-in-law, she is on her own as she tries to take Victor Strand (Colman Domingo) down in The Tower. And Carradine can't wait to see what happens next. "Yeah. She's definitely on her own," Carradine said when talking about June. "So I'm as much of a clueless audience member as the rest of you now. Jenna, the nature of that character, of June's character, she is a survivor and she has a ferocity to her that will prevail. And so I would imagine that they will find ways for June to continue to be a force in wherever the story goes now." 

Fear the Walking Dead airs every Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on AMC and also streams on AMC+. For more on the series and everything you need to know, keep it locked to PopCulture.com for the latest.