Aaron Munoz and Michael Raymond-James guest starred on last night's episode of The Walking Dead. For those that haven't seen the episode yet, I don't want to get into spoilers, but the scene they were involved in was one of my favorite scenes of the season.
I had a chance to talk with Aaron who plays Tony on the show, and asked about the audition process, his interest in horror, and working with Andrew Lincoln:
***SPOILER WARNING for those that have not seen episode 8***
Thank you for taking the time to talk with Daily Dead. Can you tell our readers a bit more about yourself and your acting career?
Aaron Munoz: I started out doing a lot of Improv Comedy, wanting to be the next Chris Farley. While I was at Columbia College Chicago and taking classes at Second City I started to really like acting in plays. I’ve done a ton of theatre since then and in the past couple of years have been fortunate to do more screen work. I fired Mos Def from a gig in CADILLAC RECORDS and have some leads in indies in the film festival circuit.
How did you get involved with The Walking Dead? Was this a role that was offered to you or did you need to audition? What was the audition process like?
Aaron Munoz: I auditioned. The audition process has changed a lot and I actually booked this from my ‘studio’ in our guest bedroom. My agent sent the tape in and a week later I was on set.
Prior to joining the show, were you a fan of the TV series? Were you also familiar with the comic book series?
Aaron Munoz: I was a huge fan of the show. I watched it all last season and thought it was really well done. I was aware of the comic book, but didn’t really look into it until the audition.
Are you a fan of horror movies in general? What are some of your favorite horror/zombie films?
Aaron Munoz: Growing up I loved THE NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET films – Freddy terrified and intrigued me all at once. I also had a blast on Halloween. I was always the one with liquid latex and gashes on my face. Working with Greg Nicotero was like being a kid again.
I thought the bar scene was really well scripted. In a very short time, the audience immediately gets the sense that these characters would cause problems if they came back to camp. Can you tell me a bit more about the filming of that scene?
Aaron Munoz: We shot over a couple of days in September. The director, Clark Johnson really worked to make the tone of the scene right. These guys are dangerous –the world is. Our work as actors was to not give away the ending too soon.
Was anything improvised/changed or was everything pretty much exactly the same as it was in the script?
Aaron Munoz: There are always re-writes in television, but the scene essentially stayed the same since the first draft.
How was your time with Andrew Lincoln and other cast members on the set? Was it difficult keeping your death a secret from those that knew you were involved on the show?
Aaron Munoz: Everyone was really great. Scott (Hershel), Steven (Glenn) and Andy (Rick) were excited to play with some new folks and really welcoming – as was the whole crew. It’s a fantastic set to work on. I had a number of friends who were fans, and I really tried to keep my demise a secret. My family and wife knew what happens, but I didn’t go into much detail – what’s the fun in that, right?
With your guest role on The Walking Dead completed, can you tell us where we'll see you next?
Aaron Munoz: I’m going back to my comedic roots and working on some comedy shorts. Look for them on Funny or Die in the next couple of months. I’m also producing/acting in a two-man ROMEO & JULIET for the NY Fringe Festival. There’s nothing like a 250lb Juliet! Readers can keep up with me on my official website, aaronmunoz.com and follow me on twitter @stogiemunoz.
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