Shawn Andrews Reveals Keith Richards Inspired His Walking Dead Character

Shawn Andrews is bringing a little rock and roll energy to the world of The Walking Dead.

In an exclusive interview with Coastal House Media’s Bella Madge, Andrews opened up about joining The Walking Dead: Dead City as Reverend Anthony, his place within the mysterious Death Squad and the unexpected musical inspiration that helped shape his character.

For Andrews, part of the appeal was getting the opportunity to step into a group filled with extreme, larger than life personalities.

“What attracted me to the role is I like the whole Death Squad that I’m a part of, that they’re very extreme people, willing to put themselves in very dangerous situations,” Andrews told Coastal House Media. “I thought it was really exciting because that usually leads to very larger than life type characters that really are exciting to watch.”

Andrews also praised the scale of The Walking Dead universe and the amount of creativity that goes into bringing it to life, from the sets and props to the wardrobe.

That wardrobe ultimately became an important part of finding Reverend Anthony.

“The wardrobe department really helped inform my character,” Andrews said, pointing specifically to details including Anthony’s rings and belt.

One of the most interesting influences came from outside The Walking Dead universe entirely.

Andrews revealed that he listened to Keith Richards’ solo music while developing the character and began watching interviews and footage of the legendary Rolling Stones guitarist.

The Walking Dead: Dead City [amc]

“I was definitely inspired to listen to a lot of Keith Richards’ solo album,” Andrews explained.

The connection became even stronger when Andrews noticed Richards wearing rings similar to those selected for Reverend Anthony’s costume.

But there was one particular Keith Richards moment that made the character click.

Andrews recalled watching footage of Richards onstage when a fan rushed toward Mick Jagger, prompting Richards to remove his guitar and use it to stop the fan.

“I was like, ‘Oh, that’s Reverend Anthony,’” Andrews said. “In a weird, weird way, it just kind of clicked.”

The character’s wardrobe added even more to that rock and roll identity, with Andrews saying Reverend Anthony’s leather and accessories gave him a vibe reminiscent of David Bowie.

“It definitely has a rock and roll vibe,” Andrews said. “It’s spiritual and kind of confusing.”

That confusion is also part of what makes the character interesting.

Despite his religious title and apparent connection to God, Andrews isn’t necessarily convinced viewers should take everything about Reverend Anthony at face value.

“I don’t really know, like, is he really a reverend or is he pretending to be one?” Andrews said.

That uncertainty allowed him to embrace the mystery surrounding the character rather than defining exactly who Anthony is or what he truly believes.

“We’re not quite sure, like, who is this guy?” Andrews explained. “Does he believe what he’s saying? Or is this something he heard and he’s just spouting it off?”

For Andrews, that ambiguity is part of the fun.

Shawn Andrews

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“I think that’s kind of the fun of the character,” he said. “You get to know who he is or who he isn’t.”

Of course, getting spoilers out of Andrews proved a little more difficult.

When asked what fans could expect from the Death Squad, Andrews joked that he’d “get like a dart in my throat” if he revealed too much.

He did, however, offer one tease.

“The action is pretty exciting,” Andrews said, pointing toward Episode 5 as the point where viewers begin seeing things ramp up.

Andrews credited director Simone White, showrunner Seth Hoffman and writer Justin Boyd with putting together some “really cool stuff” for the series.

Ultimately, Andrews hopes Reverend Anthony and the rest of the Death Squad bring a fresh burst of energy into the already massive Walking Dead universe.

“We’re definitely sort of an exciting surge of energy as you meet these very larger than life characters,” Andrews said. “I just hope people have a lot of fun enjoying it.”

With Reverend Anthony’s mysterious spirituality, Death Squad allegiance and unexpected dose of Keith Richards inspired rock and roll swagger, Andrews certainly appears to be having plenty of fun adding his own character to The Walking Dead legacy.