The Walking Dead season 7, episode 11: Josh McDermitt mum on Eugene’s allegiances
Did Eugene betray Rick on Sunday’s The Walking Dead episode? Thanks to the current set of circumstances, we very much understand the question. Eugene had zero problem belting out “I’m Negan” at the end of the episode, and he also did not want to go through with the proposed plan to poison the leader of the Saviors. It makes a great deal of sense to wonder whether or not the guy has officially went over to the dark side.
However, if you were to ask this very question to actor Josh McDermitt, he’d respond with a very simple answer: He doesn’t have one. As he tells Entertainment Weekly, he’s not interested in anyone having an indication of Eugene’s alliance for the time being:
“I have ideas [as to if he’s flipped], but I’m not going to share those. These are secrets that I need to keep as an actor. Because everyone was asking me, even on set, they’re like, ‘WHOA!’ Andrew Lincoln said it was one of his favorite episodes of the series. He would call me or text me just about every day. He’s like ‘Really, seriously, what’s up? Has Eugene crossed over?’ I told him I don’t know and I don’t want to know. I even told [showrunner] Scott Gimple, ‘Don’t tell me, because if I know then I’m going to start playing that kind of direction and I don’t want to.’
“I would rather it be a surprise because this was a huge surprise at the end of the episode. When he says ‘I’m Negan,’ I pushed my script back and I threw my arms in the air and went, ‘YES!’ It was such a surprise for me. I loved that, and I want that to be a surprise for everyone else. If I know, then I will start leaning into that a little bit. This is all boring actor talk. The people don’t care. They just want to know if Eugene is playing Negan or not. I get it. I’m not revealing it.”
Our personal perception is that this is all an act for Eugene to preserve his survival in the only way he knows how. He’s a self-admitted coward, and being under Negan’s way is an easy manner to ensure safety. Negan will always be a bigger target than him, and he’s easy to hide behind. Also, getting all of the information that he can from the Saviors is a great way to ensure that he is the most useful to Rick and company down the line.
This may be our perception, but as we’ve noted in the past, Eugene is a great liar and he’s exceptionally hard to read. We may think that he is lying as a result of this, when the reality here is that he’s telling the truth.
What’s your take — did Eugene betray Rick? Is there a motive we’re not thinking about here? Let us know your thoughts in the attached comments. (Photo: AMC.)
Also, be sure to read our take on the video preview for the next episode.