Alexa Mansour talks Hope Bennett’s guilt (Interview)

Alexa Mansour spoke to The Natural Aristocrat about Hope Bennett’s guilt for her mother’s death. Mansour elaborated on if it’s why she personally identifies Hope as the Daryl Dixon of The Walking Dead: World Beyond.

The following question asked by The Natural Aristocrat® to Alexa Mansour during a virtual roundtable with The Walking Dead: World Beyond cast.

Interview with Alexa Mansour on Hope Bennett:

Alexa Mansour as Hope Bennett on The Walking Dead: World Beyond. As portrayed on Season 1, Episode 3. Photo Credit: Macall Polay / AMC.

The Natural Aristocrat [Nir Regev]: You’ve mentioned identifying Hope Bennett with Daryl Dixon on The Walking Dead: World Beyond.

I find that comparison interesting because Daryl Dixon blamed himself for Glenn’s inadvertent death after punching Negan… Much like Hope blames herself for running towards the pregnant lady who shot her mother. Inadvertently scaring her. Hope though, shoots the lady in return instantly.

Do you feel this is both the source of Hope Bennett’s reckless bravery at times and torment?

Alexa Mansour: She takes her first kill already as a kid and I feel that makes her feel so guilty… Hope doesn’t really care what happens to her after that.

I think that might be part of the braveness that comes from her. It’s also coming from a place of self sabotage. If that makes sense.

Recap of Hope’s confession to sister Iris

At the conclusion of The Walking Dead: World Beyond’s third episode, Hope confessed to Iris she feels responsible for the death of their mother. Hope cited the run toward the lady holding them at gun point for their car as startling her.

She also admitted to shooting her back right then and there afterwards. Iris was taken aback but did not blame Hope, citing their youth at the time. ‘The sky was falling then and we were just kids.’

Nicolas Cantu as Elton, Aliyah Royale as Iris Bennett, and Alexa Mansour as Hope Bennet on The Walking Dead: World Beyond. As portrayed on Season 1, Episode 3. Photo Credit: Macall Polay / AMC.

The Walking Dead: World Beyond also gave a glimpse into the mysterious background of Elizabeth Kublek as played by Julia Ormond. Apparently, Hope Bennett’s intuition was right about Elizabeth in some way.

She could be responsible for the death of an entire community. Perhaps, Elizabeth took a Governor-like approach to the resources of others? ‘Get them before they get you’ and reward your own community with the spoils kind of thing?

Be sure to read The Natural Aristocrat®’s interview with Nico Tortorella on embracing the darkness of Felix’s backstory on The Walking Dead: World Beyond.

Delayed Revenge vs Instant Revenge

Instant revenge gives the audience the gratification of what they want, immediate resolution. It’s a comfort for the viewer. For a TV series, it evades the risk of wearing out the audience’s welcome. There is something to that.

Delayed revenge allows a simple flame from a lighter to build up to an inferno if implemented properly on a tv series. However, if the plot is extended for too long, interest might dwindle.

It’s actually rather rare in The Walking Dead universe that a character gets instant revenge like Hope Bennett when you think about it. Ron Anderson certainly was able to get a shot at Carl Grimes in Alexandria after losing his mother and brother Sam… Madison Clark taking out Troy Otto. Even in those two examples, there was a background to it all.

Alexa Mansour as Hope Bennett on The Walking Dead: World Beyond. As portrayed on Season 1, Episode 3. Photo Credit: Macall Polay / AMC

Typically, revenge is utilized more akin to a persistent governing force on The Walking Dead built block by block narratively. Case in point, Daryl seeking to drive a truck through Sanctuary’s front entrance in The Walking Dead season 8 came much later after Glenn’s death.

Slow Burn Approach vs Instant Resolution

If you examine the current Fear the Walking Dead, Morgan Jones is seemingly organizing his own Rick Grimes-like shakedown of Virginia. It’s a slow burn narrative rather than an instant resolution. We’re past TWD’s Season 10 finale now and there hasn’t quite been a true resolution to Negan and Maggie. Unless you feel Maggie sparing Negan was the end of it.

There’s no telling if Jeffrey Dean Morgan or Lauren Cohan will necessarily be on the upcoming ‘Caryl’ spinoff series, so there’s no guarantee if there will be a final confrontation over it. Of course, a lot can happen in ten years or a time jump of the zombie apocalypse.

Perhaps, Maggie’s anger over Glenn has simmered down. Or she will accept Alpha’s literal head as repentance on Negan’s part as the rest of the group has done. Father Gabriel may need to intervene with a word on Negan’s behalf there.

Alexa Mansour on Social Media

– Follow The Walking Dead: World Beyond and Unfriended: Dark Web star Alexa Mansour on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

– Check out The Natural Aristocrat®’s interview with Alexa Mansour about a certain walker’s surreal, human-like labored breathing in episode 2. You can already see the foundations of Hope Bennett’s empathy in that moment.