New York Comic Con

Norman Reedus on Daryl Dixon, Beta fight scene evolving his screen combat

Published

1 year ago

November 7, 2023

Nir Regev

Norman Reedus spoke to The Natural Aristocrat® about Daryl’s iconic fight scene with Beta shaping his future screen combat work on The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT (NIR REGEV): When Daryl fought Beta in Season 9, I thought you reached a new high note with your physical combat work and you’ve maintained that level ever since. Most recently with Romain Levi (Codron) on the Daryl Dixon spinoff.

I was wondering what your routine is for elevating your on-screen stage combat work like that?

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Ryan Hurst as Beta – The Walking Dead _ Season 9, Episode 13 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

NORMAN REEDUS: That year I wanted to change my fighting style. So I switched from holding a knife like this (upward) to holding it down and everything was sort of a ballet.

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan, Ryan Hurst as Beta- The Walking Dead _ Season 10, Episode 16 – Photo Credit: Jackson Lee Davis/AMC

With Beta in particular, ’cause he’s so big, I couldn’t get him. So I had to chop him down like a tree, you know?

Norman Reedus as Daryl Dixon, Ryan Hurst as Beta – The Walking Dead _ Season 9, Episode 13 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

So all of my fighting style kind of went in this direction. And there was a scene before Beta, maybe two years before that when I popped out of a sunroof.

So I pop out of this thing. And there were so many walkers in a tight space that there was just no room to do that.

And that’s kind of where the idea of that rung from. Ducking under arms and just getting to a certain point.

We did it at the Eiffel Tower with Louis (Puech Scigliuzzi). When he’s being taken away. It’s just more efficient.

What the crazy part is, I live in New York, what that was doing to me in my head… Like I’d see like 10 tourists in the middle of the sidewalk. And the first thing I think is like, ‘Can I throw that one into that one?’ (laughs)

And I would like, sort of mathematically find the fastest way to get through them, man. I was like, ‘Oh my God, what am I thinking about?’

But that fighting style came about and worked well for Beta in particular because he’s just so big. So I just wanted to chop him down.

Ryan Hurst as Beta – The Walking Dead _ Season 9, Episode 13 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

THE NATURAL ARISTOCRAT: Thanks Norman!

NORMAN REEDUS: Thank you!

The interview question was asked during The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Press Conference at New York Comic Con 2023.

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More Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon Photos From NYCC 2023

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– New York Comic Con 2023 Exclusive Photos: Daryl Dixon Panel

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