The Walking Dead: 10 Actors Who Could Play Negan
By Jeremy Dick
Now that Season 5 of The Walking Dead is behind us, one of the burning questions comic book readers are wondering is, “Who is going to play Negan?” Negan is, of course, the most brutal villain in the series, but he has a certain charm about him that makes his character very interesting. The internet is full of rumors, speculation and fantasy casting for the part, and here are ten names of actors that could potentially play the leader of the Saviors.
10. Robert Pattinson
On April 1st, 2015, Robert Pattinson was reported as “CONFIRMED” to play Negan, causing a bit of controvery amongst the die-hard fans of the show. Fortunately, this was merely an April Fool’s Day hoax, and Pattinson was never honestly considered for the part.
9. Kevin Durand
The actor from The Strain is rumored to be in the running for the role of Negan. His experience with slaying vampires on the FX TV series may gave him an upper hand as a ruthless gang leader in a zombie apocalypse.
8. Patrick Warburton
Patrick Warburton has long been a fan favorite casting choice for the part, no doubt due to his size and similar facial features. He is imposing enough, although some people might have a hard time separating him from his comedy roles.
7. Andrew Dice Clay
Although he was much more famous in the 1980’s, Andrew Dice Clay was possibly an influence on the character of Negan. Like Negan, Clay wore a leather jacket, always had an attitude and a penchant for over-using the F-word.
6. Henry Rollins
The Walking Dead artist Charlie Adlard once said that Negan’s appearance is actually based on musician/actor Henry Rollins. With this in mind, it seems only natural that he’d be a contender to play the role on the TV series.
5. Vinnie Jones
Many Walking Dead fans seem to think Vinnie Jones would be an excellent choice to play Negan. Visually, he is certainly intimidating enough to play such a vicious role.
4. Jon Hamm
Rumors of Jon Hamm playing Negan originated when Robert Kirkman said he was interested in having Hamm play the part, and the actor himself even stated that he was open to the idea. Primarily known as Don Draper on AMC’s Mad Men, it might pose a problem for fans of the network to separate him from that role.
3. Bruce Campbell
Highly charismatic and a fan favorite among the horror community, there’s almost no role Bruce Campbell couldn’t play well. My only concern is that Campbell is simply too likeable, and considering the horrible things Negan is probably going to do on the show, it still might make it hard to root against the guy.
2. Thomas Jane
After missing out on his opportunity to play Rick Grimes himself on The Walking Dead, Thomas Jane could still show up on the show as Rick’s arch-nemesis. He has an imposing look and physique, and he’s a great actor who could definitely pull off the challenging role.
1. Christopher Meloni
Christopher Meloni is mostly known for his roles on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and HBO’s Oz, but he’s an extremely versatile actor’s who has been seen in a plethora of different TV shows and movies.
He has an exorbitant amount of charm and charisma, and he’s also able to pull off dark and dramatic roles. These are qualities that would already make him perfect for Negan as it is, and it definitely doesn’t hurt that, visually, Meloni is a dead ringer for Negan.