The Rick Grimes star stepped away for family before later returning to finish his story.
Summary
– Andrew Lincoln left The Walking Dead because filming kept him away from his family in England
– Norman Reedus understood the decision, even though Lincoln’s exit was difficult for him personally
– Lincoln later returned as Rick Grimes in the series finale and The Ones Who Live
Andrew Lincoln’s exit from The Walking Dead came down to family, not a lack of interest in the role that made him the face of AMC’s zombie franchise.
Lincoln played Rick Grimes for more than 100 episodes across nine seasons before stepping away as a series regular in 2018. The show was filmed in Georgia while his family remained in England, and the distance grew as his children grew older.
Lincoln previously explained that his children were getting older and less able to travel with him. That made the decision clear for the actor, who felt it was time to return home and be closer to his family.
Norman Reedus later said he knew about Lincoln’s planned exit before most people and understood the reason behind it. Reedus admitted it was still a difficult moment because of their close bond after years of working together on the series.
The Walking Dead wrote Rick out in Season 9, Episode 5, titled “What Comes After.” Rick appeared to sacrifice himself by destroying a bridge to protect his people, but the episode later revealed that he survived and was taken away by helicopter.
Lincoln’s time as Rick Grimes did not end there. He returned for a brief appearance during the 2022 series finale before starring with Danai Gurira in the 2024 limited series The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live.
That spinoff gave Rick and Michonne’s story a proper continuation after years of separation. Lincoln later said he returned because fans kept asking where Rick was and because the character’s story still felt unfinished.
