"It's a very welcoming community": The Walking Dead star Okea Eme-Akwari on fans, Lauren Cohan & more (Exclusive)

Okea Eme-Akwari may be a recent addition to The Walking Dead cast, but he is a long-time fan of the show. With the series in its final block of eight episodes, he took the time to chat with SK Pop about the love and appreciation he's felt from the fanbase and the experience of working with Lauren Cohan.

Despite being no stranger to fandoms with die-hard audiences, having played Shawn Payne in Cobra Kai, Okea Eme-Akwari acknowledges that The Walking Dead's fans are special. Please note that the final episodes of the landmark show will air every Sunday on AMC, and also a week earlier on AMC+.

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The Walking Dead star has been overwhelmed with the love and appreciation from the community

Eme-Akwari was part of a roundtable with multiple stars, including Eleanor Matsuura, who expressed her gratitude towards the show's fans. The Walking Dead star said:

"And I feel like that really shows how dedicated this fanbase really is. And it's so broad and far-reaching. Going to a convention, you can see anyone from a toddler dressed as one of their favorite characters all the way up to someone's great, great grandmother."

"The Walking Dead family" is a term used by fans to express the sense of community they feel as a part of the unique world. As the show is a global sensation, zombie aficionados from across the world share common ground thanks to their love for their beloved cast of characters. This is something Okea Ame-Akwari is certainly cognizant of:

"The love that this fandom has for this show and the universe has been overwhelming in the best of ways to experience. It's a very welcoming community. When they say The Walking Dead family, they really mean it."

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We also asked the actor which other character he feels a sense of connection to

Every member of the cast had a unique and interesting answer to this question. Laila Robins, who plays Governor Pamela Milton, felt a sense of kinship with the "luminosity" that Khary Payton brings to the character of King Ezekiel.

Michael James Shaw, aka Mercer, preferred the easygoing approach of Jerry (Cooper Andrews), calm and chill even years into a zombie apocalypse. Meanwhile, Matsuura picked Princess (Paola Lázaro), someone she claimed she wanted to be in her personal life too.

Unsurprisingly, Okea Ame-Akwari chose Lauren Cohan, who has immortalized the character of Maggie Greene from Season 2 of The Walking Dead:

"I might be a bit biased but I feel like I'm leaning towards Maggie's character. I think that seeing her go from the more gentle farmgirl to the absolute bada** that she is on screen right now has been just a really fun thing to watch, even for me as a fan before coming on the show. I was a big fan of Lauren Cohan's portrayal of Maggie."

Sparks are flying between Elijah and Lydia (Cassady McClincy) on the show, even in the face of imminent danger. With only seven episodes to go before the series wraps up, it remains to be seen how many of the original cast and crew will survive.