Matthew Lillard Almost Played Negan on The Walking Dead

The Scream actor was in line for the iconic villain role before Jeffrey Dean Morgan took it.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 10:48am

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Actor Matthew Lillard revealed that he was briefly cast as Negan, the iconic villain on The Walking Dead, before Jeffrey Dean Morgan ultimately landed the role. Lillard said his take on the character would have been "more wicked and funny" compared to Morgan's cold and masculine portrayal, which became a fan favorite over six seasons of the show.

Why it matters

Negan quickly became one of the most memorable and talked-about characters on The Walking Dead, so Lillard's casting could have significantly changed the trajectory of the show and the character. This near-miss highlights how casting decisions can dramatically impact a popular TV series.

The details

Lillard said he went through multiple callbacks for the Negan role, and was even told he had the part for about 10 minutes before the producers decided to go with Morgan instead. Lillard believes his version of Negan would have been "more wicked and funny" compared to Morgan's take, which leaned into the character's brutality and masculinity.

  • In 2016, Jeffrey Dean Morgan made his debut as Negan on The Walking Dead.
  • A few years later, at San Diego Comic-Con, Lillard learned he had been briefly cast as Negan.

The players

Matthew Lillard

An actor known for roles in Scream, Scooby-Doo, and other films, who was almost cast as Negan on The Walking Dead.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan

The actor who ultimately landed the role of Negan on The Walking Dead, and went on to portray the character for six seasons.

The Walking Dead

The popular AMC television series that featured Negan as a major villain.

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What they’re saying

“You have no idea. You had the part for like 10 minutes. At that point, I would've had another 10 years of work.”

— The Walking Dead creator

“He's super masculine, and I just would've been more wicked and funny. He was super badass and masculine. We would have had very different takes.”

— Matthew Lillard, Actor

What’s next

The Walking Dead franchise continues to expand, with spin-off series like Daryl Dixon and Dead City, so it remains to be seen if Negan will appear in future installments.

The takeaway

This near-miss in casting highlights how a single decision can dramatically impact a popular TV series. Lillard's take on Negan could have significantly changed the character and the show's trajectory, demonstrating the power of casting choices in shaping iconic roles.