10 TV Performances Way Better Than Anyone Expected

6. Andrew Lincoln - The Walking Dead

The Witcher Geralt Henry Cavill
AMC

The casting of Rick Grimes was another enormous decision in the last decade of television. Even if you weren't a fan of the Walking Dead comics, it was only a matter of time before a zombie-based television show hit the mainstream, and it felt like the Walking Dead would be the one to fill that gap in the market.

That's why it came as a surprise when relatively unknown actor, Andrew Lincoln, was chosen for the role. Barely known outside of the United Kingdom, he was tasked with the lead in one of 2010s most anticipated programs. And those who knew him from before surely felt nervous about the British comedy actor making the transition over to U.S.A.

Eight seasons, countless awards, and endless critical praise later and Andrew Lincoln is the central face of one of the world's most significant pop-culture franchises. His performance ranged from caring to desperate, warm-hearted to outright barbaric. He has shown us his range in the Walking Dead and I'm sure this is only the beginning for the British actor.

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A music grad & screenwriting masters student hoping to put his strong grasp of the online thesaurus to good use. Will write about anything you can find on a screen or a compact disc. Except the Bee Gees. He doesn't know much about them.