WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Season 1 of The Walking Dead: World Beyond.
From the first episode of The Walking Dead: World Beyond when the characters decided to venture beyond the Campus Colony, they've been on a challenging adventure. But nothing prepared them (or fans) for the big twist in the series' eighth episode, "The Sky Is a Graveyard." An after-credits scene revealed one of the group's adult allies, Huck, played by Annet Mahendru, was in fact a spy for the Civic Republic Military whose mission was to bring Hope (Alexa Mansour) into the fold.
Throughout the series' first season, Mahendru -- a veteran of shows like The Americans and The Romanoffs -- has given a smart, subtle performance that demands rewatching now that fans know who Huck really is. In an exclusive interview with CBR, Mahendru discussed her character's true identity, shared her experiences working with the cast and creators of World Beyond and teased what we can expect in Season 2.
CBR: Did you know that Huck was sent to the Campus Colony by the CRM before you started shooting?
Annet Mahendru: I knew of Huck’s arc in a nutshell, the details got ironed out throughout the season. So that was fun! I remember getting a call from our creator Matt Negrete saying that he was looking to cast my mother and they were out to Julia Ormond. So then I became half-British, which was the first for me!
Huck’s disguise was probably the riskiest thing to pull off for us. Lucky enough nobody caught onto it and busted us before it was time to shine. We kept the other cast members out of the loop for the same reason. I remember how mad they were at me when they found out. That’s the beauty of television, you get to live one day at a time, so to say!
From the first episode, the show established Huck has a strong bond with Hope, but we learn in the final episodes that part of the reason is Huck’s mission is to bring her to the CRM. Did you feel Huck’s bond with Hope was genuine?
Huck was a troubled kid like Hope, so they’ve always had that bond. They’re both really good once they have a focus, and that is what Huck wants to instill in Hope more than anything. After all, it was Huck who fought for Hope to have the journey into recruitment as opposed to being plugged into the machine by sheer force. The unknown factor was the extent of their connection and I’d say they’re bound forever by all that has transpired this season. The CRM is giving me the captor and captive vibes wherein both hold equal power. We are all caught up in a need-based cycle that is heightened that much more during the end of the world.
At one point in the finale, Huck tells Felix, "sometimes you gotta do bad to do good." Do you feel Huck believes everything she did to get Hope to the CRM was for the greater good or were there other pressures at work?
[Huck's mother] Elizabeth [Kublek] has a big effect on the way Huck's operation ultimately ends. So Huck uses her "in" to make this a worthwhile experience for everyone. There are personal pressures involved but those also existed for her in the Marines. She is not to be swayed from her own idea of a greater good. Elizabeth is well aware of that, which adds to their tensions. [Huck's] father’s watch [which Elizabeth gives her,] is a way to keep their bond above anything, but it may be a hopeless attempt at the end.
I think loyalties in this world crumple at the feet of survival. Huck did her best to keep the group safe, the newcomers [Tony and Percy] may have been a blessing for their inevitable need to split up. Apparently the CRM is not happy about anyone still being out there. Equally Huck had no idea about the wipe-out of the Campus Colony that took place after the group’s departure. At the end, what matters is that everyone has uncovered more truth about themselves and the world, and hopefully has been affected enough to create something stronger.
In the Season 1 finale, Huck has a knock-down, drag-out fight with Felix (Nico Tortorella). What was it like to shoot that scene?
The Felix versus Huck fight is both emotionally and physically fueled. Neither of them wants to kill one another but it has unfortunately come to that. They’re both deeply invested into Hope. It’s like when folks go through a nasty divorce but are both entitled to custody still. They each ended up with a "daughter" at the end, I suppose. Good thing there were two!
[On the day the fight was shot,] it was an incredibly cold winter day in Virginia and it was incredibly hot inside the burning building. I was honestly praying through most of it since Nico and I both love to do all of our stunts… We had three coffee trucks that night so everyone powered through a hell of a scene to remember and to be grateful to have survived. We have an amazing crew that looks out for each other 100 percent so we can all be 100 percent at what we do best.
It’s hinted that Huck has a difficult relationship with her mother. Did you get a chance to discuss building that family dynamic with Julia Ormond before you filmed scenes together?
Julia and I talked at great lengths with the writers about our complicated and fairly new relationship. Our interactions this season were brief but loaded. [Huck's] dad's story will be a great revelation of their past together. I cannot wait for our characters to discuss what the heck happened at the Campus Colony. That is a huge no-no for Huck! And what is really going on at CRM and who else we may run into there.
How did what you knew about the larger Walking Dead universe impact your performance?
It gave me a sense of familiarity with Robert Kirkman's world and what I was up against. But again, I had very unique shoes to walk in. Huck is a whole new human being that I had to create from scratch. It was an extraordinary collaboration with the creators Scott Gimple and Matt Negrete. She truly evolved in her presence with the group. Lurking in the shadows, a new villain has emerged who bares a heart of gold.
Obviously because of the pandemic, your experience with fans has been atypical, but have you had the opportunity to interact with fans now that you’re part of The Walking Dead universe? Are you aware of how they reacted following the big Episode 8 reveal about Huck?
I just had my first live-chat on Instagram and randomly happened to invite a TWD master-fan @Celtictso to join me. Man, he really broke it down for me. I think I may have earned a tattoo alongside some of TWD Original Gangstas on his arm?!
The fans are a huge driving force in the Walking Dead universe; they are so involved they’ve become part of its legacy. I’ve just never experienced this type of engagement and love before! Incredibly enough, this virtual reality is utterly real in some ways. Maybe more real than how we used to do press prior to the COVID shutdowns because we crave it that much more. It’s all been really bizarre but fun nevertheless. Keeping the conversations of creativity alive is very important to me. It is how I stay well during these times of havoc.
Before the show even started, it was announced it would only last two seasons. Has it been helpful to know the show has a firm end date?
For people with commitment issues maybe! I fall in love quickly and greatly so now that it has taken on a life of its own, I can’t ever imagine saying bye to Huck and her friends. According to the power of this franchise’s fans anything is possible for World Beyond. If not, there's always the TWD films!
What can you tease about next season?
I hope for a deep dive into the CRM headquarters, a close up of their super-soldier shenanigans and what that means for our future.
Created by Scott Gimple, Robert Kirkman and Matt Negrete, The Walking Dead: World Beyond stars Aliyah Royale, Alexa Mansour, Annet Mahendru, Nicolas Cantu, Hal Cumpston and Nico Tortorella. The series airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on AMC.