The Walking Dead star Norman Reedus never wanted a romantic storyline for Daryl if it didn’t fit the character. He got it later, but the whole thing ended bitterly.
In The Walking Dead, Daryl Dixon quickly became a fan favorite. This is mainly due to the charismatic acting of Norman Reedus, who has given his character so much personality.
Throughout the run of the hit series, Reedus always insisted that Daryl not be drawn into a romantic relationship just like that. It happened briefly in Season 10, but the big feelings didn’t last.
Daryl got a love story for the first time in The Walking Dead Season 10
In TWD Season 10, Episode 18, titled “Find Me,” the story of what Daryl experienced in the five years between Rick’s disappearance and the big time jump is told for the first time. Fans learn how he came to have the dog with which he suddenly returns.
The animal belonged to Leah Shaw (Lynn Collins), whom Daryl met in a cabin in the forest. A tender romance developed between the two – a first for the fan favorite of The Walking Dead.
Reedus talked to Entertainment Weekly about how he felt about it in 2021 after the episode aired:
We talked about it a little bit. I was super nervous. And you never know what’s going to happen with these things. So I just wanted to stay true to Daryl, and depending on what happens next, you kind of have to play it a certain way, otherwise something else might not work later. So I skirted around it as much as possible.
The star also explained that the shoot was quite rushed due to the then-ongoing coronavirus pandemic and increased safety precautions:
It was kind of an idea that was put on paper before me before I knew about it, and I didn’t know how to react. And then I had a lot of questions, but then we were also in the middle of a pandemic and trying to navigate that, and it was just full steam ahead and I wasn’t quite sure what was going to happen.
The romantic feelings quickly changed in The Walking Dead
The budding romance between Daryl and Leah did not last long. From season 11 on, she was part of the evil Reapers and rose to become their ruthless leader. In the end, she is shot by Daryl, of all people, when she wants to take revenge on Maggie for the death of her fellow group members.
