‘Fear the Walking Dead’ – ‘More Time Than You Know’ Post-Mortem Interview with Karen David

Karen David as Grace in Episode 805 of ‘Fear the Walking Dead’ – ‘More Time Than You Know’. Photo Credit: Lauren "Lo" Smith/AMC

Caution: This interview contains spoilers for Episode 805 of ‘Fear the Walking Dead’.
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Karen David is a talented and accomplished actor that has appeared in some memorable and iconic franchises, such as Galavant and Once Upon a Time. For the past four years, she’s starred as Grace Mukherjee in Fear the Walking Dead, and despite her character surviving some harrowing scrapes in that time, Grace finally bid farewell to the franchise during tonight’s episode, ‘More Time Than You Know’, and we had the distinct honor of sitting down with Karen to discuss Grace’s farewell episode.  

John Betancourt: When did you receive the news that this was going to be Grace’s goodbye episode?

Karen David: You know, I found out… normally it's during our hiatus period, they give us a sketch. But this didn't come as a surprise, because right from when I joined the show, from day one, I knew Grace's journey, I knew the trajectory of where the storylines were going to go. I didn't necessarily know how, but I knew she would succumb at some point to her radiation exposure. And it was really important for Ian (Goldberg), and Andrew (Chambliss), and Scott (M. Gimple) to play out the authenticity of what happens in these circumstances, as per Chernobyl, which I know, they took a lot of influences from. So, I knew this, I knew that my time would be… actually I really thought I was going to go after my third season, but to be able to play out and carry out the final season with Lenny and the gang. Just, you know, meant a lot to me.

And it was so important for me, too, was really important for me to give Grace, the best possible sendoff that I could and to, you know, it was really important for all of us about the legacy of our characters, as our storylines come to a close. So, yeah, when they told me just before, probably around springtime, we had a chat on Zoom. And the joke is that every season, after every season, when we kind of do it a debrief of where we finished and where we're going, I would always say, “and then Grace dies.” And they would start laughing. They're like, “No, not today. Why are you saying that?” (Laughs) I'm like, “Well, because I don't know, where the radiation levels are at, you know, where are they at?” But no, they kept me going into the final season. And it felt good, it felt right, I got… so many things that I got to do with Grace, and I'm so grateful for and four seasons was a good amount of time to achieve what I wanted to do with her.

John Betancourt: Now despite knowing the end is nigh, how did you process Grace’s goodbye?

Karen David: You play a character for four seasons, and you become so invested in that character, you know, the relationship I have with… Grace… breathing life into her. I think for me, you know, knowing Grace's backstory, and it's a very painful journey she's had, it's very, it's so poignant. It's so bittersweet. It's so painful. I mean, all these characters have been through trauma of varying degrees. And, you know, Grace certainly has had her share of loss and pain. And I just hold on to those “candy beansies” moments of levity, of lightness. And I'm so happy, you know, that she's had moments of joy with, you know, someone who she deeply loves, like, Morgan, you know, I think back to the carousel scene, I think back to those moments at the shopping mall, back in season five, when she's illuminating a turtle, which is, you know, cascading stars above to help someone transition.

And it's, it's, it's these moments of levity that I hold dear to my heart. And I'm so grateful that she's had those moments, that she allowed herself to open herself up again, to hope, to possibility to… to love, to friendship, to life, and most importantly, I think, her meeting Morgan… really, really helped with her forgiveness of herself, of her past mistakes, and her, self-love. And that was something that was really important for me, for Grace's legacy, for her to come to that sort of that place of peace, that place of acceptance, that place of letting go and embracing the time that she had to be a mother, embracing the time that she had to have this family that she always wanted. You know those moments were very important in cementing whatever I could in her legacy in this amazing universe that we're in.

John Betancourt: Now, you’ve had an opportunity that not everyone in The Walking Dead Universe has enjoyed and play both sides of the coin so to speak by becoming a Walker. What was that like, and also… you were terrifying.

Karen David: That makes me so happy because I was really nervous about, you know, playing a Walker, I've never done that before. The little kid in me was very excited about that. Because it is a different physicality that you're embodying. And one never knows what that's going to look like. And certainly, on me, I mean, I'm only five foot three, I was like, and that's one thing, you know, when, when you're tiny, but mighty. As my mom says. (Laughter) As I am physically, I, I know that I'm not necessarily physically menacing. So, it's… and whether it's being a walker, or any other part that is more menacing or cold, or, you know, scary. It's, it's about kind of coming at it from a different approach, from a different angle. And that's very much you know, something that's very guttural, the nuances of it. I mean, it's so heartbreaking as it is, that when you see her as a Walker, she's no longer Grace, she's no longer Grace the mother and to see her, you know, descending upon her daughter is just so heartbreaking. And I'm so grateful to have had an incredible stunts team like James (Armstrong), Jack (Barnett), and my stunt double Pay-Pay, who guided me very much into the physicality and how that feels like. And it's very subtle. Actually, I found that the more subtle I was with it, the more scary it became.

It's all about pacing. And obviously, this special effects VFX makeup from our VFX department never ceases to amaze me. John, I remember I did a time lapse video, I couldn't believe… I was actually scared to look at it! (Laughter) Because seeing this transition, I was like, “Ohhhhh!” I was just horrified. So, horrified And when I come out, you know, in between… people would be like, “Oh my god, Karen!” It was just such a shock. It was a shock for all of us. It's something that wasn't fun to play. I'll say that, you know, I, for so many reasons, emotional reasons, saying goodbye to a character… it was really discombobulating for me to wrap my head around. Because I knew my time, my days were finishing on Fear. I knew that this would be a goodbye. So, I had all that in my head. And then on top of that, it just became very real and very final when I had the Walker makeup on. And so, I had to fight through that very much when I was doing those scenes. Because it was it was just very heavy for me because I… you become so close together as a TV family. And so that was weighing heavily on my heart.

John Betancourt: That makes total sense when you see that transition on screen. Now, four years on the show, lots of experiences, what has this journey meant to you?

Karen David: It's always about the people that we get to meet, you know, on these journeys, and as an actor, if you're lucky enough to go from set to set, you do meet some incredible human beings and having the gift of four seasons, five years with the crew, from Austin to Savannah, and the cast as well. Having you know, a solid scene partner like Lennie James, who has been so steadfast and has been the other half of my heartbeat, you know, for this journey. So much emotions in that. Because like I said, you become very close. We've been through a lot together, come rain or come shine. We've been there for each other, crew, cast, creatives, we've embarked on this thrilling journey together. I got to do things I've never done before as an actor. And it was scary, but it's scary in a good way and to have the love and support, of each other, everyone looking out for each other and to have a scene partner like Lennie James has just ruined me for life. (Laughter) But I, I always say this now that, I've moved on to other projects, I you know, whilst it's this bittersweetness, you know, moving on from being together for so long. I carry… I feel like I've graduated from the School of Walking Dead.

And you know, I've got the certificate and badge, which I wear so proudly on my heart. And because that badge is not just a badge, it's a badge of The Walking Dead Universe. It's a badge of the crew and the cast, Lennie James, Colman, Jenna, you know, Austin, Christine, Rubén, Danay, the whole gang. You know, it's… they’re on that badge, and also the Fear family, the fan family, the fans that I've made, you know, gotten to know, these past five years, they're all part of that badge that I hold with, with such pride. Moving onwards, you know, and I think about, I'm like, “Damn, I'm really lucky, I've got, I've got quite a family now, you know, behind me, cheering me on to whatever happens next.” So that's how I look at it. Otherwise, I'd be bawling my eyes out every two seconds, because this time that you have together, you always know is not going to be infinite. You know, it's, it's, it's there on the screen infinitely, and the legacies that we're creating and the closures we're giving to our characters and their journeys, but it's this time, you know, on set in that moment, you know, you just have to carry that in your heart.

John Betancourt: Last question I have, or last order of business… is there anything you’d like to say to the fans?

Karen David: Right from day one, this Universe welcomed me with open arms. And I'm so I'm so grateful and so deeply touched by the kindness that circulates in this Universe, it's not easy when you join a show midway, when it's established, has its own heartbeat. And it's like the first day of school, you're this kid coming on set, hoping, and praying that everyone will love you, you know, in the show with your colleagues, but also with the fans too. And everyone has just been so kind, you know, this was a role that was very different for me, you know, I was doing Once Upon a Time, Galavant, which I loved and had the best time, but felt this, this, this, this desire to continue to grow as an actor and to do roles that were way out of my comfort zone. And this certainly was out of my comfort zone. And so, to be embraced the way that I was and have been from all the fans, it’s just so deeply moving. And they're my family too, family for life. And I'm just really grateful that they're part of my journey and part of my life because they bring so much light. I can't imagine moving forwards without them. So, like I said, they're part of the part of that badge I wear on my heart.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

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