The Walking Dead's Sarah Wayne Callies Has Many Memories Of Her Pregnancy Prosthetics
For 11 seasons, AMC's "The Walking Dead" served as proof that it is indeed possible to effectively blend drama and horror on television. Using Robert Kirkman's comic book series as a guide, the program weaved a tale of survival, humanity, and uncertainty as it followed a group of humans attempting to make it through the zombie apocalypse. By the time the series came to a close, a good handful of fan favorites made it out with their bodies intact. However, the death toll was far higher when it was all said and done.
Early on in its run, "The Walking Dead" let fans know that getting attached to characters wasn't the best move. Everyone on the show was at risk of death in some form, which amounted to some heartbreaking moments over the series' lifespan. One of the saddest of the bunch centered on Lori Grimes (Sarah Wayne Callies), who met her demise during the events of Season 3's "Killer Within." She died while giving birth to her daughter Judith — something that would haunt her husband Rick (Andrew Lincoln) in the aftermath.
It was sad to see Lori go, but at least Sarah Wayne Callies had plenty of "Walking Dead" memories to take with her once her time on the show wrapped up. Some of the most unforgettable of the bunch pertain to her extensive pregnancy prosthetics.
Callies' experience playing a pregnant Lori mirrored a real pregnancy in some ways
Recalling her time portraying a pregnant Lori Grimes on "The Walking Dead," Sarah Wayne Callies provided some insight into what it's like to act while wearing pregnancy prosthetics. "No matter what I had for breakfast, when I put that belly on, I was starving. Every time," she shared in an interview with AMC. She adds that in addition to the cravings, the belly did a number on her back by the end of each filming day. Callies adds, "They had the belly in foam originally, but I told them to put the fifteen pounds in — the way a baby would weigh — so I don't have to act it."
Even though it came with some difficulty, Callies went all-in to portray Lori's pregnancy on "The Walking Dead." Still, there's certainly an argument to be made that trying to build a family amid a zombie outbreak isn't the wisest move. If you're trying to make that point, though, don't expect Callies to agree with you. As she told TVLine, there's something special about Judith's birth, even though it meant the end of Lori. "She's providing the most powerful symbol of hope and renewal that exists, which is this idea that life can go on and can grow, even in the midst of the end of the world," she said.
Sarah Wayne Callies did an excellent job as Lori Grimes, showing audiences just how difficult it would be to be pregnant during the apocalypse. As we now know, she had to overcome some serious hurdles to make such performances happen.