The Bizarre Request TWD's Norman Reedus Had For Co-Star Andrew Lincoln
Unless you have access to an impenetrable shelter and limitless resources at your fingertips, the zombie apocalypse will present you with daily struggles. Therefore, it's more than likely in your best interest to find some folks that can help you out, just as those on AMC's "The Walking Dead" have. Their survival isn't guaranteed, nor are their lives perfect, but teaming up goes a long way in staying among the living. Not to mention, there's nothing wrong with making a friend or two when you're trying to avoid getting eaten by walkers or killed by human tyrants.
One of the most well-known and beloved buddy pairings on "The Walking Dead" came in the form of Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus). For multiple seasons, the two rugged survivors stood side-by-side against threats big and small, only occasionally ending up in conflict with one another. As a result, the actors behind them became fast friends in real life, amounting to a sibling-like dynamic behind the scenes that even led to the start of a prank war — one that has gone on long after Lincoln left the series during Season 9.
Given their closeness, Norman Reedus once felt comfortable enough to make a request of Andrew Lincoln that one can only really describe as strange.
Reedus asked for Lincoln's beard clippings
When "Walking Dead" audiences first met Rick Grimes, he was still a short-haired, clean-shaven guy, but this look didn't last beyond the first season or two. By Season 5, he had grown out both his hair and beard, giving him the signature Rick look that remains many peoples' mind's eye image of the character to this day. However, that look didn't last forever either, seeing as Rick and company's move to the Alexandria settlement gave him the chance to shave. Naturally, this allowed Andrew Lincoln to finally do the same in real life.
For whatever reason, Norman Reedus took this opportunity to ask for Lincoln's beard clippings. As it turns out, the man behind Rick Grimes was more than happy to oblige.
The "Boondock Saints" star revealed as much in an interview on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" (via YouTube) in October of 2019. "I have it in a bag in the refrigerator," he noted, adding that he also keeps the ponytail of the late Scott Wilson — who played Hershel Greene on "The Walking Dead" — in the bottom of his fridge as well. Reedus also clarifies that he keeps his small "TWD" hair collection away from his foodstuffs, though he didn't exactly elaborate on why he stored them away in the first place.
After spending years working on a historic show like "The Walking Dead," there's nothing wrong with keeping a memento. Your co-star's beard trimmings, though? That's certainly an interesting choice.