Posted Monday, November 13, 2017 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog
In a show like "The Walking Dead" packed with ultra-serious drama and gore, light-hearted characters are few and far between. King Ezekiel's human sidekick Jerry fit that mold when he appeared last season, a goofy, cobbler-loving big dude who seems more apt to hug you than kill you.
The role, despite its relatively modest size on a large ensemble cast, stood out and became Dunwoody High School graduate Cooper Andrews' big acting break. Though he moved to Los Angeles two years ago, he has spent most of his 32 years in Atlanta.
"I love this part," said Andrews in an interview Saturday before seeing Jim Gaffigan at Philips Arena. "The fan in me was really really trying to make this character special without taking up all this space... I know it's an ensemble. I'm like the pretty mailbox in a picture with a big house and yard. I'm that guy."
On Sunday night's episode, Jerry survived the massacre of the Kingdom by the Saviors in time to save his majesty. And he got to use that axe of his in a serious way, literally splitting a Savior in half.
