Fear the Walking Dead’s Colman Domingo as mysterious as Strand

Fear the Walking Dead’s Colman Domingo had an interesting road to becoming the mysterious Victor Strand for a man who never loved zombies.

When the role of Victor Strand in Fear the Walking Dead came along for Colman Domingo, Mr. Domingo was also considering a role in the new musical series coming to Netflix about 70s culture in the streets of New York called The Get Down. 

Domingo is a even a fan of the director of The Get Down, Baz Luhrmann, who offered him a part on the show. “I’ve been a fan of [Lurhmann’s] for years and I didn’t know anything about Fear the Walking Dead.” (via NYPOST) So, it seems like an odd choice then for Domingo that he became Victor Strand, but Domingo went with the character and the story information.

“I hadn’t seen The Walking Dead and I’ve never been a zombiephile. But when I read the material, it was very familiar to me — I immediately understood the character’s underpinnings. The opening monologue that introduces him is so rich, so theatrical. I thought it was something I could play around with. So I put myself on tape and sent it off.” (via NYPost)

I hadn’t seen The Walking Dead and I’ve never been a zombiephile. But when I read the material, it was very familiar to me — I immediately understood the character’s underpinnings.

Knowing what we do about that opening monologue, we’re lucky that The Get Down had to look for someone else. Domingo is Victor Strand. He seems amused by the mystery around his character, especially that people wonder if he’s a bad guy.

I will say that as soon as I heard his monologue, I said out loud in my apartment, “We’ve got ourselves a villain!” I think the word “closer” did it for me. I imagined the young boiler room kids with lots of ready cash, drinking expensive beer and watching big screen televisions on leather recliners in empty apartments. But then I fell in love.

Victor seems to have some substance behind his wealth. But who knows? He does seem smooth, but not oily like The Governor. The Governor and many self-proclaimed closers seem more insecure. Strand is not insecure, as far as I can see.

I love the fact that some people think he’s a bad guy. But he hasn’t done anything really bad! His Ralph Lauren suit makes some feel a certain way about him.

He is pragmatic, which can seem cold. He sees value in Nick because he knows the world is about to shift into a world where being able to negotiate with a vengeance is a plus. Drug seekers can manipulate to get what they want and are used to alternate currencies. One of my favorite Strand lines from season 1 was “No value add,” about abandoning certain people in the cells.

“I love the fact that some people think he’s a bad guy. But he hasn’t done anything really bad! His Ralph Lauren suit makes some feel a certain way about him. It’s interesting why all of a sudden people wonder if he’s good or bad because he has money. But he also knows that things like jewelry and cash have no value anymore. He’s a few steps ahead of everyone else.” (Via NYPOST)

Next: Catch up on Fear's season 1!

From the trailers of Fear the Walking Dead’s season 2, it’s not only the fans that don’t immediately find Victor to be transparent. Madison gives him a little what for while on the boat about throwing him overboard if she finds out he’s not trustworthy.

Thank you, Colman, for becoming Victor Strand. Many of us The Walking Dead and Fear the Walking Dead fans were never zombiephiles either, but we are now Deadphiles, Fearphiles and Strandphiles.

Season 2 starts Sunday, April 10th at 9 EDT/8 CDT on AMC, followed by Talking Dead.