Scott Wilson of The Walking Dead has passed away at age 76

Just ahead of The Walking Dead season 9 premiere it was confirmed that Scott Wilson has passed away.

#TWDFamily is a little smaller tonight. Veteran actor and beloved member of #TWDFamily Scott Wilson who played the patriarch of the Greene family Hershel Greene has passed away. While Scott Wilson is best known to fans of The Walking Dead for playing Hershel Scott Wilson had an extensive career as an actor in TV and film.

At first, stunned fans couldn’t believe that the news of Scott’s death was true. But it was confirmed by The Walking Dead official Twitter account that the legendary TV and film actor has passed away at the age of 76.

Some of his most well-known film appearances were in films like In Cold Blood, Junebug, The Great Gatsby, Dead Man Walking, In The Heat Of The Night, and Pearl Harbor. Throughout his career, he played a wide range of characters but it was the warmth, depth, and love that he brought to the role of Hershel Greene that touched fans of The Walking Dead.

Although Hershel Greene was killed off in Season 4 when The Governor attacked the prison his presence has loomed large throughout the ensuing seasons of the show. Just before his death showrunner Angela Kang confirmed that he will be reprising the role of Hershel Greene in some fashion in season 9 of The Walking Dead. Seeing Scott back in The Walking Dead as Hershel will be even more bittersweet to fans now.

Hershel’s Impact On The Walking Dead

For many fans, myself included, season 2 of The Walking Dead which takes places on the Greene farm is a favorite. That season was special largely due to the introduction of Hershel and his evolution through that season from someone thinking that walkers were just sick to accepting the reality of what walkers were. He lost his faith, but he found it again in Rick Grimes and in the love and loyalty of his family, which grew to include Glenn, Rick, Carol, Daryl, Carl, and the others.

Hershel’s unwavering morality and his ability to demand that the survivors hold themselves to a high moral code even in the worst circumstances could have been cloying or righteous, but because of Scott’s humility and gentleness, it was endearing and inspiring. Hershel expected the best out of everyone, including himself. But he displayed understanding and forgiveness when people fell down.

In his finest performance in The Walking Dead, the episode “Internment,” his amazing talent was on full display. Scott’s legacy will continue to loom large in The Walking Dead, and he will forever live in the hearts of the millions of fans that he touched with his indomitable spirit.

All of our sympathies go out to Scott’s wife and family, to the cast and crew of The Walking Dead who loved him, and to all the fans that like us are grieving his loss right now.