Walking Dead: Dead City Željko Ivanek Croat uses fear and intimidation

Željko Ivanek will join The Walking Dead universe in the newest spinoff, The Walking Dead: Dead City. He will play The Croat, a man who kidnaps Hershel Rhee (Logan Kim) and has ties to Negan’s past. In a recent round table interview, Ivanek shared more about what makes The Croat a great villain and where he got his inspiration for the character.

Ivanek, Gaius Charles, who plays Marshal Perlie Armstrong, and Mahina Napoleon, who plays Ginny, sat in a round table interview to discuss Dead City. 

When asked about his favorite trait of The Croat, Ivanek stated that it is his sense of humor.

"It’s a little grim. It’s a little dark. But I think it’s so much part of his character."

For example, he stated that each character has their own way of handling the same thing in an apocalypse.

"Everyone is in pursuit of safety and protection and they go about it in very, very different ways. Armstrong uses law and order, and I use fear and intimidation."

Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who plays Negan, has stated that The Croat is a man who has taken evil to places Negan never thought about. This is quite a statement if you are familiar with Negan’s reign as leader of the Saviors, which is where The Croat got his inspiration from.

"“So much of what he learned from Negan is just how showmanship plays a role in being a leader and holding people together. “It adds layers to it. [The Croat] is not just the big bad."

The Walking Dead: Dead City – The Croat

Little information has been released about The Croat besides the fact that he is the one who raids Maggie, presumably at Hilltop, kidnaps Hershel, and has ties to Negan’s past. He is a formidable villain. That will be interesting to see the former Saviors come against one another.

Charles chimed in about The Croat and what makes him so dangerous.

"One of the things I find that makes [The Croat] so dangerous and so threatening is he can see through people’s facades. He can see through to people’s vulnerabilities."

Napoleon, whose character doesn’t have interaction with The Croat, added.

"He has a really big history with Negan. That can play a part in all of our stories."

Ivanek also stated that he has never been part of anything with a fanbase like The Walking Dead universe. He said joining after many years of success has been an incredible thing.

Don’t miss The Walking Dead: Dead City, which will air new episodes weekly on AMC on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET. AMC+ subscribers can watch new episodes three days early on Thursdays.

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