If you’ve been to the movies in the last couple of months, you might have heard of a certain R-rated movie that blew up in IMAX. You also might know that two stars of that film—Jon Bernthal and Samantha Morton—are also part of it. They had smaller roles in the grand scheme of things, but impactful ones all the same. That movie is The Odyssey.
And yes, they are amazing in the movie and deserve literally every ounce of praise they have gotten. I still get chills thinking about Morton as Circe and her specific scene in this film because it was so well done.
But I think we’re also forgetting that there’s a third The Walking Dead veteran in this film that really killed it—and that, my friends, is Corey Hawkins.
Corey Hawkins played Heath in seasons 6 and 7
If you don’t remember who Corey Hawkins was in The Walking Dead, I’ll remind you. Hawkins actually played Heath, a survivor of the Alexandria Safe Zone and what they called a “runner,” someone who went out on runs to pick up supplies. He had a minor role in the show, but he was memorable enough that fans who have been around for years probably hear that name and think, "Oh, right!"
I think the biggest thing fans remember is Heath’s strange disappearance. In season 7, episode 6, titled “Swear,” Heath and Tara (Alanna Masterson) were out of the zone together and had to fight off a group of walkers on a bridge. During that fight, Tara fell into the river, and Heath was left alone, seemingly outnumbered.
When Tara returns to the bridge after an encounter with another group (who saved her after washing up on a beach), Heath is gone. All she saw were his broken glasses, tire tracks, and a piece of paper that had the letters “PPP” on it. For years, fans wondered what the heck happened to Heath. Years later, showrunner Angela Kang explained that Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh) actually kidnapped him and traded him to the CRM. The mystery was partially solved.
Even so, we still don’t know if he’s alive or dead after he was traded. It’s a shame because he really was a cool guy who just wanted to survive. But now, Corey Hawkins has had a crazy few years.
And The Odyssey is a role that he shines amazingly in.
His role as Polybus was brilliantly cast and made me genuinely want to scream
Hawkins has done a fair amount of amazing work over the last several years. He starred in The Color Purple adaptation, had a role in the amazing musical film In the Heights, and even appeared as the younger version of Dr. Dre in Straight Outta Compton. He is a fantastic actor.
But his Polybus was brilliant, and no one else could come close.
Most of the roles Corey Hawkins has played have been varied. Some are great men; others are annoying in the worst way possible. But Polybus? Good god.
Good freaking GOD.
No other suitor in this film made me want to hurt Polybus more. The moment he kicked a dying dog just because it was sitting near his feet, I knew it was all over. And that, in and of itself, just made me appreciate Hawkins’ acting more.
It takes a really good actor to pull off a great role. But it takes an actor with a certain kind of skill set to make you utterly hate them. And I don’t just mean heavy dislike. I mean, I genuinely wanted to burst through that screen and punch him myself. Repeatedly.
But that’s what good acting is. He effectively erased any resemblance to who he was as a person. He fully became this horrible man who willingly killed people, hurt others, and made me want to quite literally slam my eyes shut any time he was on the screen.
While Jon Bernthal and Samantha Morton do have incredible parts in this film that stand out and truly share their talents, I want someone to give Corey Hawkins his flowers because he deserves it. He pulled it off beautifully, and I sincerely hope he gets more roles like this. I would love every little aspect I could get.
I know that The Odyssey is finally going to be leaving IMAX theaters soon (after a nearly two-month-long stint), but if you haven’t had the chance to go check it out, be sure to do so. It’s truly worth the time to watch—and see all these former The Walking Dead stars kill it.
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