AMC's Walking Dead franchise produced a lot of stars over the years. Heck, The Walking Dead itself had so many familiar faces through the seasons that it's a whole who's who of famous stars in and of itself. That's not even factoring in the multiple spinoffs that expanded the universe - and the star-power - further than that.
From original offshoot Fear The Walking Dead to current sequel shows Daryl Dixon and Dead City, we always love to see a TWD Universe cast member pop back up on our screens every now and again - whether it's in he franchise or not. And, speaking of which, one beloved franchise veteran has made his return to TV in one of the biggest shows of today.
Fear TWD's Cliff Curtis stars in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2
If you were watching the third episode of Apple TV's Monarch: Legacy of Monsters season 2 (titled "Secrets") and noticed a familiar face, you weren't the only one. Cliff Curtis made his first guest appearance on the show, appearing as Jason Trissop, the Head of Special Projects at Apex Cybernetics, who helped the organization take control of Monarch's Outpost 18 in a bid to locate new creature Titan X - the show's newest Titan and Big Bad of the season.
Of course, Curtis is best known to TWD fans for portraying Travis Manawa in Fear The Walking Dead. A fixture of the show in its early seasons, Travis was the partner of Madison Clark and served as one of the leads of the show. He and Madison, together with his son Chris and Madison's children Nick and Alicia, attempted to survive the zombie apocalypse that had begun to ravage the world. And, as the reliable, kind-hearted patriarch figure, Travis became someone that everyone could rely on.
His role on Monarch, however, seems less like that. Although Jason seemed friendly enough, Apex Cybernetics is secretly turning on Monarch, attempting to use its own technology for their own gain. And that means that there is likely more to Jason than meets the eye. After all, when it was announced that Curtis had been cast in the project, the role wasn't disclosed - meaning that fans had to speculate about who he could be playing instead. That - and the fact that it's unlikely that an actor of Curtis' calibre will appear for just one scene - suggests he will be playing a big role this season.
Curtis has enjoyed a great deal of success since his departure from the TWD Universe. His biggest role is that of Tonowari, the leader of the Metkayina reef clan, in 2022's Avatar: The Way of Water and 2025 sequel Avatar: Fire and Ash. The James Cameron movies are among the highest-grossing of all time, and Curtis will be reprising his role in the planned fourth and fifth films in the franchise, too.
He has also appeared in films Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, Doctor Sleep, and Meg 2: The Trench, as well as TV shows Swift Street, Kaos, Chiefs of War, and as the voice of Paul in Prime Video's superhero series Invincible. However, his role in Monarch now adds him to the MonsterVerse, so not only is that another major franchise in his utility belt, it's quite possibly his biggest TV role since Fear - depending on how the character's involvement in the season turns out. Needless to say, it's easy to see why fans were so excited at the prospect of his return to TV this year.
Over a decade after the show's premiere, Fear The Walking Dead still remains one of Curtis' most prolific roles. Travis was the co-lead of the show for the first three seasons - well, almost. The character was infamously killed off in the second episode of season 3 in what is still one of the most shocking moments in the entire TWD Universe's 16-year history.
While riding with stepdaughter Alicia in a helicopter, Travis is shot by gunfire from below. A bullet struck him in the stomach, travelling up through him and out through his neck. In a moment of realization, he knew he couldn't be saved and decided to open the helicopter door, allowing himself to fall to the ground below. It was a sacrifice to ensure that no members of his family were in danger when he eventually reanimated as a walker. Alicia tried to talk him out of it, but when she realized how badly he was injured, she let him go.
In spite of his short stint on Fear (the show would ultimately run for eight seasons) and the character's controversial death, Curtis' role on the show is remembered fondly. Travis was a good man who was on the verge of a complete apocalyptic breakdown, relentlessly killing the men responsible for his son's death and surviving an army of walkers at all costs. That's what made the character's sudden death all the more, well, sudden. But hey, Curtis had to leave Fear to prepare for his first Avatar movie - and the rest is history.
A decade on, we still miss seeing Travis on our screens, but we're incredibly excited to see Curtis take on the world of the MonsterVerse in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.