Steven Yeun reflects on his role as Glenn plus thoughts on the current season of The Walking Dead

Steven Yeun, aka Glenn to The Walking Dead fandom, answered fan questions plus reflected on his time with the iconic show during his panel at Walker Stalker Con Chicago.

Oh Glenn, err Steven Yeun, how we’ve missed you.

It’s honestly hard to think that we lost Glenn Rhee years ago (October 2016 to be exact, on “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be”). For many fans of the show, Glenn doesn’t feel totally gone. His name and memory are brought up again and again — by Rick, Daryl, Maggie and more.

It was palpable how much TWD fans miss Glenn and his sweet persona when he appeared on stage for his own panel at Walker Stalker Con Chicago. There were both cheers and tears for the character many felt left the show too soon.

Yeun went straight into answering questions from the panel’s audience, a tribute to the 34-year-old actor’s appreciation for the loyal fanbase.

Steven Yeun (Glenn, The Walking Dead) at Walker Stalker Con Chicago. Taken by Sharareh Drury

Right out the gate, a fan asked a question about another dearly departed character. Carl left us too soon (even Jeffrey Dean Morgan thinks so) and a fan question pointed out that in the comics, he played a key role in the war with The Whisperers. Namely that Carl and Lydia, daughter of Whisperer leader Alpha, have a relationship a la Romeo and Juliet.

With Carl being killed off this season, Yeun was asked who could fill Carl’s role in dealing with the Whisperers?

Yeun said he didn’t read that far into the comics, unfortunately. Ultimately though, he picked Enid to be the next young TWD cast member to take a lead. And it makes sense. Enid is a complex character whom we could still gain so much from, as long as she doesn’t become too hot-headed as seen in “The Key.”

It didn’t take long for the Maggie questions to come. A key question we’ve all asked via social media — Why isn’t Maggie showing? Yeun shrugged off the idea that Maggie doesn’t have a round belly yet, simply saying “Time is a tricky beast … It almost doesn’t exist in that world.”

Glenn (Steven Yeun) and Maggie Greene (Lauren Cohan) – The Walking Dead _ Season 4, Episode 15 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

It is also important to note that though we watch the show week after week, not much time has passed since Glenn and Abraham died. A highly detailed timeline shows that Glenn’s death in “The Day Will Come When You Won’t Be” happens around day 598. We’re around 618 days now by “Do Not Send Us Astray.” So yea, Maggie likely won’t be showing soon (plus contract negotiation issues with Lauren Cohan don’t help solidify if she’ll even be around for season 9).

As for what Maggie should name the baby? Yeun had a name ready — Paul. Hmm, we can see it. We can totally see it.

Last March, Yeun had some baby news of his own. He welcomed a baby boy, Jude Malcolm Yeun, with wife Joana Pak. His response to how toddler life has been treating him was just delightful.

“It’s magic,” he said with a smile. “Having the kid has been really wonderful… It’s magic. I wish everyone can feel the beauty of having a child.”

Yeun also spoke on if Glenn would agree with Maggie’s current leadership.

“The power of relationships is balance. There’s also that respect that I’m sure he would give Maggie for her tenacious ferocity and her leadership skills,” Yeun said. “But maybe he would be an interesting balance for her… I’m sure he’d support her but maybe… he’d help question things that she should question.”

Yeun continued that Glenn and Maggie easily had balance. When Glenn was killed ever so terrifyingly by Negan (well, truly Lucille), some of that balance was lost. As to how Maggie will go on, Yeun reminded the audience this is Maggie and “she’ll come around” undoubtedly into her own.

Steven Yeun, Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira – The Walking Dead _ Season 5, Episode 10 _ BTS – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

When asked what he misses the most about his time on the show, Yeun quickly replied “the people.” He added that he misses Georgia plus “riding bikes around with Norman and friends.”

Yeun also revealed the favorite type of scenes he liked to film on the show — group ones with a lot of intensity.

“One that’s very memorable for me is when Glenn, Hershel, Rick are held up at the bar,” Yeun said. “They run into those kind of scavengers and they have a huge shootout. They run into Randall who has his leg impaled on that pole.”

“That was so fun because you just do the whole thing,” he added. “You don’t isolate one camera on one person… The whole thing was happening where there was like 40 walkers walking towards us… us reloading, trying to shoot these things… That’s when it feels like you’re not pretending anymore for a second. It feels really intense and awesome. Those were my most fun.”

Though Yeun admits he has not seen much of season 8 due to his newborn taking up much of his life, he does have a thought for what should happen to Negan, his character’s killer.

“You hope that everyone can come to a settlement but he did some gnarly stuff,” Yeun said. “I’m gonna wait to see how it plays out.”

The conversation ended up circling back to Maggie. One of the final questions for Yeun was what he thinks is next for Maggie — both in her life and love life.

“I think she’s tough. I think she’s resilient,” Yeun said of Maggie. “I think she is more powerful than she might even know, so I think she’ll be just fine.” We believe so too — as both Cohan and the role she plays on the show are equally formidable women.

Yeun ended his panel the way it started, by showing some major love to fans with hugs and a photo or two. Despite Glenn having left us seasons ago on TWD, his fans are as loyal as ever. It’s exactly why these cons leave any attendee with a smile (and perhaps a selfie with a beloved cast member).

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