The Walking Dead’s Danai Gurira shares how she’s helped craft Michonne’s story

The Walking Dead’s Danai Gurira discusses the need for more diversity in Hollywood storytelling and staying true to Michonne’s character.

During The Hollywood Reporter‘s most recent Roundtable series, The Walking Dead‘s Danai Gurira sat down with Emilia Clarke, Patricia Arquette, Christine Baranski, Michelle Williams and Niecy Nash to talk about what is changing for women in Hollywood, what is not, and how women can defy the limitations placed on them by the industry.

The quick takeaway from the roundtable was that while there have been some changes in the perceptions of actresses as they get older and there are better roles available now for women in all stages of their lives, there is still a long way to go until Hollywood recognizes the multifaceted characters that women want to play.

Too often actresses are pigeonholed into stereotyped roles like “the sassy friend,” “the ingenue,” or “the crabby old woman.”

While Hollywood isn’t making progress as fast as it should, there has been some movement towards well-developed female characters that represent a greater spectrum of women. Largely that’s occurring because women like the ones at the roundtable are refusing to settle for anything less than having their ideas, opinions, and questions heard by the male writers and producers that they are working with.

They are gently but firmly educating decision makers and content creators on how to tell women’s stories — all women’s stories — and that is what has to continue to happen if the nature of storytelling through a Hollywood lens is going to change.

Gurira talks playing strong female characters

When THR‘s Lacey Rose asked the women if there were other ways in which they’d like to be seen since several of them, like Gurira, are known for playing strong female characters, she responded:

"“As a buddy cop. I’m kidding … but something goofy. I’ve been doing a lot of these characters who’ve been very ‘strong,’ and that can have its own trap. The idea of, say, putting away strong altogether — like, I have no strength — would be interesting.”"

It’s easy to understand why she would feel that way. After seven years of playing one of the strongest women on TV as Michonne on The Walking Dead and playing warrior Okoye in the Black Panther and Avengers films, she may want to show a different side of herself.

That could be part of what led to her decision to exit The Walking Dead, with season 10 being her final one for the series. Gurira hasn’t confirmed that she will take part in The Walking Dead films focusing on Rick Grimes that are coming up, but it makes sense that she would transition the character of Michonne to the films to be with her partner Rick Grimes in some capacity.

She’s collaborated with writers to develop Michonne

Danai shared with THR that she’s “all up in it” when it comes to Michonne’s character development on the show, adding

"“I’m the one who — when I really want to know or I really want to collaborate — we get on the phone and I chat it out. I’m like, ‘So I think it’s trying to do this, but what about …?’ I’m not pushing the whole story to another place, but I am trying to, in my pretentious mind, help them accomplish what they’re proposing.”"

Gurira adds that, sure, part of this is due to the playwright in her. But it’s also because as an actor, you have to connect with your character, and in doing so, develop a deep understanding about the choices they would or wouldn’t make.

"“But as time goes on, as Emilia’s saying, they understand that you’re living in her and she is living in you, so the collaboration becomes more and more full. But asking questions is crucial, and they’re willing to adjust things. They’re not like, ‘No, this is law.’ And there are things you read on the page, in terms of the action of the show, where you’re like, ‘You know that the sword doesn’t do that?’ Sometimes I have to give them a little information about how my weapon works.”"

Gurira fangirls like the rest of us

Michonne is a fan favorite on The Walking Dead, with millions of people obsessed with her character on the show. When asked by the moderator who she fangirls over, Gurira answered:

"“For me, it was meeting Cicely Tyson. I have a condo in Atlanta, and the only thing on the wall is a massive picture of her. She was middle-aged [in the photo], and there is something so beautiful about that time. There’s this idea that that’s something we’re supposed to be frightened of. The longevity idea in this industry is so like, ‘There is none for women,’ and that gets fed to us. So looking at her every day reminds you that my journey as an artist is long.”"

It’s women like Danai Gurira and the other actresses on the panel that are working to change that perception that there is no longevity for women in acting.

By searching out ways to tell the stories of marginalized women and through their commitment to empowering women, these actresses — Gurira included — are changing the way that Hollywood views women’s stories.

Watch Danai Gurira discuss crafting Michonne’s story with The Walking Dead‘s show creators.

What do you think of Danai Gurira’s statements about women in Hollywood? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.