Even eagle-eyed fans probably missed this one. But last night’s episode ofThe Walking Dead, titledNot Tomorrow Yet, inadvertently featured a very cool cameo. Yes, if you look close enough, you will seeJohnny Depp’s severed head. And it was featured in one of the show’s best moments, proving that Rick is perhaps the only man who may be able to stand up to Negan. Warning, if you have not watched this latest episode of The Walking Dead, there will beSPOILERSahead.
The Walking Dead doesn’t usually have much time for humor. In fact, the last couple of episodes have been quite bleak. ButNot Tomorrow Yetfeatured two laugh-out-loud scenes that came as quite a surprise to fans. The first moment had Abraham waxing poetically about the color of dingle berries. The second saw Rick punching a severed head in the face. The leader of Alexandria was forced to pick between three different heads in finding a perfect match for ally Gregory, so they could convince the Saviors that he was in fact dead.
These three heads varied in stages of decay. And if you look very closely, you’ll suddenly realize that the one on the far right of the screen looks very familiar. Executive producer, special effects makeup master and sometimes director Greg Nicotero has since confirmed that this is in factJohnny Depp’s head. He explains how it wound up on the show.
“One of the other heads, I don’t know if I’m going to get in trouble if I say this, was Johnny Depp. I think we had sculpted an emaciated version of a dummy head for something and we used Johnny Depp’s head as a basis just for a clay sculpt. I can’t remember who the third one is, but I’m in good company.”
Greg Nicotero then confirmed toEWthat he was the stand-in for one of the other heads used in this gruesome, yet hilarious, moment. It was actually the Nicotero head that was punched in the nose by Rick, and given to the Saviors as a doppelgänger for Gregory of the Hilltop Colony. If you’ve seen the episode, you’ll know that this head isn’t treated very nicely. Even when it’s handed over to the Saviors, they toss it aside like trash. It’s certainly no trophy to keep on a mantel.
Once you realize thatJohnny Deppis the stand-in for one of the three heads, there is no denying that it looks exactly like him. All three severed heads were extremely lifelike, and it wouldn’t have been surprising to seeJohnny Deppget a special credit for this ‘role’. ActorNorman Reedus, who plays fan-favorite Daryl, was so impressed with the heads that he wanted to keep them as a souvineer. Says Nicotero about handing them over to the show’s leading man.
“Norman [Reedus] kept saying he wanted the heads when we were done shooting. I said we’ve got to wait until the picture is logged.”
Norman Reedusis a collector of unique, rare and somewhat bizarre keepsakes from the show. He saved Rick’s beard once it was shaved off. He also has Scott Wilson’s ponytail. And he kept a pair of breast implants from a fan. Now, he wants to addJohnny Depp’s severed head to the collection. You can take a look at the heads in the image below. And then go back and watch last night’s episode to see the severed head in action!
