Anna Daniels
Over the last eight years on The Walking Dead, Gurira proved herself to be not just a compelling actress, but also a marketable action star. It’s no surprise that other opportunities came knocking. In 2018, she made the leap into the Marvel Cinematic Universe playing Dora Milaje general Okoye in the box office smash Black Panther. She reprised that role in last year’s Avengers: Endgame, and she’s according to Deadline, she’s ready to beam her way up to the Starship Enterprise in the long-awaited J.J. Abrams sequel, Star Trek 4. Gurira is on the cusp of becoming a full-fledged movie star, so it’s no wonder that The Walking Dead’s aggressive production schedule might have been holding her back.
AMC president of original programming David Madden previously noted that the reason why Gurira is exiting The Walking Dead is because she had (and continues to have) a lot of other opportunities at her feet, and needed to prioritize. He told The Hollywood Reporter, “We love Danai; we love that character … She’s got a lot of opportunities and she needs to weigh what she feels is best for her.”
As if her dance card wasn’t already full enough, Gurira is also a budding playwright. Her 2012 drama The Convert enjoyed a long stage run in London and won a Whiting Award. According to a profile done by PBS Newshour, Gurira is committed to creating work that elevates black female voices. Drawing from her own experience in the entertainment industry, she’s now using her star power to elevate marginalized voices through her writing. Sounds like a noble reason to be moving on from a hit TV show.
Written by: Looper
