The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live star Seth Gilliam on Gabriel saying goodbye to Jadis and Rosita (Exclusive)
The big surprise in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 5 was the cameo from Father Gabriel. Every year, he would meet with Jadis (Pollyanna McIntosh) in the woods for a secret rendezvous, sharing a complicated connection with the antagonist of the series.
Seth Gilliam, who has played Father Gabriel since Season 5 of The Walking Dead spoke to Sportskeeda about a variety of subjects, both pertaining to his appearance in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, as well as the parent show.
He addressed the complicated equation between Jadis and Gabriel and also addressed Rosita's death in the very final Walking Dead episode.
Father Gabriel mentions in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live that he believes Rick Grimes is dead
Even if he discovered that Rick Grimes were alive, Gilliam doesn't think that Gabriel would have set out on a rescue mission to save him. Gabriel plays a much larger role in the universe:
"I don’t know the answer. I would assume that he would not. I would assume that he would assume that Rick would make his way back if he was still alive in whatever capacity at the time that would allow for it. I think Father Gabriel had many other responsibilities to the community of Alexandria to be leaving it on search party missions."
In trademark Seth Gilliam manner, he also joked about how Andrew Lincoln, who is an Executive Producer in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, sent him a massive apology for not being able to meet him on set:
"In terms of my relationship to them as Executive Producers, I just got a very, very long apologetic text message from Andrew Lincoln that he wouldn’t be on set to see me. It was overly long. It was too much information."
The final shot in The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live Episode 5 shows Gabriel sitting alone on a log, waiting for Jadis to show up, not knowing that she was no more. Gilliam feels that Gabriel's belief is so strong he would have showed up for the next rendezvous and the next one too:
"Yes, I wasn’t thinking of it in terms of goodbye because for me Father Gabriel would have showed up next year at the same time. And the following year as well. I believe that he has hope to a level that a lot of people strive for. You know, he may have been momentarily deflated by her not showing up the last time but I don’t believe that he believes that that’s the end for her."
In addition to Jadis, Gabriel also had to say goodbye to Rosita (Christian Serratos), with whom he shared a romantic connection in The Walking Dead. Gilliam found it just as hard to do so:
"Yes, it was. Hard to say goodbye whether it be pretend or in real life."
After spending ten years (and counting?) in the apocalyptic universe, from the mothership to The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, Gilliam had a special message for fans of the highly beloved franchise:
"Just that I love them all. I love their belief in the character and I love their conviction along with the character. I love the way that they allow their feelings to change about them."
Catch the epic conclusion to The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live this Sunday at 9 pm ET on AMC. Gear up for more exclusive content on Sportskeeda following the finale.