'Walking Dead's' Emily Kinney: Beth's Surprise Reunion Changes Everything

7:00 PM PST 11/2/2014 by Lesley Goldberg

The actress talks about Beth's "fearlessness" and what's ahead as part of THR's weekly episode dissection

Gene Page/AMC​

"Walking Dead's" Emily Kinney

[Warning: This story contains spoilers from episode 504, "Slabtown," of AMC's The Walking Dead.]


Beth Greene has turned a major corner.
After three weeks (and an entire summer), AMC's The Walking Dead finally revealed Beth's (Emily Kinney) whereabouts during the fourth episode of season five on Sunday where the character evolved from a teen to a woman able to fight and fend for herself. And while being trapped at Terminus was terrifying, the demented hospital staff who "rescued" Beth and are effectively keeping her there as a working hostage are far from a walk in the park.
See more 'The Walking Dead's' Most Shocking Deaths
As it turns out, Dawn (Christine Woods) is a twisted arm of the law who oversees a hospital where people in black cars with white crosses pluck seemingly helpless people off the side of the road. In exchange for shelter and medical treatment, those who are rescued are put to work maintaining the hospital as Dawn is still convinced that people are coming to save them.
On the other hand, there's Dr. Steven Edwards (Erik Jensen), who reveals himself to be a coward after a doctor who threatens his position at the hellish hospital is brought in and tricks Beth into giving him the wrong medicine.
Everything comes to a head when Beth and Noah (Tyler James Williams) escape. It comes after zombie Joan — a patient who opted to kill herself rather than play by Dawn's rules — kills Gorman, an officer who physically assaulted Beth.
While Beth is captured after Noah escapes, Beth grabs a scissors and seems poised to fight her way out. But all that changes when in the final scene of the episode, Carol (Melissa McBride) is brought in — unconscious.
The Hollywood Reporter spoke to Kinney about Beth's evolution, how Carol's arrival changes everything and what's ahead.
Beth has really evolved from her suicide attempt at the farm to become this warrior we saw during this episode. What will she learn from this experience?
The whole episode, she's trying to figure out who these people are and if they can help her — and if they're nice and what's going on. By the end of the episode, you see her smile when Noah runs away. In that moment, there's that sense that she can take care of herself and has her own power. The whole set-up that they have in that hospital is such a power struggle with Dawn (Christine Woods) trying to assert her power. By the end of the episode, Beth has a fearlessness. Even though she's being physically abused by Dawn and attacked, there's a strength to her. She knows she can keep running away and that they don't have power over her because she doesn't want to stay in this place. A lot of the way that they are able to get people to do what they want at this hospital is this idea that being outside would be worse than being in here. By being, "Well, f— it, I'll run away and keep running away," and the fact that Noah is able to get away is a step forward. Even though she's captured at the end and in the same place, she's definitely not in the same place emotionally.
See more 'Walking Dead' Comes to Life: From Comics to the Small Screen
Carol has now checked in to this hellish hospital. Will they reveal that they know one another?
Just seeing her in that last moment of the episode snaps Beth out of where she was at. When you see Beth with Dr. Edwards and Dawn, she's in this place of fearless and knowing they don't have power over her. But she's also numb to this whole environment and very alone. Seeing Carol flips this switch inside her, "Oh, maybe the plan can be something different; maybe it's not just me depending on me. Maybe my family is closer than I thought." It changes her mindset just by seeing Carol.
Our theory is that Carol intentionally allowed herself to be "found" by this group. She and Daryl knew that someone in a black car with white cross took Beth, and it'd be really difficult to break up two strong fighters like Carol and Daryl.
If you look at how Noah and Beth were taken, I feel like it was probably the same. Carol is fighting to get away from walkers and they captured her. But what they're doing is taking people who they think are strong to survive to this point and be in their hospital society but weak enough where they need that help and stay there to be taken care of. They're capturing people like Noah and Beth that appear to be people they can control. I think they probably saw Carol either get attacked by a walker and saved her and took her to the hospital. I don't think Carol was, "Hey, take me!" I don't think Carol and Daryl know where Beth is at all. I think they captured Carol the same way they captured Beth and Noah.
Beth had to hold down Joan down while her arm was being amputated. That had to bring up strong memories of Hershel, right?
Definitely. That whole moment is so traumatic: Watching somebody scream and have their arm cut off. Beth is again revisiting painful memories of her father. The more Beth gets to know Joan, she gets a lot of information from her and learns about what kind of place this hospital is. The fact that Joan would rather be dead than living in this hospital says how horrible it is there. Beth is slowly learning that. Seeing Noah get beat up and Gorman attacking her and the whole lollipop thing — Beth is going through all these different experiences and learning more about this situation and realizing that people like Joan are saying they'd rather be dead than live in this world. Once Beth realizes that, she doesn't want to be there anymore. She would rather be outside fighting walkers than in that environment, even though she's still alive there.
See more 'Walking Dead' Season 5 Premiere: From the Woods to the Red Carpet
Will things change with Dawn now that Beth has pointed out the obvious that no one is coming to save them?
There's definitely a sense of being more equal even though Dawn beats her up in that last scene. The reason Dawn beats Beth up is because she feels so powerless. Beth is standing up to her and is telling her what's actually happening and they're treating people badly. Beth is saying a lot of truths to Dawn and really sticking up for herself. The only way that Dawn is able to assert her power is by beating Beth up. In a lot of ways, Beth and Dawn are becoming equals, which is very scary for Dawn.
But at the same time, that says so much about Beth.
Yes! Beth, now that there's no one — not even Daryl there to help take care of her or guide her — she's really stepping up. You really see Beth going from being a teenager to a powerful woman. It's awesome. I think that was there all along in Beth. She's very smart and aware, but it was just a matter of when she needed it to come out. She has always had that confidence.
How will Beth's time at the hospital be different now that she helped Noah escape and effectively killed Gorman?
They're going to want to make her pay. They have this system of owing after take things or when you don't do things properly and this system of punishment. But it's funny because this whole system doesn't really matter to Beth. At the end of the episode, she's numb to it: "F— you, I don't care. I'm going to do what ever I want, if I want to scream, I'm going to do that." She's very fearless by the end of it and Dawn and Edwards can sense that — and it's scary for them. The thing they have over all those people there is that they say, "Well it sucks here, and we're treating you bad, but at least we're keeping you alive. And out there, you wouldn't be able to survive, but you have to adhere to our rules."
Why is Beth happy to see Noah escape while she's captured?
I think Beth is mostly just happy that he's getting away. I can't say much more than that!
Can we expect to see Beth try to escape again or does Carol being there change her plan?
I hope that snaps what Beth's idea was. That snaps her out and changes how she might approach if she wants to run away or attack Dawn. Seeing Carol makes her stop and rethink what her game plan is. Does she pretend not to know Carol?
Read more 'Walking Dead': Is Carol Becoming the New Andrea?
Gorman and the rest of the officers are sexually assaulting the wards in exchange for working for Dawn. Will that continue or will what Beth told Dawn sink in?
You'll have to wait and find out. But I do think Beth feeding Gorman to zombie Joan shows she definitely asserted her power there and said she wouldn't let someone assault her in that way.
Beth now realizes that Dr. Edwards is a coward — and he had Beth kill for him. At the end of the episode before Beth spots Carol, was she planning on killing him?
I feel like she doesn't know what she's going to do. It's an odd choice to make. Beth is in this fearless but numb state of wanting to do what ever she wants. Like taking the scissors and stabbing someone, running down the hall or just sitting there. Before she sees Carol, she's not sure what she's going to do. I think Beth just wants to take them all out. She has no respect for Edwards or Dawn anymore. The whole thing is not something she believes in at all. She sees Edwards as a coward and not someone she can trust. He was so nice at the start and it's disappointing to her that she's not someone she can trust.
We know Beth has some sort of medical skills — as we saw during the episode — and considering her background with Hershel, who was a vet. Do you think she wants to assert her medical training to gain more power with Dawn, who clearly values doctors more than most?
I think Dawn values that for sure. That's her big thing: Keeping them save and healthy and feeding everyone. So everyone has to have a reason to be in that facility.
Do you think Edwards feels any regret about the man he has become and his decisions in this episode?
He's the worst because he pretends to be something better than he is. I think he probably feels regret but he doesn't know how to stand up for himself. As much as he is a knowledgeable doctor and has power in that community, I don't think he is very confident. He's extremely sad.
Read more 'Walking Dead' Hits the Road With Its Largest Cast Yet — Can Everyone Survive?
Given Beth's abilities to survive, do you think she can help this group or do they all need to go?
I don't think she has any interest in any of them — except for Noah, and she helped him. At least for Edwards and Dawn, Beth isn't interested in being on their side anymore.
Do you think Beth ever reunite with everyone?
I hope!
You were effectively the only series regular in this episode. What was it like to film this?
It was challenging and a very emotional and physical episode. All the elevator stuff entailed a lot of stunts and I did a lot of that stuff. It goes by so quickly. We shot those elevator scenes over a couple of days. Some of the stuff outside was physically demanding but it's really satisfying.

 

[h=1]'The Walking Dead' star Emily Kinney on Beth's disturbing lollipop scene and more[/h]



By Dalton Ross on Nov 2, 2014 at 10:01PM @DaltonRoss

Image Credit: Frank Ockenfels 3/AMC​

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[SPOILER ALERT: Read on only if you have already watched Sunday’s episode of The Walking Dead.]
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[h=1]The Walking Dead's Emily Kinney on Beth's Return: "She's Not Going to Be Owned"[/h]
Nov 2, 2014 10:01 PM ET
by Adam Bryant

Emily Kinney

[WARNING: The following story contains spoilers from Sunday's episode of The Walking Dead. Read at your own risk.]
Fear not, The Walking Dead fans: Beth Greene is alive and well. (OK, maybe not well...)
Viewers last glimpsed Beth (Emily Kinney) near the end of the fourth season, when despite the protective efforts of Darryl (Norman Reedus), she was taken under mysterious circumstances by someone in a car with a white cross on the rear window. On Sunday's episode, Beth resurfaced in Atlanta at Grady Hospital, which was being run by a cop named Dawn (Christine Woods) who oversaw a makeshift medical staff and security force. But Dawn wasted no time letting Beth know that they hadn't saved her life out of the goodness of their hearts: "You owe us," she said just moments after Beth woke up.
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As Beth set about working off her "debt," she got to know other members of the new group, including Noah (Tyler James Williams), another young man who had been working in the hospital for a year, and Dr. Steven Edwards (Erik Jensen), the hospital's only real physician. While they seemed normal enough, Dawn and her underling eventually revealed a darker side, particularly Gorman (Cullen Moss), who preyed on the weaker women in the hospital, including Beth. After realizing the bad outweighed the good at the hospital, Beth and Noah plotted their escape.
Of course, their prison break was impeded by a herd of walkers. While Beth shot her way through the zombies, Noah managed to slip beyond the fence. Unfortunately, Beth was captured by Dawn's people and beaten. Out of allies, Beth seemed poised to harm Dr. Edwards — who tricked Beth into killing an injured doctor to ensure his continued importance at the hospital — until she saw none other than Carol (Melissa McBride) being wheeled in on a stretcher!
So, what's Beth's next move? TVGuide.com chatted with Kinney about Beth's new personal horror show and why her doomed escape plan was actually a success. Plus: Find out why Kinney believes Dawn no longer has power over Beth.
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When Beth disappeared last season, how much did you know about how and when she would be back?
Emily Kinney: I did know when I disappeared that I would be back. But I didn't know any details about what you see in Episode 4. I didn't know what the environment would be or who the other characters would be or anything like that.
So, what were your thoughts when you saw just exactly what environment Beth was in?
Kinney: I was really excited to be exploring a whole different world, to see how she would do on her own without any of her family or team. I loved the episode because I like how it unfolded with her discovering just how bad these people were. Along the way she's figuring out who is to be trusted and who is not to be trusted. She's slowly realizing what's going on in this world and in this system and figuring out that it's not for her.
She seems a little shocked by what she sees, even though she's had run-ins with people like The Governor.
Kinney: In that first scene when she sees Atlanta, I don't think she's ever seen anything like that. She went from being isolated in the farmhouse to then being on the road with everyone. That's where she goes, "Oh, this is everywhere. We're not going to be able to find a place where it's normal again."
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We've seen Beth as one of the characters who kept the faith that eventually the world could go back to normal. But when she's arguing with Dawn, she says "Nobody is coming to save us." Has this experience made her give up hope?
Kinney: I don't think she doesn't have anything to hope for, but I think she does believe what she's saying to Dawn. The way that Dawn is physically and mentally abusing people is wrong and there is no reason for it. It won't be, like, "Oh, she did all these bad things but it's good that she kept everybody in their place because now someone's coming to save us." I think that Beth, in that moment, is just asserting that [Dawn] is wrong. I do think she has hope as far as her own survival.
Beth certainly proved to be stronger than we've seen her in the past.
Kinney: She's learning about herself as she goes. Going all the way back to Season 2 when she was thinking of suicide to now, I think she's discovering more and more about her personality and what she is learning to put up with or not put up with. [She's learning] just how strong she really is without that safety of a big group or her family or Daryl. She has a lot inside of her and she's definitely stepping it up. I think in this episode you see her grow up a lot. She really stands up to Dawn at the end of the episode.
Beth helped Noah escape but she couldn't make it out herself. Why do you think she smiles in that moment?
Kinney: Even though she is not able to get away, she's very happy to have helped Noah. I think that even though she's captured in that moment, she realizes that they don't have the same kind of power over her. She knows what's going on, she doesn't agree with it, and she's not going to play the game. Even though in that moment they have her, I think she feels like she succeeded.
But once Noah is gone, Beth is out of allies. Dawn doesn't like her, and Edwards turns out to be not so trustworthy.
Kinney: By the end of the episode, there's a certain unfiltered fearlessness about Beth. She's not afraid to tell Dawn what she thinks. She's not afraid to tell Edwards, "I know your deal. I know you're a faker." She's got the scissors in her hand, and who knows what she's going to do? In that moment, she's not going to be owned. She's holding onto the fact that the way that Dawn and Edwards are treating people is not right and that's not the kind of person that I'm going to be. She's almost in this trance-like fearlessness kind of thing.
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But then she sees Carol and something changes.
Kinney: And I think that seeing Carol sort of snaps her out of it. It makes her think, I might have an ally here after all. I might be closer to my family than I thought. There could be another game plan here than just fighting for myself. I think that instilled within her a tiny bit of, "Oh, there is a chance. Worlds are colliding a bit and maybe I could find someone I know."
It's true that Beth stands up to Dawn, but she still bashes her in the head. Does Dawn still have some power over Beth?
Kinney: The way that Beth is standing up to Edwards and Dawn in those last few scenes shows that she's more of an equal with them. In the beginning of the episode, they walk all over her. They're telling her we saved you, you owe us. I think by the end of the episode there's definitely a change. There's a balance in power, and I think the reason that Dawn beats her up so badly is because she feels so out of control. She feels like Beth has something on her and she needs to assert her power by beating her up.
It's obviously a sign of faith that the writers devoted an entire episode to a story about Beth. What do you think this character brings to the story?
Kinney: With Beth there's a sense of it's not just about survival for her. I think there's this sense of there's more to her. They have her singing. She had this interesting conversation with Edwards about art in this episode. Even back in the prison, when they showed Beth's room, there's stuff on the wall and she's writing in her notebook. I do think that Beth represents that sense of, "We can't just be trying to survive." We're human beings that need to make sense of their lives, that need to have art, that need to have love.
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Do you think that's what keeps Beth tied to her humanity, even when she comes across evil in the world like Gorman, who tried to rape her?
Kinney: I think that's the hardest thing. She does have this connection to music and art and life and she's coming up against all these people that are so awful. How will she hold onto that? Will that continue to be who she is as she grows in this world? I don't know. I hope so.
Where do you think Beth is at emotionally given all that's happened to her?
Kinney: I think she's still processing a lot of the trauma she's been through. I think all the characters are. She has very strong emotions, but she's stable. In Season 2, if she felt something very strongly, she was in this state of she was going to commit suicide. She still feels things very strongly but she's not going to go off the deep end. I think she's figured out how to, at least in this moment, put [the emotion] somewhere else. She can feel the emotions, but still fight to survive. She's got a very strong will to survive.

 

[h=1]New 'Walking Dead' addition Tyler James Williams talks Noah and that big

 

[h=1]Meet the new 'Walking Dead' cop from hell, who claims she is a 'hero'[/h]



By Dalton Ross on Nov 2, 2014 at 10:01PM @DaltonRoss

Image Credit: AMC​

​

• 
  
  
• Comments +

[SPOILER ALERT: Read on only if you have already watched Sunday’s episode of The Walking Dead.]
[h=3]Related[/h]The Walking Dead: See Full Coverage
'The Walking Dead' star Emily Kinney on Beth's disturbing lollipop scene and more
New 'Walking Dead' addition Tyler James Williams talks Noah and that big