Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who portrayed the polarizing villain Negan in The Walking Dead, continues to experience backlash from fans who have not forgiven his character for the brutal murders of Abraham Ford and Glenn Rhee. Morgan shared that he still regularly encounters fans expressing anger, and in some instances, even resorting to aggressive behavior.
Negan's introduction in the Season 6 finale of The Walking Dead in 2016 immediately cemented him as one of the series' most memorable antagonists. His violent actions, particularly the deaths of fan-favorite characters Abraham and Glenn, deeply impacted the show's audience. Glenn's death, specifically, was foretold in the comic books released years prior, a detail Morgan noted surprised him about the level of audience outrage.
Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Morgan recounted an extreme incident where an elderly woman in Georgia, accompanied by her granddaughter, physically assaulted him with her purse and swore at him in a coffee shop. This encounter led Morgan and co-star Norman Reedus to quickly leave the scene. Despite such incidents, Morgan stated he still faces similar confrontations in New York City.
Morgan appears to have developed a philosophical outlook on the ongoing fan animosity. He described the situation as "hilarious" and has become accustomed to the strong reactions his character elicits. He acknowledged that Negan is a divisive figure, with a significant portion of the audience enjoying him as a character to "love to hate."
While Morgan previously defended Negan's complex characterization within the apocalyptic world of The Walking Dead, where survival often necessitates extreme actions, he has since adopted a more resigned stance. He recognizes that while fans may not always think logically about character motivations, their emotional responses are a part of the show's impact. Negan is currently one of the protagonists in the spinoff series The Walking Dead: Dead City, which is currently in its third season.