Emily Kinney says The Walking Dead was purposefully vague about a potential romance between Beth and Norman Reedus Daryl. The singing farm girl and the stoic bowman formed a bond in Season 4, growing closer when separated from the rest of their group following the Governors (David Morrissey) attack on their prison base that left the survivors scattered. Season 4 episode Still, penned by now-showrunner Angela Kang, focused exclusively on Beth and Daryl, and was at the time taken as a sign Bethyl was developing into what would have been Daryls first onscreen romance. He was later devastated when Beth was shot and killed by Dawn (Christine Woods) in Season 5 episode Coda.
I just viewed it as a bond. Just like any new sort of relationship-slash-friendship, I feel like theres always questions about where its gonna go or what kind of relationship it is, Kinney said on Skybounds Talk Dead to Me podcast when asked how she interpreted the Bethyl dynamic. And I mean, it really was just the beginning of them becoming friends, and being people they could lean on and trust. So I dont really know, thats how I feel. I think its vague on purpose.
Asked why Daryl has yet to participate in a romance, Kinney admitted that was a question better suited for Reedus or the writers.
I dont know why. I mean, it is the apocalypse, and maybe some people its just not the right environment to start a relationship, Kinney said with a laugh. So I dont know, I feel like everyone reacts differently. Maybe some people would jump into a relationship, and maybe some people would be like, Yeah, no.
In 2014, Reedus said in a Reddit Q&A there was definitely a taste of it in the air when asked about a Bethyl romance.
As The Walking Dead flirts with one of two potential romantic relationships for Daryl the Caryl coupling, a romantic development between Daryl and best friend Carol (Melissa McBride), or Donnie, taking his friendship with Connie (Lauren Ridloff) to the next level why hasnt Daryl had a romance?
Daryls such an interesting character that way because in some ways, when it comes to romantic relationships, hes not a person that I think trusts easily, and a lot of that has to do with his backstory, which is filled with so much trauma. He was physically abused, as well as in other ways. Theres sensitivity there for him, Kang explained to EW. And I think hes also just a person who its hard for him to trust anybody enough to connect with them really, really deeply. Its a long, slow process for him in a lot of ways to get into any kind of a romantic thing, whereas I think most people these days think of it as just like, Oh, you could have fun with somebody, and you can have sex with them and then it doesnt have to mean anything.
Daryls just not wired that way, and that tracks with conversations that Norman and I have had, she added. He doesnt attach to people lightly enough that he can give it a chance easily, you know? So I think that thats really a big part of it.
New episodes of The Walking Dead Season 10 premiere Sundays at 9/8c on AMC. For more TWD intel, follow the author @CameronBonomolo on Twitter.
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