The Walking Dead star Eleanor Matsuura has addressed the show coming to an end, admitting it hasn't really sunk in yet.
The long-running series is due to kick off its final batch of season 11 episodes next month, after which we will have to say farewell.
Speaking exclusively to Digital Spy for the release of Netflix's I Used to Be Famous, the Yumiko actress – who has filmed her final scenes along with the rest of the cast – called the fact the show is ending "really strange".
Related: Walking Dead's Eleanor Matsuura knows Netflix movie I Used to Be Famous is an unexpected choice
"I don't know if it has [sunk in], actually, you know?" she said. "I think when you've been on something for such a significant amount of time, and the show has been running, itself, for such a huge amount of time – I just keep half-expecting that I'll be going back to Georgia next year, to carry on shooting, because that's been such a huge part of my life for the last four years.
"So it's strange. I have a feeling that I might not process it for a while [laughs]. I look at it like in five years' time, I’m going to wake up, and be like, 'Oh, wow. The Walking Dead's really finished! OK'."
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Recalling filming the final season, she revealed: "Everyone kept asking us, 'How does it feel? How does it feel? Does it feel strange that you're finishing?' The only way I could describe it was like, 'No, it doesn’t feel strange yet, because we're still inflight. We're still flying the plane. I can't talk about how it feels to land it while we're still in the air'.
"Even though filming-wise we have landed the plane, we haven't shown the last eight episodes yet. I still feel like we're kind of in it. I can't say that I've fully started the process of saying a full goodbye. It's a strange thing. Maybe it'll hit me in about five years [laughs]. I don't know why five years – but five years."
Of course, the show will continue with a number of spin-offs – so could Yumiko be heading in that direction?
"Truthfully, I don't know," Matsuura admitted. "I just don't know. I mean, I think for respect to my character – I've loved playing Yumiko for the last four years, and she's been incredible – I would love that.
"I love the idea of her having this other life, or for the fans to get to see a different side of her, whether that's a pre-story or a future story. Who knows? That's exciting to any actor, to be able to explore a character in that way.
"But on the other hand, I sort of feel like maybe it's OK to leave her in that world. There's so many spinoffs, like you said. I'm sure the fans will be pleased with all the material they have coming their way."
The actress added that she was possibly "ready to sort of say goodbye to her for a bit", elaborating: "I played her for a long time, and only her for a long time. I think I'm probably feeling like my interest – I'm curious to look at other parts and other things.
"I would never say never, but nothing's planned at the moment."
I Used to Be Famous is in select UK cinemas from September 9 and will be available to watch on Netflix from September 16. The Walking Dead season 11 airs on AMC in the US and STAR on Disney+ in the UK.
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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
Movies Editor, Digital Spy Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor. Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world. After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.
