When 'The Walking Dead' star Michael James Shaw saw his name in the script, he thought it was a mistake. It turns out they named his character after him.
Michael James Shaw told Insider that when he saw his name in "TWD" script, he initially thought it was a typo. They named Mercer in his likeness.
Jace Downs/AMC
- Michael James Shaw plays the head of the Commonwealth militia, Mercer, on "The Walking Dead."
- In the comics, we never learn Mercer's first name. The show names him Mike.
- Shaw told Insider he was surprised to learn they gave the character his first name.
In "The Walking Dead" comic, Mercer, the tough-as-nails leader of the Commonwealth militia, was never given a first name.
So when Michael James Shaw saw his first name beside Mercer's name in "TWD script, the actor thought it was a mistake. He picked up the phone to dial showrunner Angela Kang.
"That was another moment where I dropped the script and called Angela. I was like, 'Is this a typo?" Shaw recently told Insider over a Zoom interview.
It wasn't.
Ever since Shaw was cast in the role of Mercer, fans have commented on the actor's perfect casting for his uncanny resemblance to the comic character.
Jace Downs/AMC, Skybound/Image Comics
The show apparently leaned into that.
"It was really cool to have him named after me or in my likeness," Shaw said, adding it's not the only character he's played who has shared his name. "I've been lucky to play two other characters, one named Mike and one named Shaw on other shows. It's kinda a thing now."
On "Blood & Treasure," he played a character named Aiden Shaw and on "Limitless" he played Agent Mike.
Of having Mercer named Mike, he added: "I was kind of super stoked, but I was also like, 'Wait. Did someone just mistype and put Michael in there because they were thinking of me?'"
The final episodes of "TWD" are currently airing on AMC on Sundays at 9 p.m. You can follow along with our series' coverage here.