After spending six seasons as Dr. Devon Pravesh on The Resident, Manish Dayal is ready for his next acting chapter in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol. The new face within the TWD spinoff plays an engineer named Ash who looks to be joining Melissa McBride’s Carol Peletier on her search for longtime post-apocalyptic bestie Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus).
With Ash taking daily flights in a retrofitted single-engine plane, this looks like a viable way to make it to France for the reunion fans have been clamoring for since the original series ended. For Dayal, the recurring role is another way to stretch his acting chops. We caught up with the actor as he teased what we could expect from this character. He also reminisces about some of his other career-defining roles over the years.
You were on The Resident for six seasons. A good chunk of time. How was it jumping into the Walking Dead universe for the Book of Carol?
Manish Dayal: I was a big fan of the show and the world and tone and what they were able to achieve. It was really remarkable for television and revolutionary for its time. Transitioning from playing Devon, a doctor, on The Resident for six years to Ash was one of the most important moments of my career so far. Just because I’ve been playing a doctor for so long and a character I was so firmly rooted in. Going to play this entirely new character with a new tone, a new age. This is a father. This is someone who ultimately survived the apocalypse.
He has been through hell and back. There is a grit and a layer of his character that was so unlike Devon, who was this intern in the world of medicine. I attribute the jump from one to the next to an important one. The role of Ash was someone who I was young and saw a character like him on TV, he would be remarkable to me given who he is and what he represents. His South Asian identity and all these things make for a really new character we’ve never seen on television, let alone a part of The Walking Dead universe. I was interested in exploring all these sides of him in this world.
Photo Credit: Emmanuel Guimier/AMC
What was the vibe on set compared to what you have done previously?
It was obviously so different than working in studios. We’re working on locations and in France. For me, this is the second time I’ve worked in France. So, I was even familiar with some of the crew members I worked with in the past. Working in France has always been an honor and a delight because everyone there is so welcoming and committed to the craft. They are so hard-working. This is different than producing 23 episodes. Here it’s a lot more patient with more time. You’re shooting in these exotic locations, which can affect performance in so many ways.
I think coming on to the show David Zabel was really welcoming and super supportive of me and this character and how my character can interact with Melissa’s character. How they can confide in each other and really build that friendship and relationship to a place where audiences are going to connect and root for them. David was helpful, especially in the beginning because the tone was so different than anything I’ve been a part of. I wanted to immerse myself in it and understand the language, the tone, and the behavior of these characters so I could find my place in it.
Who else helped ease your transition?
Greg Nicotero is incredible and super talented and a lot of fun. We had a good time together. He is a super down-to-earth guy who was able to educate me on the universe as much as possible. Dan [Percival] of course who directed the next episodes was also wildly committed to story and character and building the world in a way that made sense for everyone. Also, paying homage to the character’s past. I’ve always been impressed with the show’s ability to bring back parts of these characters and their lives from seasons and seasons ago. That’s hard to do to keep those backstories alive. The Walking Dead universe does such a good job with this, especially with Daryl Dixon. You really understand these characters’ choices and motivations because they have a rich past with each other.
We know there will be this big reunion between Daryl and Carol. It seems like Ash helps her get to that point as they embark on this adventure together. How would you describe the dynamic between Ash and Carol, especially in the beginning?
I think when they first meet, it’s unexpected. Of course, both of them are guarded characters. They are people who don’t normally want to open their doors. I think when they decide to welcome each other and get to know each other, they realize how much they have in common. I think they have shared trauma and ultimately are people who are longing for connection given the world they live in. It’s a very lonely place, and they find each other. I think that relationship develops when they decide to go on this journey together.
Ash decides to embark on a journey he would otherwise not go on if it wasn’t for Carol coming into his life and shaking things up for him. I think in many ways Carol is the medicine to his illness if you will. I think she does a good job opening him up and I think Ash goes on the ride and goes to help his friend. That’s something I don’t think he would have done if Melissa’s character didn’t warm his heart a little bit.
You’re working primarily with Melissa, at least in the beginning. How was it sharing these scenes with her?
It was so much fun. I think Melissa and I have an undeniable chemistry. I think is so lovely. We just talked about everything. She is funny, loves to dig into the scenes together, is committed to her character in such a great way, and really cares. She was able to educate me a lot on The Walking Dead universe and how all these characters interact. It was a learning experience and a crash course in many ways. I’m still learning. I think her relationship with Daryl is something so deep and comes from so much history they have together.
Her commitment to him is unshakable. What she is willing to do to restore that friendship and reunite with him is pretty extraordinary….Jump out of our comfort zones in order to achieve big results. These are life-and-death circumstances we’re living through on the show, so I thought a lot of the choices she made and my scenes with her are rooted in her past given the trauma she had with her daughter and all that stuff. It was really fun working with her. I enjoyed it a lot.
THE RESIDENT: L-R: Anuja Joshi and Manish Dayal (Tom Griscom / FOX)
How do you look back on how The Resident ended? There were fans out there disappointed they weren’t going to see the wedding between Devin and Dr. Leela Devi (Anuja Joshi) in Season 7. What is your perspective on how things were left?
It’s bitter-sweet because I would have loved for teh show to keep going. I would have loved to see Devin find the family he always yearned for and wanted. I think it’s two-fold. He embarks on this life as a doctor, risking it all and giving it all up because of his ambitions. He is going to work really hard and six years later after becoming a resident himself, he realizes that ironically he was in teh same position where he started.
He still has to give up so much for a commitment he made years ago. It would have been nice to see him settle down and marry his fiance. At the same time, I think audiences know where it’s headed and believe in that relationship. They know they are destined for a real future. I think the show did amazing things. Amy Holden Jones was committed to shining a light on these issues in a way I don’t think so many people have been. She stayed committed to the pilot all the way to the last episode of Season 6. She was unwavering in that way. I love my cast. We all miss each other and stay in touch and remain very good friends. I think we all agree it would have been nice to connect this story together, but we ultimately understand all good things come to an end.
Manish Dayal directing The Resident (FOX)
Do you see the potential to revisit these characters through a reboot or revival down the line as time goes by?
You better believe it. I would love it. It would be great for all of us to reunite and come together in a spinoff or something like that. Seeing how The Walking Dead has done it has been very creative. We would love to do it and I’m sure everyone would be down to play together again. It would be a lot of fun.
It’s crazy to think it was 10 years when The Hundred-Foot Journey came out. What do you remember about working with Helen Mirren as you received what would arguably be your big break?
It was one of the greatest experiences I’ve had as an actor. I got to film in France and all over India as well to tel this really unique story about food and love of cuisine and family and how we can all bridge our gaps and divides despite the odds. I thought the movie was just a beautifully fun story. I’m glad Juliet Blake, Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey gave it a chance. I think it’s still wildly popular. So many people have seen the movie, and Helen was amazing to work with. She just in so many ways embodied that character. The journey for both of them was something everyone could relate to. That’s what makes the movie so special. It’s a story that stands the test of time. It’s a classic. I think it’s going to be one of those movies, and I’m happy to be part of it. A wonderful film.
Manish Dayal and Gillian Zinser in 90210 (The CW)
Those who watched 90210 remember your heartbreaking arc as Raj. He went through so much before succumbing to his illness. How do you look back at that younger role with today’s lens?
That character was another standout for me. It was loosely based on one of the writers who was suffering from cancer at the time and wrote this character that embodied her experience. I thought the role was very ahead of its time. You typically don’t see Indian surfers on TV, particularly in a historically American depiction on TV. I thought it was an interesting choice. Raj remains one of the most interesting characters because he is a guy who has so much going for him. He was full of life and positivity.
He was this light to so many people around him. Ultimately, he was suffering the greatest tragedy and was about to have to leave it all. Getting him to that place and taking him to a place where he had to come to terms with his own death was a really powerful arc to play. I was excited to do it and happy the CW decided to portray this character on TV because I think it was unique and resonated with so many audiences. I still hear about it today. They tell me how it affected them whether it’s from a representative point or from people who suffered similar illness.
Anything else you want to tell us about the Book of Carol before the premiere?
I have to say I just finished screening it myself and I have to say it is one of the most amazing six hours of TV I’ve seen. The world and the performances. Norman and Melissa’s performances are incredible. You can’t take your eyes off them. They are magnetic. Their history oozes out of everything they do. I thought it was incredibly compelling. It’s beautiful to watch. It really just takes you in. I was really impressed. I think the audiences are going to love it and connect to it in so many ways. The story is so deeply emotional but also action-packed. It’s propulsive and keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole time.
The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol, Premieres Sunday, September 29, 9/8c, AMC
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