Meet 2 ‘Walking Dead’ zombie actors at St. Clair haunted attraction – The Times Herald

People typically expect to see zombies at haunted attractions. But atone haunted trail in St. Clair, you'll see two actors who played them on TV in front of millions.

Actors Moses Moseley andTheshayWest,who played zombies onAMCspost-apocalyptichit The Walking Dead,will visit the Morrow Road Haunted Trail in St. Clair thelast weekend inOctober.The pair most notably appeared in the show's second and third seasons asthe character Michonne Hawthorne's jawless, armless "pet walkers."

I look forward to having the time of my life and hanging out with everybody in Michigan, West said in a phone interview Tuesday.

The actors will appear at the haunted attraction Oct. 28-30 without makeup or costumes. They'll take photos and sign autographs for fans, then walk the haunted trail themselves.

Cass City resident Melissa MissyRard, volunteer coordinator for the trail,said she met Moseley years ago. Sheknew he has a flair for spooky activities, and asked him to give thethe trail some publicityby attending itsVIP night.

She hopes attendees are excited to meet the actors and encouraged people from across the state to come to the event, saying it's something she'd personally drive hours for.

Just come out and hang with us and have a good,fun time, Moseley said.

Moseley has worked on films andshows ranging from Joyful Noise to Watchmen. ButThe Walking Dead remains one of his favorites.

It was one of the biggest blessings I ever got, he saidin a phone interview Monday.

West describedthe experienceas exhilarating and said the work came out amazingly.

Both actorssaidthe makeup for their roles as "pet walkers" took two to three hours each day.Their entire costumes were made up ofprosthetics and makeup; their armswere removed after the fact usingcomputer generated imagery.

Moseley saidit was difficult to breathe in the costume, andthe humidity took a toll.They were taken to trailers between takes to cool off and to keep their makeup frommelting. Because they wore marble lenses over their eyes, they could see only the light coming in around the edges.

It was kind of nerve-racking at times, he said.

West, meanwhile, said the only time he was uncomfortable was when it was very cold, as they performed withoutshirts and woretattered jeans.Because their mouths werefilled, they relied on staff who served asstraw holders when they needed a drink.

West and Moseley travel often to meet fans about two or three times a month before the COVID-19 pandemic, West said.

It shows how impactful their characters are, West said. Years after being in The Walking Dead, theyre still getting asked about the "pet walkers"today.

Look at how epic and timeless it is, he said.

In addition to meeting his Michigan fans, he's excited to venture down the Morrow Road trail.

WhenRardtells people about Morrow Road Haunted Trail, she tries to emphasize how frightening it can be.Several people have said they'vewet themselveson the trail, she said.

The trail is based on the local legend of Isabella Chartier, who disappeared with a child around 1890 on Morrow Road in present-day Clay Township.Visitors have claimed to see the woman's ghost and strange orbs on the road. Thereare at least10 different theories about what happened to Chartier,according to the Morrow Road website.

As time goes on, legends change,Rardsaid. I believe in the paranormal and the truly spooky we dont know about."

That spookiness permeates the Morrow Road Haunted Trail attraction, which is completely volunteer-operated. Moneyfrom ticket salesis goingtoward producing a movie based on the legend, she said.

Her family got involved with the movie last year when her daughter auditioned for the film,which is written, directed and produced byFrancis Sampier.The film has been in the works for years and has undergone numerous changes, but hasgained some notable attention.

Dean Cundey, a cinematographer who worked onJurassic Park and Apollo 13, has worked on the film.In a 2012 interview with the Morrow Road crew,he said the subject mattermakes for good storytelling.

This one was to me immediately intriguing in that the nemesis, the threat, is a more supernatural kind of presence, he said in the interview.

Read More:

Rardexpects the film to start production in August 2022. She, her husband and her daughter are all involved in the project.

Its really neat to be involved with something like that, she said.

The Morrow Road Haunted Trail is at1890 S. Bartlett Road in St. Clair.Ticket prices, trail times and more can be found on the trails website and Facebook page. Those interested in volunteering for the trail or getting involved with the movie can contactSampier at810-814-7562.

Contact Bryce Airgood at (810) 989-6202 or bairgood@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @bairgood123.

See more here:
Meet 2 'Walking Dead' zombie actors at St. Clair haunted attraction - The Times Herald