On The Walking Dead: World Beyond, Nico Tortorella plays Felix Carlucci, ex-Head of Security at the now destroyed Campus Colony and loyal member of the Bennett family. Tortorella talks to amc.com about Felix and Huck’s rocky relationship, Felix and Will's emotional reunion, and the importance of chosen family.

Q: Felix is fiercely loyal and so protective of the people he loves, so when he sees Huck again in Episode 4 he's absolutely seething. Felix and Huck’s relationship has changed so much since Season 1—their friendship feels like a distant memory! What was it like playing this very different dynamic with Annet Mahendru this season? 

A: The first thing I'm going to say is that I really missed Annet this past season. We spent so much time together as best friends and partners in the first season, and in the second season we saw each other a lot less.

There was always some deep-rooted tension when we were working together, even though Annet is such a goofball. I mean, I am too, so we have a very specific energy off set, but to click into that rivalry this season took a lot of effort in so many ways. I did have a really good time playing it with Annet, but this season there's definitely an arc to their relationship. Where we are right now isn’t necessarily where we're going to end up.

Q: As far as Felix is concerned, the CRM are completely sullied by their actions and are now the enemy. Him and Iris are on the same page, and in this episode Felix does his best to convince Huck that the CRM are behind the destruction of the Campus Colony and Omaha. When do you think the CRM lost Felix’s favor? Do you think he got whiffs of their bad behavior when he was Head of Security at the Campus Colony? 

A: I think Felix has a hard time trusting in general, and he’s hyper-protective of the people that he truly cares about, including the Campus. I don't think he ever imagined they were this evil or that they were capable of this amount of destruction. I do think that as soon as he's given a hint of potentially who they are, all the pieces click. He understands the threat and handles it just like any other threat. He needs to get the job done, and he needs to save the people that he loves. It doesn't matter how big the threat is. He will always attempt to get justice.

Q: As viewers what makes Felix so appealing is that we actually do know a lot about his past and his life before the fall. We know how important family has become to him, and that those bonds don’t need to be rooted in shared DNA. What was it like creating this family of Iris, Hope, and Leo? 

A: As a queer person who understands the queer experience, I think chosen family is something that's really special and important. And that's exactly what this family is. We all came from different parts of the world, whether we were officially adopted or unofficially adopted. I think trauma brings people together in a lot of ways and makes them rely on each other.

There's so much love there. And the fact that we all come from different parts of the world, and  represent different backgrounds makes it even more special. We really do get to choose the people that are our family in so many ways. Blood is real, yes, but love is unconditional, and that's what's shared here.

Q: Will, like Felix, is absolutely fearless and often puts himself right in the line of fire. We hear so much about Will in Season 1, and this season we finally get to see Felix and him together. Their reunion is quite emotional and their bond is apparent immediately. How did you and Jelani Alladin work together to bring their relationship to the screen? 

A: TV's funny in the way that everything moves so fast. During the first season, on the day that Jelani and I met, that was the day that we had to fall in love. Thankfully it's very easy to fall in love with Jelani, and you just gotta dive in headfirst, you know? That's the sacredness of television. You have to leave your s--t at the door and become and create. I think Jelani and I both knew from the get-go just how special and dynamic this relationship was and we gave it all that we could. I think this season really proves that.

Q: What was the most challenging thing about working on a limited series like this, knowing that there’s a defined end point? What will you miss most about playing Felix? 

A: As someone who's been on television for over 10 years, I really understand the nature of the beast and I try not to rely on the device of storytelling. Especially because in television there really isn't a clear beginning, middle, and end. I just try to live in the day as an actor and bring the scenes, the stories, and the lines to life in real time. Knowing that The Walking Dead Universe is so vast—yes, this is a limited two-season series, but who knows what's going to happen in the future? I think anything is possible.

I'm really going to miss working with this cast. We had a really, really solid crew that spent six months together pre-2020 in a post-apocalyptic world. Then the pandemic hit, and we spent six months together in the thick of it. And, like I said earlier, trauma unites people. We were living in Virginia in these bubbles, pretty much only able to see each other, so we spent so much time together. I'm going to miss a lot of that camaraderie. I talk to Ted [Sutherland] and Hal [Cumpston] all the time. I'm getting emotional even talking about it. I'm going to miss these guys a lot.

 

New episodes of The Walking Dead: World Beyond air on Sundays at 10/9c on AMC. Full episodes are available to stream now on amc.com, the AMC apps for mobile and devices, and a week early on AMC+. Sign up for AMC+, which is available through several providers, including AppleTV, Prime Video Channels, DirectTV, Dish, Roku Channel, Sling, and Xfinity.

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