Many people know Vincent M. Ward from the hit TV show “The Walking Dead,” where he played Oscar. But his resume is much more extensive. He’s been acting since the early 2000s and has played in many well known TV shows, as well as films. He has a lot going on these days and he sat down with rolling out to discuss them.
There are many “Walking Dead” fans out there. Can you tell us what’s coming up next for the Walking Dead?
I have no clue! (laughs). Look, after I got shot… I got shot. But I didn’t get shot in the head, nor did I get shot in the chest.
So, they didn’t kill you off?
I’ll just say I got shot. I got shot in the side. Now, I know some people that got shot before, in real life, and survived the shot in the side, but we’ll see. If they bring me back, then they bring me back. If not, you know life goes on.
Well, we hope that works out for you, because we really liked your character on the show. What do you have going on now?
Well, I’m on my way to Atlanta to film a new show named “Atlanta.” It’s about a guy named Donald Glover, and it’s based on his life. My character, I’m playing a reverend, Reverend Marcus, but you don’t want to leave your woman around Reverend Marcus (laughs). Also, at the end of the month, I’m filming a movie called Debt House. You know, since “Walking Dead,” everybody wants me to be in their horror films, which is fine, because I love the horror genre. And we’ve also been writing a script for myself to take the place of “Candyman.” Tony Todd, that’s my boy, but it’s time to move on. I do more than just horror. I do comedies, but I know my strength, and my strength is drama. And we’re about to do a play with Jewel Tankard, that’s how I met Jewel. The name of the play is Motown Girl, and it’s about Jewel’s life. I play one of Jewel’s ex-boyfriends. I think they’re talking about doing it in July of this year.
What advice would you give aspiring actors?
Don’t’ give up. This is the hardest business to be in. You can be an attorney or a judge before you can be an actor. Just because you go to school, doesn’t mean you’re promised a job. And I always say that the day you give up might be the day God decides to bless you. And we’ve all been there. You know, when people see me on TV or in movies, they may think life is all peaches and cream, nah – come to my house and you might see me over there crying asking, ‘What’s next, Lord!?’ But it’s hard; it’s hard. And only the strong can survive, so don’t give up.
