I Am Actor Tom Payne - I play 'Jesus' in THE WALKING DEAD and star in the new movie MINDGAMERS. Ask Me Anything.

Do you think Jesus and Maggie can become best friends??

Yes absolutely

Is it true that nobody fucks with the Jesus?

Yes. Yes it is.

What drew you to applying for The Walking Dead?

Unemployment

You tweeted me once, is there any chance of getting a reply here too?

Maybe

Will we be getting an episode more about Jesus' backstory? btw i love u :-)

I hope so. That would be great. Morgans episode was one of my favourites from last year

What's the most difficult thing about playing Jesus that you've found so far?

Wearing all of his clothes!

Hey tom, just wondering if you were a fan of the show before joining the cast. If so, favourite season? (Btw, Jesus is such a great character, and you play him so well. You really deserve more screentime) thanks!

No I didn't watch the show. I have caught up now though!

Ok guys! Heading out now. Make sure you check out Mindgamers next week on March 28th! x

Will Jesus ever get into a relationship with someone?

Never say never

What is your favorite scene so far in TWD that you were apart of?

Either Norman chasing me around a field or when I'm sat around the table with the group and say "Your world's about to get a whole lot bigger" and then the credits start. That was super cool.

Why did Jesus open up to Maggie and what does it mean?

It means he feels comfortable in her presence and sees strength in their friendship

When TWD is over, will you cut your hair and shave? (Please don't)

I think so. But maybe not take it all off completely!

Can we expect kickass Jesus for the last two episodes of season 7? I'd like to see Ninja Jesus again!

There's always potential for kickass Jesus!

are you happy that jesus finally came out and that he came out to maggie first??

Yeah I thought it was a really nice demonstration of their new found connection. A subtle way to show that they are growing closer

When I meet you in June can I touch your hair???

If you've washed your hands ;)

What training did you have to do to learn to perform your martial arts stunts? Anything specific like muay thai, kickboxing, karate?

I actually took bits from each of those. I have a great trainer named Steven Ho who I work with. He's a kicking specialist and so we did a lot of legwork which is incredibly tiring! Just when you think your fitness is improving you step it up and it's crazy hard again!

Your hair always looks so good, what's your secret?

Not having a clue what I'm doing honestly! I think it's a new thing for my hair and it hasn't become tired of it yet :)

Being from England, is it hard to handle the heat over there in Georgia? Looks super hot ahah ❤

You get very good at finding shade and keeping still when you're not filming! Actually when we were filming Mindgamers it was incredibly hot in Bucharest so I'm pretty used to filming in the heat. On both productions we had to contend with crazy thunderstorms which on TWD can mess up the schedule but on Mindgamers didn't so much cos a lot of it was filmed inside

I'm an Atlanta girl so I was wondering, what do you think about GA/Atlanta? Enjoy being a resident part of the year? PS it is going to be a crazy hot summer!

I love Atlanta! The heat is crazy but there are so many cool restaurants and bars and places to go. I'm always telling people to visit!

Hello Tom - can you confirm or deny rumors that you once almost died in a Soul Cycle Class?

Hahahaha. Confirmed. I had to leave the class after about 10 mins! I totally misjudged the resistance on my bike and my fitness was not great. They took me out of the class and then profusely apologized. I said it was my own stupid fault for pushing myself so hard when I was so out of shape!

Who would win in a fight, you or Jesus?

Jesus by a mile

How was it growing up in Bath? It is such a lovely town!

It was great! It's just the right size to grow up in and have a good time. Now it's a place I really enjoy going back to. Andy Lincoln is from there too! If you go to England you have to go to Bath it's very beautiful.

are u excited to meet me in 74 days? lmao

Always excited to meet fans! :)

I'm really intrigued by the lobster thing on jesus' wall does he just collect random stuff? also love the big red hat

All will be revealed in the future. Remember that Maggie has been wearing Jesus's clothes since she's been at the Hilltop too

What drew you into this movie project?

The fact that I'm a huge Sci Fi fan and I've always wanted to make a Sci Fi movie. That and the fact that the subject matter is fascinating. There are many different conversations to be had about the questions of life, death and science that are raised in the movie. I like movies that make you think.

Which characters would you like to see Jesus interact with more?

Everyone!

Are we going to find out more of Jesus' backstory? I was intrigued that he grew up in a group home, was he an orphan or abandoned or taken by social services?

What does Jesus see in Maggie/Sasha/Daryl/TF that makes him feel like can get close to them? What draws him to them?

Hopefully we will. But I also like how there are still questions around him.

hey, what's the best thing about interpreting Jesus?

Bringing some heart and thoughtful consideration to the group. Jesus is a person who thinks deeply before he takes action.

What is the best advice you've been given?

Just be you

Which tv show would you like to guest star in?

Stranger Things!

Henlo Tom!! How is your day going??

Pretty good so far. I'm at Red Bull headquarters in Santa Monica. It's the coolest office space ever :)

Mindgamers looks really interesting! What's you're favourite sci-fi show/movie?

I like Blade Runner which is a classic. I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE NEW ONE!!

Will Jesus ever have his hair tied up like in the comics? He needs to rock a man bun!

If we get that far! I've been trying it out in real life (mostly cos long hair can be REALLY annoying) and it doesn't look too bad!

Whats your favourite series of the walking dead?

Controversial but I liked the farm!

How has it been filming a lot with Lauren and Sonequa? They seem lovely and your scenes with each one of them are amazing :)

They're both beautiful, amazing people and it's been wonderful spending this season with them.

Can you tell me if Jesus and your character in MindGamers have any similarity?

I think the main similarity is that fundamentally they're both loners who are used to isolating themselves whether physically or mentally. Jesus is getting better at being in a group but I'm not sure Jaxon could collaborate as unselfishly.

Hey! Any chance you could reply with a nice message to Jessica please? I literally can't go to WSCL and this would just make me over the moon for my birthday that's soon🖤🖤 I love you so much 🖤🖤

Hi Jessica, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Jesus Loves You xoxox

Tom, you are my favorite actor!!! Please is there any advice you could give to me as an amateur actor?

Study hard and always believe anything is possible. In the Mindgamers movie my character Jaxon is unstoppably ambitious. In his case I think maybe too much. But honestly I always believed I was capable of anything if I put my mind to it. So go get it!

If you weren't an actor, what career would you pursue? (Don't quit acting though- I'd be sad!)

A performer of some kind. Probably a singer

Hi Mr. Payne! What is the best thing a director can do for you on set? Thanks and congratuwelldone on your success! :~)

Help me be the best I can be. I have no problem with being told exactly what is required. I'm not a precious actor. I understand that it's a group effort and everyone wants to produce the best end product. So it makes no sense to me when people act in a selfish way on set. Of course this requires trust amongst everyone which sometimes isn't easy to foster. On Mindgamers Andrew Goth the director was extremely collaborative and always on hand to answer any questions we might have about the minbending script!

Would you be friends with your character in real life?

Yeah I think so. Would take me a while to get to know him but yes!

Hi Tom. Big fan from Denmark! Ever been here? Just wanted to let you know, that I absolutely adore the way you bring comic Jesus to "life" on th TV show. Looking forward to see more of him in the future. I also like that he is that acrobatic fighter, how was your preparation for that?

Again, thank you. And a big high-five from me! Much love from Kenny Douglas.

I've been to Copenhagen. Love it there. Was actually just considering living there at some point in the future cos it's such a happy place! Last time I was there I went to Tivoli which was great fun too :)

have you ever had to improvise on set?

A lot of acting is 'improvising'. If you're truly in the moment of the scene then you're in a place where you are reacting in the moment to what the other character is giving you. I think it would have been quite tough to improvise dialogue on the Mindgamers set since I'm not a scientist and the dialogue could be quite complicated!

Tom, I've 2 questions; The first... Have you ever thought about possibility of come to some country of Latin America for a Comic Con or a convention? As Argentina...
And the second, Can you tell me something in spanish? Please, haha.
I love you so much.

I'd love to. The closest I got was Mexico recently. The fans there were amazing! Te llamo x

Was it hard to get used to having long hair? I have long hair myself, so I know it can get in the way sometimes.

Yes! It can be really annoying. My hairstyle in Mindgamers was a lot more manageable :)

Hey Tom. One: You have very ensnaring eyes. 2: Do people recognize you on the street? If they do, do they refer to you as Jesus?

They do! Even if they don't watch the show!

is there any actor or actress you would like to work with in the future?

Anthony Hopkins. I once did an audition with him where we improvised together and it was wonderful. I think he has such a lovely air of calm in his performances. Pure simplicity. At the other end of the scale, Jack Nicholson! I think that would be fun.

Tom, how is your relationship with Alanna? I love you both so much, you're always so kind and attentive with fans, hope you have a precious friendship too.

We have a nice brother sister type relationship. I think we have a bunch of similarities.

Is there one thing that can instantly put a smile on your face?

An fan who's excited to meet me.

Are you doing any other cons in Chicago this year? Sadly I can't attend WSC and I really want to meet you :(

Not this year I don't think. I was in Cincinnati last weekend!

who's your favourite deceased character? or which would you bring back?

Herschel and Glenn

do u have anything in common w jesus?

His empathy

Hey Tom, Your character is one of my favorite, tell them not to kill you off please! Will any of these theaters be in the Cincinnati area?

Thanks! I'm lucky to play him. Go to the link in the description and you can find out where Mindgamers is playing :)

1. What is your favorite memory from set?

2. What is something most people wouldn't know about the walking dead, unless they worked on the show?

3. Are there any lines from the comic that you really hope get to be used on the show?

You are doing a great job portraying JESUS.

1. Making Norman chase me around a field in the midday sun
2. How awesome the crew is
3. Hmmm, can't answer cos then I'd give stuff away!

THANKS!

Do you think you really understood what you were in for when you decided you wanted to become an actor?

I did but at the same time you can never be totally prepared for being in on of the biggest tv shows ever. I'm very lucky to be in it with some wonderful people though so that makes it a little easier.

That's cool. I often wonder if actors actually like the people they play. Have you ever not liked a character ?

Not really. I might not have liked some of the decisions they made but you always have to find the best in your character. There have been auditions I've been presented with that I knew I wouldn't get because I didn't like the character as a peron! :/

have u ever been in spain??

Absolutely! Love Spain. Last time I was there was for the premiere of El Medico in Madrid. I still need to visit Barcelona.

What's your favorite thing about Canada? (assuming you've been).

The people! I've been to a bunch of places in Canada and everyone is always so nice. I know it's a cliche but it's a cliche for a good reason!

Would you rather fight one horse-sized duck, or a hundred duck-sized horses?

A hundred duck sized horses. Definitely.

How did you get into acting?

It was something I had always done whilst at school and I didn't understand why people chose jobs they didn't enjoy. I really enjoyed acting and so decided that would be my job! I studied at Drama School for 3 years and picked up an agent from there. Then I just auditioned for A LOT of things and some of them worked out! :)

What's your favourite thing about cons?

Meeting all the fans and giving out smiles and hugs all day. It's awesome!

Hi Tom, have you ever been in the Czech Republic?

I haven't! I'd love to get a job that brought me to Prague. We filmed Mindgamers in Bucharest and I loved the culture over there. Would love to travel more around eastern europe. :)

Will we ever hear you singing again?

I'm pretty sure the answer to that is yes

what's a song you've been listening to on repeat recently?

Notion - Tash Sultana

wich characteristic of any of your roles that you have incorporated into your own because of it?

With Jaxon in Mindgamers I would say I definitely connected with his ambition and dogged determination no matter what anyone says. I was very ambitious with my career.

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Very proud. xox