‘The Walking Dead: World Beyond’ Star Aliyah Royale Says Iris Is Nothing Like Carl — Here’s Why

The next generation of survivors is here on Walking Dead: World Beyond. The mothership series had Carl, but World Beyond has a quartet of teenage characters hitting the road in the zombie apocalypse. Aliyah Royale stars as Iris, the leader of the group voyaging from the safety of Campus Colony.

Royale spoke with Showbiz Cheat Sheet by phone on Oct. 2. She said Iris is totally different from Carl and explained why. The Walking Dead: World Beyond airs Sundays at 10 p.m. on AMc.

‘Walking Dead: World Beyond’ characters don’t have the mentorship Carl had

Tick’s son Carl grew up in the early days of the apocalypse. While the adults were figuring out how to fight off walkers and make safe camps, Carl learned from them. By the time Walking Dead: World Beyond starts, the adults try to keep kids safe inside. Iris and her friends are figuring everything out for the first time. 

There’s a lot more chaos that happens because we’re literally figuring it out as we’re going. Carl grew up in the aftermath of it all, still under the supervision of all of these adults who are executing the plans and who are making the plans. We don’t have anyone helping us or telling us what you should do or this is the safest route. We’re literally trusting each other and we’re all very young people. To have your life in the hands of several young adults trying to figure out the same things that you are, it’s a big risk to take.

Aliyah Royale, interview with Showbiz Cheat Sheet, 10/2/2020

The kids on ‘Walking Dead: World Beyond’ are more empowered than Carl

Most of the time, Carl had to do what Rick said. Iris and her friends are taking the apocalypse into their own hands on Walking Dead: World Beyond.

“I think the way we execute it on the show is flawless,” Royale said. “It’s not with this childlike rebellion or this teenage angst. No, we’re on a mission to become something because we’re never going to become anyone by just staying in the same sheltered community. We want to be a part of the cure. We want to be a part of the solution. And if we don’t see the solution happening before us, we’re going to create it for ourselves. That’s powerful.”

Iris is as good a leader as Rick was

Iris is leading Hope (Alexa Mansour), Silas (Hal Cumpston) and Elton (Nicolas Cantu) into The Walking Dead: World Beyond. She takes responsibility for all of them. 

“Iris is definitely a good leader,” Royale said. “She’s the kind of leader who will put herself in danger before she puts anyone on her team in danger. That’s what I appreciate about her. She’s like it was my decision to come out here, it’s my idea. I’m going to make sure we all make it home alive. At the same time, it’s a lot of pressure on her to make sure everyone stays alive but she’s handling it the best way that she can and she comes out on top.”