Alicia Witt Reveals Paula's Motivation On 'TWD'

When it comes to anxiety-inducing TV, no series will have you consistently on the edge of your seat more than The Walking Dead. Part of its terror comes from the fact that zombies are far from the only threat facing the main characters. In this Sunday's episode, Alicia Witt joins The Walking Dead as Paula, one of Negan's partners in crime, and she could be one of Rick and company's fiercest enemies yet. While she can't reveal too much about her upcoming storyline, in an interview with Bustle, Witt is able to drop a few hints about what to expect from Paula.

"I think it's safe to say that she's very strong," Witt says. Previously, both she and AMC had remained mum when it comes to the details of her role. In fact, fans didn't even know her character's name until just a few days ago. We do know that Paula is one of Negan's minions and currently holding Maggie and Carol hostage, but that's about it. Luckily, Witt is able to shed some light on her motivation.

"Paula has decided that she's not going to be a victim in this incredibly dangerous and helter-skelter sort of apocalyptic time. She's decided that she's going to stand up to whoever comes her way and she's going to prove that what could be the end of all things is not going to be her end."

Witt can't reveal what Paula's plans are for the newly kidnapped Maggie and Carol, nor can she explain much about Paula's connection with Negan or their ultimate goal. One thing is for sure, though: she is totally thrilled to be joining the cast of one of her favorite shows of all time, even if she didn't initially know what she was signing up for.

"I didn’t know what the character was I was going to play," Witt says. "I was reading new scenes that had nothing to do with the apocalypse in which this character was committing a bank robbery ... I didn’t really even question what it was, and I found out the next night when I was having dinner that I got the part. I didn’t receive the script until I was boarding the plane and then once I read the script, I was just so excited!"

As a longtime fan of The Walking Dead, Witt found this opportunity thrilling, and her love of the show added more excitement than nerves to the experience. "I felt like I had no idea what I was walking into still, but I definitely had butterflies going into it because of my excitement about the show," she says. "But then from my first day on set, I wasn’t nervous at all ... I was more feeling like I'm so lucky that I'm now included in this incredible world and I can’t wait to bring this amazing character to life."

Witt's own love of The Walking Dead is deeply rooted in the characters. Though she enjoys the adrenaline rush of the intense zombie scenes, she most enjoys watching the series' protagonists grow and change over the years. "I think for people who have never seen the show, the thing they're most confused about is that it isn’t just a show about zombies," she says, before continuing to describe what makes the series so great.

It’s the people and what this apocalypse is doing to them, what they're most afraid of ... I think with this incredibly advanced brain and complex hierarchy that we have as humans come great complications and great danger, and that’s obviously the most fascinating thing about the show, about how these people react to it and what the relationships are that they form with each other.

It's unclear how much we'll get to see Paula grow on The Walking Dead, but it's safe to say there are some exciting times ahead. While Witt can't reveal what exactly those times will entail, she does offer a three-word hint to describe the rest of The Walking Dead Season 6: "Ginger ninja power."