head of the premiere of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, Andrew Lincoln pays tribute to the late Scott Wilson, who played a key role in early seasons of the original show. Wilson played Hershel Greene in The Walking Dead seasons 2 through 4, a farmer and former veterinarian that offers Rick Grimes’ group sanctuary. He later joins the group and becomes a central figure in their temporary prison home, becoming a voice of reason for other members.

Speaking with Comicbook.com, Lincoln paid tribute to Wilson ahead of The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live‘s release. He reflected on how much he would have loved the actor to see the spinoff, while reflecting on other real-world losses in the show’s original crew. Check out what Lincoln had to say below:

I wish we could share it with Scott Wilson. That’s my guy. Those guys with a sort of heart and soul in the spirit of this show and I thought about them a lot actually during this last year. So, yeah, this one’s for them.

How Scott Wilson Brought Hershel Greene To Life

Hershel was first introduced as an idealist in the apocalypse, keeping zombies in his barn out of hope that someday, a cure could be found. However, after Shane forced the group to kill the Walkers, it was revealed one of them had been Sophia, Carol’s daughter. At first, the farmer loses his faith humanity rebuilding, but after almost being killed by a zombie himself, he becomes a wiser, fatherly figure for the group.

His character ends up having a major impact on Rick, who becomes more violent and cutthroat after Hershel is killed by the Governor in season 4. While it takes some time for him to find a balance, it was the elder character’s teachings that planted the seed for Rick to become a great leader. He has a vision of the farmer in season 9, showing just how much an impact he had on the group’s development.

The Walking Dead is well known for its quotable moments. Hershel had a relatively short run on the show but delivered some impactful dialogue.

Wilson died in 2018, but the legacy of his role in the show is clear in how his character helped define the franchise’s protagonist. It’s possible that, given The Ones Who Live might be Rick’s last outing, the spinoff will make reference to both characters’ past, and how it helped shape their future. Lincoln’s words indicate how much of a legacy Wilson left behind, and how he’ll always be remembered for his role in the show.