Why did Steven Yeun leave The Walking Dead?

Steven Yeun is a South Korean-born actor in the United States who first gained attention for his role as Glenn Rhee in the television series The Walking Dead (2010-2016).

Steven Yeun left The Walking Dead in 2016. Steven Yeun told Variety that he left because he wanted the chance to explore playing different characters.

“There wasn’t really much of a fight on my end,” he said. “I couldn’t be stuck servicing just a genial-natured guy for the rest of my career. On the inside, I didn’t feel that way. On the inside, I can be angry, I can be vengeful. I can be all the other things, and I wanted to explore those things for myself.”

Yeun went on to receive an Oscar nomination for his role in the Korean drama Minari and, this year, he starred in Jordan Peel’s Nope. So he’s doing just fine.

Glenn Rhee was first portrayed by Steven Yeun in 2010, but the season seven premiere episode began with Negan deciding which of Rick’s crew members would perish as retribution for their attacks on his Saviours.

Glenn was one of the unfortunate characters who was killed by Lucille, Negan’s bat, in front of his pregnant wife.