THE WALKING DEAD season 9 saw the introduction of a new character in the second half of its series in the form of Lydia, the daughter of Samantha Morton’s villain Alpha. But who plays Lydia on The Walking Dead and who is actress Cassady McClincy?

The Walking Dead stars Cassady McClincy as Lydia (Image: GETTY • FOX)

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AMC series The Walking Dead saw Lydia (played by Cassady McClincy) joining the show in earnest recently. Lydia’s backstory was recently explored after she was taken captive at Hilltop and she had a heart-to-heart with Henry (Matt Lintz) during her incarnation. The Walking Dead revealed how Lydia tried to process the trauma of the outbreak and how her mother became the formidable villain Alpha (Samantha Morton).

Who plays Lydia on The Walking Dead?

Lydia is played by up-and-coming actress Cassady McClincy, who has had a number of roles prior to landing her part in The Walking Dead.

Only last year, the US actress starred in the Stephen King Hulu series Castle Rock as a young Molly Strand.

The 18-year-old actress has also had credits in Lore, Netflix series Ozark and Constantine, according to IMDb.

McClincy was announced as Lydia back in August 2018 as a recurring character in the long-running AMC series.

The Walking Dead stars Cassady McClincy as Lydia (Image: FOX)

The Walking Dead stars Cassady McClincy as Lydia (Image: FOX)

She revealed she sent an audition tape for Lydia and was called back by the producers quite soon afterwards.

The character of Lydia is taken straight out of the original The Walking Dead comic books by Robert Kirkman.

Speaking about taking on the role, she explained to Entertainment Weekly: “I had a meeting with [EP and director Greg Nicotero], and he gave me this huge compendium filled with all the Lydia comics.

“But he wanted me to use it as a blueprint, not gospel. Those were his exact words.

“So I just tried to do Lydia justice. But, obviously, there’s differences from the comic and the TV show, so I tried to change what makes sense for the change in characteristics.”

The rising star admitted she was “terrified” stepping onto set because she was a “huge fan” who’d grown up watching the show.

Reflecting on Lydia, the actress said: “I think that she is very smart. And she knows how to use her vulnerable, childlike persona of being a teenage girl to her advantage to keep herself safe.

“So she tries the whole crybaby act at first. And then she’s just throwing out all the cards.”

The show revealed flashbacks to Lydia’s life in the direct aftermath of the outbreak and how her parents fought as they stayed down in a bunker in Baltimore.

The Walking Dead stars Cassady McClincy as Lydia (Image: GETTY)

She had to alter her memories to cope with the chaos around her – including her mother killing her father when he tried to stop Alpha taking their child away into the dangerous outside world.

Lydia also had to deal with her mother’s beatings and abuse which Alpha claimed made the youngster “stronger”.

In the comics, Lydia defects from her mother Alpha and becomes romantically entangled with Carl Grimes (Chandler Riggs) – but with the death of the character in the TV show, it’s not clear how the show will play out.

Lydia appears to be forming a connection with Henry, which could substitute the relationship with Carl. But fans will have to keep watching to see how it will pan out.