TMDb/The Walking Dead : Best o Celebrity Matthew Lillard reveals he was almost cast as Negan in The Walking Dead, offering a "wicked and funny" take on the iconic villain before Jeffrey Dean Morgan ... March 31, 2026 AceShowbiz - Matthew Lillard came very close to portraying one of television's most iconic villains, Negan, on the hit AMC series The Walking Dead. During an appearance on Kristian Harloff's "The Big Thing Podcast," the actor shared that series creator Frank Darabont initially offered him the role, but only for a brief 10-minute window.