Premiering May 4, 2025, on AMC, The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 2 plunges Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) deeper into the nightmarish ruins of Manhattan, a decaying island overrun by the dead and ruled by ruthless factions. Cut off from the mainland, New York City has become a lawless labyrinth where skyscrapers hide horrors and alliances shift like the Hudson tides. This season, the duo faces The Croat’s (Željko Ivanek) expanding empire while confronting new threats from warlords, walker hordes, and their own fractured trust.
With showrunner Eli Jorné expanding the series’ scope, Dead City leans into its dystopian urban hellscape, blending claustrophobic tension with the moral ambiguity that defines the Walking Dead universe. Returning favorites and chilling newcomers amplify the stakes, ensuring this chapter is as much about survival of the soul as it is about escaping the undead.
Cast of The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 2
1- Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan Smith
Jeffrey Dean Morgan, born in 1966, became a pop culture icon as Negan in The Walking Dead (2016–2022), wielding Lucille with terrifying charisma. Pre-Negan, Morgan starred in Supernatural (2008–2020), Watchmen (2009), and The Good Wife (2010–2016), showcasing his range from villainy to vulnerability. His role in Dead City marks Negan’s evolution from tyrant to reluctant antihero.
Morgan recently appeared in The Boys (2023) and Fallout (2024). In Season 2, Negan’s past with The Croat resurfaces, testing his fragile alliance with Maggie. Upcoming projects include Extreme Universe (2025), proving his grip on gritty, complex characters remains ironclad.
2- Željko Ivanek as The Croat
Željko Ivanek, born in Slovenia in 1957, is a character actor legend known for roles like Ray Fiske in Damages (2007–2012) and Andre Drazen in *24* (2001). His chilling portrayal of The Croat in Dead City Season 1 cemented him as one of the franchise’s most unsettling villains.
Ivanek’s recent work includes Law & Order: Organized Crime (2023) and The Regime (2023). In Season 2, The Croat’s grip on Manhattan tightens, forcing Ivanek to balance calculated cruelty with flashes of twisted humanity.
3- Lauren Cohan as Maggie Rhee
Lauren Cohan, born in 1982, rose to fame as Maggie Greene in The Walking Dead (2011–2022), anchoring the series with her resilience and emotional depth. Pre-TWD, she starred in Supernatural (2005–2020) and Chuck (2007–2012), while films like Mile 22 (2018) showcased her action prowess.
Cohan recently led The Boy 2 (2024) and voiced Talia al Ghul in Batman: Caped Crusader (2024). In Dead City Season 2, Maggie’s quest for justice collides with her need to protect Ginny (Mahina Napoleon), blurring her moral compass.
4- Christopher C. James as Croat Guard
Christopher C. James, a Brooklyn-born actor, broke out in The Blacklist (2021) and Power Book II: Ghost (2022). His imposing presence and knack for silent menace made him a natural fit as The Croat’s loyal enforcer.
James recently starred in City on Fire (2023) and FBI: Most Wanted (2024). As the Croat Guard, he embodies the brutality of Manhattan’s new order, serving as a physical and psychological obstacle for Maggie and Negan.
5- Gaius Charles as Perlie Armstrong
Gaius Charles, born in 1983, gained fame as Smash Williams in Friday Night Lights (2006–2011) and Reverend James in Saltburn (2023). His role as Marshal Perlie Armstrong in Dead City Season 1 added lawman grit to the chaos.
Charles recently appeared in Genius: MLK/X (2024) and The Wonder Years (2021–2023). In Season 2, Perlie’s pursuit of justice clashes with Manhattan’s anarchic rules, forcing him to question his own code.
6- Mahina Napoleon as Ginny
Mahina Napoleon, born in 2007, is a rising star known for NCIS: Hawai’i (2021–present) and Moana: The Series (2024). Her role as Ginny, a resourceful teen survivor, became a fan favorite in Season 1.
Napoleon’s recent projects include The Spiderwick Chronicles (2024) and American Girl: Corinne (2023). In Season 2, Ginny’s bond with Maggie deepens, but her secrets threaten to destabilize their fragile sanctuary.
7- Kim Coates
Kim Coates, born in 1958, is a cult icon for his role as Tig Trager in Sons of Anarchy (2008–2014). His filmography spans Bad Blood (2017–2018) and Guilt by Association (2022), often playing morally ambiguous figures.
Coates’ Dead City role is shrouded in mystery, but rumors suggest he’ll play a warlord vying for control of Manhattan’s ruins. His trademark intensity promises a formidable foe for Maggie and Negan.
8- Lisa Emery as The Dama
Lisa Emery, born in 1952, is a stage and screen veteran known for Ozark’s (2017–2022) Darlene Snell and The Sinner (2017–2021). Her ability to blend charm and menace makes her perfect for The Dama, a cunning power broker.
Emery recently starred in The Crowded Room (2023) and Palm Royale (2024). As The Dama, she’ll manipulate factions from the shadows, proving survival in Manhattan requires more than brute strength.
9- Chris Silcox as Forager
Chris Silcox, a stuntman-turned-actor, broke out in The Walking Dead: World Beyond (2020–2021) and Cobra Kai (2021–2023). His physicality and quiet intensity define roles like Forager, a scavenger with insider knowledge of the city.
Silcox recently appeared in Twisted Metal (2023) and The Continental (2023). As Forager, he’ll navigate alliances with Maggie’s group, blurring the line between ally and opportunist.
10- Taylor Reed as Negan Burazi
Taylor Reed, born in 1995, gained attention in All American (2021–2023) and Bel-Air (2022–2024). His casting as “Negan Burazi” (Bosnian for “brother”) hints at ties to The Croat’s past or Negan’s hidden history.
Reed’s recent work includes Power Book IV: Force (2023) and BMF (2024). His role adds layers to the Balkan-inspired underworld controlling Manhattan’s remnants.
11- Anthony Molinari as Houseman
Anthony Molinari, born in 1972, is a character actor known for Daredevil (2015–2018), Luke Cage (2016–2018), and The Irishman (2019). His rugged roles often portray enforcers or blue-collar toughs.
Molinari recently appeared in Lawmen: Bass Reeves (2023) and Mayor of Kingstown (2023). As Houseman, a survivalist holding a fortified tower, he’ll challenge Maggie’s group with pragmatism veering into tyranny.
12- PeiPei Alena Yuan as Lookout Burazi
PeiPei Alena Yuan, a rising star from Warrior (2019–2023) and American Born Chinese (2023), brings martial arts prowess and emotional depth to her roles. As Lookout Burazi, she’s rumored to be The Croat’s eyes in the sky.
Yuan’s recent work includes 3 Body Problem (2024) and Sun Brothers (2024). Her role underscores the series’ global influences, blending Eastern and Eastern European underworld motifs.
