KAZOO's "SNS Eigojutsu" Movie Corner (10) Reflections on My “Ride with Norman Reedus" Interview With Norman Reedus – NHK E-Tele "SNS Eigojutsu" (aired 2019/05/10)

1.Prologue: An Iconic American Anti-Hero

Daryl Dixon, the character played by actor Norman Reedus on the hit TV series The Walking Dead, has become an iconic anti-hero of the same caliber as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator in the film Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Kurt Russell’s Snake Plissken in the film Escape From New York. The image of Dixon on his motorcycle, driving through a post-Apocalyptic America gunning down zombies with his trademark crossbow, has captivated audiences throughout the U.S. and around the world.

Today it’s practically impossible to imagine the show The Walking Dead without Daryl Dixon, but actually, the character is unique to the TV adaptation, and does not exist in the graphic novel on which the show is based. Reedus originally auditioned for the role of Daryl’s older brother Merle Dixon, and the writers of the show ended up creating the role of Daryl just for Reedus. Daryl lives somewhat in the shadow of his older brother, and was a recurring role in the first season. However, the character soon became a breakout hit, and was upgraded to a series regular in the second season. Today, he has become arguably the most popular character of the series, and its de facto protagonist.

As research for this interview, I read past interviews with Reedus, and came across another surprising fact: Daryl Dixon was originally supposed to be riding a horse. Reedus, who is afraid of horses (he says their large eyeballs freak him out), went to the producers and asked them to change the horse to something he was more familiar with—a motorcycle. In essence, the Daryl Dixon role was tailor made for Reedus.

What’s more, The Walking Dead films in the state of Georgia in the U.S. Reedus, who would drive around on his bike in between filming, soon found himself taken with the beauty of the Georgia landscape, and purchased a house where he continues to spend much of his time. Even now, he rides his bike to and from the set.

In other words, Reedus is a biker with a capital B, both on the show and in private. He prefers to wear mostly black clothing, has long hair, and possesses a dark sense of humor. That image is not an act, but who he really is—and there’s no doubt in my mind that that’s part of the reason why so many fans are drawn to him. Both Daryl Dixon and Norman Reedus lead the cool, rugged life of a rebel, and American guys are drawn to that. There’s something romantic about that lifestyle.

2.Impressions on Norman Reedus

All of this meant that in my mind, the line between Daryl Dixon the character and Norman Reedus the person was fuzzy at best. Of all of the actors I’d interviewed thus far, none had played a role that was so singularly iconic, in a way that overlapped so much with the public image of that actor. Actually, in most cases the actors I’ve interviewed have turned out to be completely different from the kinds of characters they played on screen.

So the day of the interview, I felt a perfect storm of emotions: that excitement you get when you feel like you’re about to meet a rock star, and the mild panic I had from the thought that he would see me and immediately see that I wasn’t his type of “cool". As I stood in front of the cameras and lights in a hotel suite not too far from Hibiya Park, I could feel the nervous tension coming off of the staff in the room. Feeling restless, I read through my interview questions again and again.

Just then, I heard a commotion coming from the entrance to the room. My hand instinctively rose to my eyes to block out the lights as I tried to get a glimpse of what was going on. There, on the far side of the room, was a man in a gray shirt, black necktie, black trousers, black boots, and a rock star aura. It was Norman Reedus, in the flesh.

But then, Reedus immediately began working his way toward me, greeting each and every member of the staff and crew along the way. Before I knew it I was shaking his hand. I gave him my usual brief introduction about our show, and cast a glance toward my producer for his signal to begin. Just then, Reedus pointed toward a crewmember from our show, and said:

“Great shirt."

That crewmember happened to be sporting a shirt emblazoned with the logo of the heavy metal band Anthrax. Practically blushing, he managed to blurt out in broken English something to the effect of “Yeah. I like them." Reedus nodded in a “right on" kind of way, and looked at me with an expression that said, “I could talk for hours about rock music". The Japanese in me felt apologetic that I wasn’t there representing Rolling Stone magazine, but nonetheless I was relieved that the ice was broken. I cleared my throat and decided to cut straight to the chase.

3.Why People Get Hooked on The Walking Dead

The zombie apocalypse trope, a go-to premise for horror and sci-fi films, is at this point truly played out. It doesn’t help that zombies are usually slow, dull, brainless automatons, which tends to lend most zombie attack scenes a sense of absurdity. If The Walking Dead were just a show about the protagonists mowing down zombies day-in and day-out, it likely would have been put out of its misery long before it made it to season 9.

Then why did The Walking Dead become such a massive hit? In our interview, Reedus explained to me that viewers resonated with the premise of the show. “What would I do in this situation? It’s the end of the world, there's no pretenses, no one cares about your car, your phone, or your apartment. What kind of a person are you going to be?”

To add on my own thoughts, what’s truly captivating about The Walking Dead is not how the protagonists defeat zombies; rather, it’s how the characters get along—or don’t get along—with one another after the collapse of civilization. It’s all about the human clashes. For even the most battle-hardened warrior, the fear lies not in the cookie cutter zombie baddies, but in the hearts of humans: jealousy and animosity, and one’s own inner weakness. Moreover, there are no guarantees that fan-favorite protagonists will survive to see the next episode. Unlike many clichéd Hollywood fantasies, there is no deus ex machina in The Walking Dead.

The reason Reedus’s character Daryl Dixon has survived up until now is not because of the character’s popularity—although that certainly may be a factor behind the scenes—but because the character’s growth and journey is one of the most intriguing parts of the show. In season one, Dixon lives in the shadow of his older brother, tough as nails on the outside, but as a defense mechanism more than anything else. He keeps his distance from people. But by season nine, the character is a leader. He’s grown from an anti-hero into an actual hero. The character’s journey has won him many fans, who perhaps see hope in the idea that for him, the zombie apocalypse was not the end, but the beginning.

The Walking Dead Season 1

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The Walking Dead Season 2

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The Walking Dead Season 3

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The Walking Dead Season 4

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4.Ride with Norman Reedus

The reality series Ride with Norman Reedus, which was created in 2016, can be considered the culmination of Reedus’s journey as Daryl Dixon, and indeed, his career and approach to life as a whole. Reedus, who narrates and hosts the show, travels around the U.S. and the world, visiting locations that have a deep connection to motorcycle culture.

The great thing about the show is that it has plenty to offer for all viewers, even if you aren’t particularly interested in motorcycle. The show is a pure travel show: the scenes where Reedus takes to the open road and takes in the American landscape are breathtakingly beautiful, and along the way he visits lesser-known sightseeing spots and charming local dining joints. Reedus does indeed visit motorcycle workshops, where he meets designers who build custom bikes from the ground up, but the technical talk is kept to a minimum. Instead, the focus is on the designers as people, their artistic vision, and their passion for their craft. And it doesn’t hurt that Reedus’s travel companions are all a charming bunch—and even include some of his Walking Dead co-stars.

But what left the biggest impression on me were the many Walking Dead fans that Reedus encounters along the way. Some are passersby he just happens to cross paths with, but most are the bikers that he connects with at his various destinations. On the surface they are a rough and tough bunch, but they tend to get emotional when they come face to face with Reedus, eagerly sharing how The Walking Dead has changed their lives. Ostensibly, they are outsiders and rebels who are dedicated to a way of life that is anti-establishment. But they see themselves in the character of Daryl Dixon—their own foibles and struggles, and their own reason for living. Reedus accepts them as if he’s run into old friends, and his humility throughout is refreshing.

Much like how The Walking Dead is not actually a story about zombies, Ride with Norman Reedus is a show that uses motorcycles as a lens to tell a tale about life and human beings.

Ride with Norman Reedus (2016)
Motorcycle enthusiast Reedus travels around the U.S. and the world visiting locations with a deep connection to biker culture. The show is not so much a gearhead show as it is a culture and travel show, and Reedus’s easygoing presentation makes viewers feel as if they’re riding along with him on his journeys. In Japan, seasons 1-5 are currently streaming on Hulu. (Current as of January 2022).

https://www.hulu.jp/ride-with-norman-reedus

5.Lifestyle Brand Deus Ex Machina

Speaking of motorcycles, a word about one of my favorite lifestyle brands, Deus Ex Machina.

Deus Ex Machina is a Sydney-based motorcycle and surf culture concept. Outside of Australia, the brand has stores in Los Angeles, Italy, France, and Spain.

In Tokyo, the brand has a flagship—called the Residence of Impermanence—on the north wing of Cat Street in Harajuku (on the Sendagaya side). There’s a cafe serving up great coffee and tasty sandwiches on the first floor, a bike workshop on the first floor mezzanine, apparel and accessories on the second floor, and surfboards and a bar on the basement floor—which hosts a lounge party every Friday evening. Motorcycle and surfing-themed posters and artwork decorate the walls throughout, and despite its central Tokyo location, at times you’d swear that you can hear the ocean outside. (* Deus Ex Machina’s Harajuku Store closed permanently back in March 2020. The brand currently operates a store in the Asakusa area, and has tentatively announced that it intends to open up a new flagship sometime soon.)

The name “Residence of Impermanence" speaks volumes about what the brand is about. Combining together motorcycles and surfing may seem odd to some, but when you think about it, an awareness of the impermanence of things is intrinsic to both passions. On a motorcycle, and on a surfboard, the slightest mistake can result in death. To put it another way, both bikers and surfers live on the thin line between life and death. The brand’s Tokyo flagship is not only a cultural outpost, it is a gathering place for those with an awareness of the impermanence of this world. And it is just the kind of destination that Reedus might visit on Ride with Norman Reedus.

The name “Deus Ex Machina" is also significant. The Latin phrase can be translated literally as “god from the machine". A simple interpretation is that motorcycles and surfboards are not inanimate objects, but rather living thing imbued with a soul. But that reading doesn’t get at the heart of the matter. Taken with an awareness of the impermanence of things, bikers come into contact with the divine through their motorcycles—and surfers through their surfboards. Motorcycles (and surfboards) are vehicles, vessels through which the rider experiences the beyond and comes face to face with their greatest fears and weaknesses. They represent a challenge: what kind of person will you be? All of this really hit home as I watched The Walking Dead and Ride with Norman Reedus, and especially when I got to interview the man himself.