Connie (The Walking Dead)

Appearances

Connie was a member of a group from Richmond that arrived at the Alexandria Safe-Zone two years after Negan and the Saviors were defeated. When the apocalypse first began, she was among the survivors who found shelter in a nursing home near Washington D.C. While traveling through the eastern part of the city, a large herd of walkers being led away by Jesus and other Alexandrians surprised Magna’s group, causing them to lose their trailer, supplies, and one of their people.

After being rescued and brought to Alexandria, Connie and her companions were questioned by Rick and Andrea to see if they could stay. At first, they felt at ease in the community, but soon grew suspicious of its seemingly perfect life. While Rick was away, Connie and the group discovered a prison. Inside, they found Negan, who claimed that Rick and his people were cruel animals torturing him and begged to be freed.

Magna refused, knowing he was lying. During the conflict with the Whisperers, Connie played a key role in the militia alongside Magna, helping to secure victory. Connie first appeared in the episode “What Comes After” while fleeing from a walker herd. She and her group fought off the walkers as they tried to escape, but were eventually surrounded and saved by an unknown person.

As they moved through the woods, they came across a young girl who had rescued them, who later introduced herself as Judith Grimes.

Development and reception

Lauren Ridloff plays Connie on The Walking Dead. The character first appeared as a recurring role in the ninth season episode "What Comes After," and Ridloff became a series regular starting in season ten. Connie is deaf and communicates using American Sign Language. Entertainment Weekly's Dalton Ross noted that the character is described as a seasoned survivor who uses her senses to read people, situations, and trouble.

TV Guide's Liam Mathews praised Connie's development in the episode "Omega," highlighting a sequence where she rescues a crying baby from walkers in a cornfield. The scene was shown from Connie's perspective, which meant viewers could not hear the zombies approaching, creating a new kind of action for the show after nine seasons. Showrunner Angela Kang also praised that moment, explaining the goal was to show how scary the situation was, how capable Connie is, and how much she cares for the baby, risking her own safety when she could have stepped back.

Fan Fest News writer Casey Perriccio called Ridloff a quick fan favorite, describing Connie as spunky, kind-hearted, and brave, and noting that her performance brought softness to the series. Connie is the first deaf character in The Walking Dead universe, and Ridloff took on the role with confidence. Outside of The Walking Dead, Ridloff has guest roles on shows like Legacies and New Amsterdam. She also joins fellow Walking Dead star Danai Gurira in the Marvel Cinematic Universe; Gurira first appeared in Black Panther and later in Avengers: Endgame.