The Walking Dead‘s most exciting young talent, Chandler Riggs, sits down and speaks how he’s matured as an actor, what it’s like being Carl Grimes and working with Sarah Wayne Callies.

In a recent interview with AMC, Chandler Riggs sat down and revealed what life is like for him now, and working alongside the actors of The Walking Dead.

“It’s exciting. I love it. It’s awesome that I actually get to do something this season.”

Riggs is the only child actor left in the series after Madison Lintz was killed off as Sophia Peletier in the first season, in one of the most emotional scenes The Walking Dead has created in its history.

Riggs seems to be enjoying life, however, and is thankful Norman Reedus and Steven Yuen have a great childlike sense of humour that keeps Riggs company. Riggs said, “Luckily, some of the actors act like kids, like Steven Yuen and Norman Reedus. So I hang out with them a lot. They’re really fun guys.”

But Riggs’ onscreen character, Carl Grimes, is far from a child. Carl has matured into one of the most mature characters in the series, and anything that is put in his way seems to be brushed aside and dealt with; even when the death of Lori occurred earlier in season 3, Carl dealt with the trauma exceptionally well. But how did Riggs react to the news when he sat down and read the script and learned that Sarah Wayne Callies, who plays his onscreen mother, Lori Grimes, will be killed off?

Riggs commented, “I read the script and it was just horrifying. The whole scene felt like it took a week to shoot. It was dreadful, but you just gotta get over it and get on with it. There was no way to keep those days bright and happy.”

Riggs shared many onscreen moments with Callies, as well as the departed John Bernthal, who starred as the complex Shane Walsh. Riggs has found it tough without the pair of them, but learned an incredible amount in such a short space of time.

Riggs said, “It’s been hard having them gone – both of them – but I learned from them in the time I did have with them. When I signed on I knew that they would eventually get killed off, because I’d read the comics. Every now and then Sarah’s on the set again. It’s been cool to see her. Usually they have the death dinners that are at bars, so I can’t go! I don’t think [I’ve been to any.]”

Although Carl Grimes has evolved in the three seasons The Walking Dead has aired, much of this evolution is down to the death of Lori and Shane, and of course being wrapped in a zombie-infested world. Carl looked up to Shane, whether Rick would like that or not, and seeing his mother die before his eyes has transformed Carl from a boy to a man.

However, another responsibility Carl has endured this season is killing zombies, and thus, handling weapons; but with strict Georgian laws enforced, Riggs has to use imitations guns for his scenes as he’s well under the legal age limit for firearms. But it doesn’t seem to bother him.

Riggs is quoted as saying, “It’s exciting. I love it. It’s awesome that I actually get to do something this season. This year, I’m holding the gun I got to use last year and a Beretta that’s modified to the point where it can’t do anything.”

How do you think Carl has matured in his three-year tenure so far? What do you think will happen to Carl in the course of the series?

Make sure to check out The Walking Dead‘s latest installment of season 3 this Sunday on AMC at 9 p.m. ET/PT with the tantalising episode, “Arrow on the Doorpost.”