You remember that hat. The oversized sheriff’s deputy Stetson that practically swallowed a ten-year-old’s head back in 2010. For nearly a decade, we watched a kid grow up in the literal apocalypse. Chandler Riggs, the actor who played Carl Grimes, didn't just play a character; he became the emotional anchor for millions of fans.
Then came the bite.
It was a Tuesday in 2017 when the internet basically imploded. Carl, the "future" of the series according to the comics, was suddenly on his way out. But the drama off-screen was actually weirder than the zombies on-screen. Honestly, the story of the Walking Dead Carl actor is a mix of shocking career pivots, behind-the-scenes heartbreak, and a massive 2024-2025 comeback that most people didn't see coming.
Why was Carl Grimes killed off? The real story
Fans are still salty. If you read the Robert Kirkman comics, you know Carl is supposed to be the one who survives until the very end. He’s the one who grows old and tells the story. So, when the show decided to kill him off in Season 8, it felt like a betrayal.
But it wasn't Riggs' choice.
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In fact, Chandler had just bought a house in Georgia to be closer to the set. He was planning for his future. His dad, William Riggs, didn't hold back on social media at the time, calling out showrunner Scott Gimple for firing his son just two weeks before his 18th birthday. He’d been told he was needed for three more years. Then, suddenly, he wasn't.
The official reason? "Storytelling." Gimple claimed they needed a massive emotional catalyst to get Rick Grimes to spare Negan. Basically, Carl had to die so the war could end. It was a brutal way to treat an actor who had dedicated half his life to one show.
What is Chandler Riggs doing now?
If you think he just vanished after Carl's death, you've missed a lot. He didn't just sit around. He actually pivoted into the music world under the name Eclipse.
He’s not just a hobbyist, either. He’s played major festivals like the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) and released tracks through Steve Aoki’s label, Dim Mak. He once told an interviewer that while acting is awesome, it's limiting because you’re stuck with someone else's script. With music, he gets to create the whole world.
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Recent projects and the 2024 breakout
Fast forward to late 2024 and 2025. Chandler Riggs is back in the acting game in a big way, but in roles you wouldn't expect.
- Breakup Season (2024): This was a huge deal for him. He played the lead role, Ben, in this independent holiday dramedy. It wasn't about zombies or survival; it was a grounded, awkward look at a relationship falling apart during a snowstorm in Oregon. He even won acting awards at the Waco Independent Film Festival for this one.
- The Spider (2024): He surprised everyone by playing Peter Parker in a gritty, horror-inspired fan film.
- Florida Wild (2025): He’s moving into the Western genre, starring in this period piece set in the 1880s alongside legends like Lee Majors and Mira Sorvino.
It’s kinda cool to see him transition from "the kid from TWD" to a legitimate leading man in indie films.
The controversy that won't die
People still debate whether he was a "good" actor during the early seasons. Even Chandler himself has been refreshingly honest about it. He once posted on Reddit that he "sucked" in the earlier years because he was just a kid trying to figure it out.
But by the time he reached Season 4 and the "Claimed" arc, his performance shifted. He became nuanced. He won three Saturn Awards for a reason. He managed to portray a child who had to execute his own mother and then somehow keep his humanity intact.
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The biggest misconception is that he left to go to college. He’s clarified this dozens of times: he was accepted to the University of Georgia, but he was going to do both. The show let him go, not the other way around.
Actionable insights for fans
If you want to keep up with what the Walking Dead Carl actor is doing today, you’ve got to look beyond the AMC reruns.
- Check out his music: Look up "Eclipse" on Spotify or SoundCloud. It’s heavy on the electronic/bass side, but it’s high-quality production.
- Watch "Breakup Season": It’s available on VOD as of late 2024. It’s the best way to see how much he’s grown as an actor since leaving the apocalypse.
- Follow the convention circuit: He’s still very active at events like Pensacon and Nightmare Weekend. He’s known for being one of the most accessible actors for fan meet-and-greets.
The "Carl" era might be over, but Riggs has effectively survived the "child star" curse that ruins so many others. He’s making his own music, leading indie films, and honestly seems a lot happier than he did when he was constantly covered in fake blood and dirt.
To see the latest updates on his upcoming 2026 film slate, you can follow his official production credits on IMDb or his social channels where he frequently discusses his work as a producer on short films.