Since bursting onto our screens over a decade ago, The Walking Dead has fast become one of the most popular TV series of all time, loved by millions of fans worldwide. The most recent Season 11 premiere racked in 3.2 million viewers and for twelve consecutive years, the series has remained the number one series on basic cable TV.
Having seen such success since its initial launch, it's only natural that fans have developed favorites when it comes to characters. Whilst many characters have come and gone, there are still few who remain who have lasted the whole eleven seasons. Usually these types of decisions regarding who stays and who goes lie with the writers and the producers of the show. This has led to many fan favorites being axed over the course of time.
One of these fan-favorite characters was Steven Yeun, who played the role of Glenn until Season 7. However, what has he been up to since his departure, and could fans see him on screens once again?
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What Has Steven Yeun Worked On?
Since moving to the United States from Canada, Steven Yeun has managed to land himself some impressive acting roles, including a guest star role in The Big Bang Theory and My Name is Jerry back in 2009 to name a few. His highly successful acting career has allowed the actor to accumulate quite a large net worth.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Steven Yeun has a net worth of $5 million dollars. Again, much of this is thanks to his acting roles, with the star being most well known for his role as Glenn in The Walking Dead. Whilst his exact pay per episode is unknown, we know that other cast members get paid at least five figures, with lead roles even attracting close to a million dollars. So although Steven never played the role in the likes of Rick or Negan, it is likely he was still paid extremely well alongside his other cast members.
As well as acting roles, Yeun has also been involved in brand endorsements, including companies such as Best Buy, Toyota, Cover Girl, and State Farm. The money he has earned from these endorsements, and had yet to earn from future endorsements has undoubtedly contributed to his large fortune.
Why Did Steven Yeun Really Leave 'The Walking Dead'?
For many fans, seeing an original cast member leave their favorite show is always difficult. Since Season 1, fans grew to adore Glenn, much more so when he got into a relationship with Maggie on the show, who is played by the actor Lauren Cohan. However, after a seven-season stint, Glenn's time on the show finally came to an end, whether fans liked it or not.
Since his dramatic exit in Season 7 of The Walking Dead, many have questioned if it was in fact Yeun's own choice to leave the show, or if it was the producers who had written the script. So, which one was it?
During an interview with IndieWire in 2019, Yeun revealed that his exit from the show was due to more natural circumstances. He told the film industry and review website that the decision to have Glenn die in this way is because it felt 'natural' and that 'everyone felt it'.
He further added that: “I wasn’t pining to be off the show. It was just the story, and you service the story. Also, there’s something very beautiful about the end, turning the page and closing the book.”
Judging by this statement it seems like Glenn's exit was in the hands of the producers rather than Yeun's, however, he felt no hostility towards his ending and seemingly felt like it was the right fit for his role. In all cases, it was certainly an honorable way to exit the show.
Since leaving the show, Yeun has been incredibly busy and has continued to thrive in his acting career. He received an Oscar nomination for his role in the 2020 film Minari as well as won several awards for his role in 'Burning' in 2018. As well as starring in movies, he also dabbled in voice acting and even won an award for his role in Voltron: Legendary Defender, an anime series that was featured on Netflix between 2016-2018. However, these achievements reflect only a small proportion of what he's been and is currently up to.
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What Other Shows Has Steven Yeun Been In Since 'TWD'?
Its no secret that Steven Yeun is best known for playing Glenn on The Walking Dead. Having already touched on a few earlier, what other shows has Steven Yeun been in?
To date, the actor has had roles in several films including Nope, which is set for a July release in 2022, Mayhem, Okja, Sorry To Bother You, The Humans, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Star, Final Space, Filthy Sexy Teen$, alongside many other voice acting roles. He also starred in the film Minari in 2020 and has since expressed his gratitude for being the first Asian-American to be nominated for the 'Best Actor' Oscar.
NEXT: TWD Star Steven Yeun On Watching His Emotional Movie 'Minari' With His Father
