# Chandler Riggs
**Chandler Riggs** (born 1999) is an American actor, director, and electronic musician from Atlanta, Georgia, best known for playing [Carl Grimes](https://www.edgepedia.org/carl-grimes) for eight seasons on the AMC television series *The Walking Dead*.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/chandler-riggs/) • [2](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/resident-evil/the-walking-dead-stars-resident-evil-7-short-film-gets-the-ultimate-seal-of-approval-from-biohazard-and-requiem-director-koshi-nakanishi/) Since leaving the series he has worked in film and television, released music under the name Eclipse, co-founded a production company, and in October 2026 wrote, directed, and starred in the [Resident Evil](https://www.edgepedia.org/resident-evil) 7 fan film *Biohazard*.[3](https://crypticrock.com/interview-chandler-riggs/) • [4](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/the-walking-deads-carl-star-has-made-his-own-resident-evil-film-and-says-he-would-love-to-work-with-zach-cregger-on-the-sequel/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1999, Atlanta, Georgia[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/chandler-riggs/) |
| Signature role | Carl Grimes on *The Walking Dead* (AMC), joined at age 10, eight-season run[5](https://www.amc.com/shows/the-walking-dead/cast/chandler-riggs--1033056) • [2](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/resident-evil/the-walking-dead-stars-resident-evil-7-short-film-gets-the-ultimate-seal-of-approval-from-biohazard-and-requiem-director-koshi-nakanishi/) |
| Awards | Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series, 2014 and 2016; Young Artist Award, 2014[5](https://www.amc.com/shows/the-walking-dead/cast/chandler-riggs--1033056) |
| Music | Electronic music released under the stage name Eclipse from late 2017[6](https://walkingdead.fandom.com/wiki/Chandler_Riggs?file=ChandlerRiggsOfficial.jpg) |
| Production work | Co-developed Smooth Blend Films; wrote, directed, and starred in the Resident Evil 7 fan film *Biohazard* (October 2026)[3](https://crypticrock.com/interview-chandler-riggs/) • [4](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/the-walking-deads-carl-star-has-made-his-own-resident-evil-film-and-says-he-would-love-to-work-with-zach-cregger-on-the-sequel/) |
| Other work | Runs the VR nonprofit Virtual Nexus, producer of the VR roleplay project Neon Divide[7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3385128/) |
## Early life and career beginnings
Riggs was born in Atlanta, Georgia, a city that later became the filming base of *The Walking Dead*.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/chandler-riggs/) He began acting at age four with local stage productions of *The Wizard of Oz* and *Oklahoma!* at Atlanta's Fox Theatre, and studied tap dance for several years with *So You Think You Can Dance* finalist Zack Everhart.[5](https://www.amc.com/shows/the-walking-dead/cast/chandler-riggs--1033056) His screen career started at age seven with an appearance as a zombie in the low-budget indie *Jesus H. Zombie* (2006).[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/chandler-riggs/) At age nine he was cast in his first two feature film roles simultaneously, in *The Wronged Man* and the [Bill Murray](https://www.edgepedia.org/bill-murray) and [Robert Duvall](https://www.edgepedia.org/robert-duvall) drama *Get Low* (2009).[5](https://www.amc.com/shows/the-walking-dead/cast/chandler-riggs--1033056) • [6](https://walkingdead.fandom.com/wiki/Chandler_Riggs?file=ChandlerRiggsOfficial.jpg)
## The Walking Dead
At age 10 Riggs joined the first season of *The Walking Dead* as Carl Grimes, son of the lead character [Rick Grimes](https://www.edgepedia.org/rick-grimes).[5](https://www.amc.com/shows/the-walking-dead/cast/chandler-riggs--1033056) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/chandler-riggs/) Over eight seasons his character developed from a child in trouble with his parents into a leader and, in his final episodes, the show's moral compass.[3](https://crypticrock.com/interview-chandler-riggs/) • [8](https://time.com/5140672/walking-dead-mid-season-premiere-death/) In the season 8 mid-season premiere, broadcast in early 2018, Carl died after revealing he had been bitten by a walker, spending his final episode saying goodbye to the other survivors and urging his father that there needed to be something left to live for after the war with Negan.[8](https://time.com/5140672/walking-dead-mid-season-premiere-death/)
For the role Riggs won the Saturn Award for Best Performance by a Younger Actor in a Television Series in 2014 and 2016, was nominated for the [Young Artist Award](https://www.edgepedia.org/young-artist-award) in 2012 and 2013, and won that award in 2014.[5](https://www.amc.com/shows/the-walking-dead/cast/chandler-riggs--1033056) During the run he attended public schools in Georgia, appeared at fan conventions, and hosted an annual fan meet-up.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/chandler-riggs/)
## Work after The Walking Dead
After his character's death Riggs moved to Los Angeles and continued acting.[3](https://crypticrock.com/interview-chandler-riggs/) In 2019 he joined the cast of ABC's drama *A Million Little Things*, about a group of adults coping with a friend's death.[9](https://www.looper.com/1059780/what-has-chandler-riggs-been-doing-since-leaving-the-walking-dead/) His film credits include the [Stephen King](https://www.edgepedia.org/stephen-king) adaptation *Mercy* (2014), in which he played the lead role of George Bruckner, the horror film *[Keep Watching](https://www.edgepedia.org/keep-watching)* (2017) opposite [Bella Thorne](https://www.edgepedia.org/bella-thorne), *Inherit the Viper*, *Only*, and *Breakup Season* (2024), which received distribution from Buffalo8.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/chandler-riggs/) • [10](https://undeadwalking.com/the-walking-dead-actors/chandler-riggs/) He also voiced Superman/Clark Kent in *Justice League x RWBY: Super Heroes and Huntsmen Part One*.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/chandler-riggs/)
**Behind the camera.** Riggs co-developed the production company Smooth Blend Films, through which he writes, directs, and produces his own films.[3](https://crypticrock.com/interview-chandler-riggs/) In 2026 he played a villainous role in the dark horror comedy *Hacked: A Double Entendre of Rage Fueled Karma*, a part that came to him through his former *Walking Dead* co-star Katelyn Nacon.[3](https://crypticrock.com/interview-chandler-riggs/) His other projects around that time included the drama *Brother Save Us*, a Western, and a horror film he shot with filmmaker Shane Brady.[3](https://crypticrock.com/interview-chandler-riggs/)
Beyond film, Riggs has a stated passion for video game development and runs the VR nonprofit Virtual Nexus, which produces the VR roleplay project Neon Divide.[7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3385128/) Since late 2017 he has also released electronic music under the stage name Eclipse.[6](https://walkingdead.fandom.com/wiki/Chandler_Riggs?file=ChandlerRiggsOfficial.jpg)
## Biohazard (2026)
In October 2026, one month after [Zach Cregger](https://www.edgepedia.org/zach-cregger)'s *Resident Evil* film opened in theaters, Riggs released *Biohazard*, a fan film based on the video game *Resident Evil 7: Biohazard*.[4](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/the-walking-deads-carl-star-has-made-his-own-resident-evil-film-and-says-he-would-love-to-work-with-zach-cregger-on-the-sequel/) Riggs wrote, directed, and starred in the short, playing the game's protagonist [Ethan Winters](https://www.edgepedia.org/ethan-winters), whose search for his missing wife leads him to the infected Baker family.[4](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/the-walking-deads-carl-star-has-made-his-own-resident-evil-film-and-says-he-would-love-to-work-with-zach-cregger-on-the-sequel/) The film runs 19 minutes and adapts the garage fight between Ethan and the family patriarch Jack Baker, played by fellow *Walking Dead* actor Jason Dougl; the cast also includes Mary Rachel Quinn, Eugenie Bondurant, Johnathan O'Neil, and Sam Coyles.[4](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/the-walking-deads-carl-star-has-made-his-own-resident-evil-film-and-says-he-would-love-to-work-with-zach-cregger-on-the-sequel/) • [11](https://www.pcgamer.com/movies-tv/the-walking-deads-chandler-riggs-made-a-resident-evil-7-short-film-even-though-its-impossible-to-please-everybody/)
A deliberate choice drew comment: because the game is played in first person, Capcom rarely shows Ethan's face, but Riggs gave the character more face time on screen.[11](https://www.pcgamer.com/movies-tv/the-walking-deads-chandler-riggs-made-a-resident-evil-7-short-film-even-though-its-impossible-to-please-everybody/) He said a major reason for making the film was wanting to see a good, true-to-the-game live-action *Resident Evil* adaptation, and he expressed interest in collaborating with Cregger on a sequel.[11](https://www.pcgamer.com/movies-tv/the-walking-deads-chandler-riggs-made-a-resident-evil-7-short-film-even-though-its-impossible-to-please-everybody/) • [4](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/the-walking-deads-carl-star-has-made-his-own-resident-evil-film-and-says-he-would-love-to-work-with-zach-cregger-on-the-sequel/) The film received public approval from Koshi Nakanishi, director of *Resident Evil 7* and *Resident Evil Requiem*, who shared the film's YouTube thumbnail on his personal Instagram account with the caption "WOW".[2](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/resident-evil/the-walking-dead-stars-resident-evil-7-short-film-gets-the-ultimate-seal-of-approval-from-biohazard-and-requiem-director-koshi-nakanishi/)
## References
1. [Chandler Riggs – Actor, DJ, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/chandler-riggs/)
2. [The Walking Dead star's Resident Evil 7 short film gets approval from Biohazard and Requiem director Koshi Nakanishi, GamesRadar+](https://www.gamesradar.com/games/resident-evil/the-walking-dead-stars-resident-evil-7-short-film-gets-the-ultimate-seal-of-approval-from-biohazard-and-requiem-director-koshi-nakanishi/)
3. [Interview – Chandler Riggs, Cryptic Rock (June 12, 2026)](https://crypticrock.com/interview-chandler-riggs/)
4. [The Walking Dead's Carl star has made his own Resident Evil film, and says he would love to work with Zach Cregger on the sequel, GamesRadar+](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/the-walking-deads-carl-star-has-made-his-own-resident-evil-film-and-says-he-would-love-to-work-with-zach-cregger-on-the-sequel/)
5. [Chandler Riggs | The Walking Dead Bios, AMC](https://www.amc.com/shows/the-walking-dead/cast/chandler-riggs--1033056)
6. [Chandler Riggs, Walking Dead Wiki (Fandom)](https://walkingdead.fandom.com/wiki/Chandler_Riggs?file=ChandlerRiggsOfficial.jpg)
7. [Chandler Riggs, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3385128/)
8. [The Walking Dead Mid-Season Premiere Gave a Beloved Character a Dramatic Send-Off, Time (February 2018)](https://time.com/5140672/walking-dead-mid-season-premiere-death/)
9. [What Has Chandler Riggs Been Doing Since Leaving The Walking Dead?, Looper](https://www.looper.com/1059780/what-has-chandler-riggs-been-doing-since-leaving-the-walking-dead/)
10. [The Walking Dead actor Chandler Riggs news, Undead Walking](https://undeadwalking.com/the-walking-dead-actors/chandler-riggs/)
11. [The Walking Dead's Chandler Riggs made a Resident Evil 7 short film even though 'it's impossible to please everybody', PC Gamer](https://www.pcgamer.com/movies-tv/the-walking-deads-chandler-riggs-made-a-resident-evil-7-short-film-even-though-its-impossible-to-please-everybody/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames R to Ri*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license