‘The Walking Dead’ Adds Lawrence Gilliard, Jr.

The Walking Dead has gone back to The Wire in adding new cast member Lawrence Gilliard, Jr.

The Wrap broke the news on Friday, citing “an individual with knowledge of the casting.” According to said individual, the former D’Angelo Barksdale from HBO’s critically acclaimed hit show will play Bob.

If you’re familiar with the comic book, then you know Bob Stookey is a former Army medic suffering from alcoholism, who joins the Woodbury settlement.

Gilliard has stayed busy since leaving The Wire behind in 2003.

His post-Barksdale career has resulted in six feature films and 14 television series. Work on the small screen includes Army Wives, Southland, Lie to Me, Detroit 1-8-7, The Boondocks, Friday Night Lights, Trauma, The Beast, Fear Itself, Numb3rs, Law and Order: Criminal Intent, CSI: NY, and The Jury.

Gilliard has also appeared in The Machinist with Christian Bale and has Walk of Shame and St. Sebastian due in theaters some time in 2013.

The Walking Dead could be a good move for Gilliard as it plays to his familiarities with television that is cinematic in scope.

As an ongoing TV drama, the series has been a high profile ratings juggernaut in spite of its recent troubles in the showrunner department.

Hit-maker Glen Mazzara announced his exit in December 2012, agreeing to stay on through the end of the third run of shows. AMC issued a statement citing creative differences but insisted the split was amicable.

Kurt Sutter, creator of Sons of Anarchy, and Shawn Ryan, The Shield producer, weren’t won over, blasting the network for its treatment of Mazzara in separate statements.

Scott Gimple was tapped to take over for Mazzara, but with writing credits like Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance on his resume, the series’ latest cast member could be walking in to trouble.

(Still — so far, so good, so let’s stay optimistic, shall we?)

With Lawrence Gilliard, Jr., now aboard, the series also has a second alum from The Wire. Its first was Chad Coleman, who joined up for the zombie drama’s third season as fan favorite Tyreese.

Given the show’s penchant for killing main characters — The Hollywood Reporter has a pretty spoiler-heavy rundown of the third season carnage — who knows how long these two Wire gentlemen will be around? But it should be fun.

What do you think of this casting addition to The Walking Dead? Do you think Lawrence Gilliard, Jr., will make a good Bob Stookey?