Laurie Holden attended Walker Stalker Convention in New Jersey this weekend, where she and Jeffrey DeMunn, who played bad ass Andrea and lovable level-headed Dale on the show respectively, took the stage for a panel. The discussion was juicy, and no holds were barred with the two actors who were with the hit show from the very beginning.

Holden revealed to the audience that she signed on with an 8-year contract when she joined the baby series, The Walking Dead.

Her character, Andrea, only made it to the finale of season 3.

“Well I had an 8 year deal, I was supposed to be there until the end. I was supposed to end up with Rick. I was supposed to save Woodbury on a horse, and I was buying a house in Atlanta. I got the call at 10 o’ clock the night before, while I was shooting, from the show runner who is no longer a part of The Walking Dead, saying that they couldn’t write the episode and that he was killing my character. So we all got the script everybody on the set was sobbing. I felt like I got shot. None of it was supposed to happen the way it did.”

The two discussed Frank Darabont hand picking the original cast and crew, and how the beginning stages of the show were simply magical. The show famously switched gears dramatically when Frank Darabont was removed as show runner. Although the show continued to be successful, many people behind the scenes were unhappy about the change, especially because he was the reason many of those involved put their hearts into the project. DeMunn, Holden and Melissa McBride (Carol Pelletier) had previously worked with Darabont.

“He (Frank Darabont) called me up and said “I’m doing the show The Walking Dead“. I trusted it because it was Frank. He hand picked me and Dale and Carol-pretty much everybody. He picked everybody. What I loved about the collaboration is that nobody had any egos. There’s a lot of heart in our show. There’s a lot of love and I think people feel it.”

Holden went on to say, “I think The Walking Dead is in a really good place now with Scott Gimple. It wasn’t the ship that it is now. I’m very grateful how it was written that I went out with grace and with a stellar cast. It wasn’t the way that I wanted but I loved the way I went out.”

“Being on #TWD was the time of my life. That show and these people are imprinted on my soul,” @Laurie_Holden pic.twitter.com/faxcLznSwL — Walker Stalker Con (@WalkrStalkrCon) July 10, 2016

“I’m in touch with so many members of that cast. I may see @steveyeun next week!” #JeffreyDeMunn pic.twitter.com/NE9812qnZb — Walker Stalker Con (@WalkrStalkrCon) July 10, 2016

Jeffrey DeMunn’s character, Dale, exited the show, by choice, around the same time. The two described how his acting when Dale died perfectly expressed his genuine emotions and frustrations about where the show was at that time, the turmoil that it was in when Darabont was removed from the show.