<P> Bernthal was extremely comfortable with his character on set . "The second he opened his mouth and started reading the scene, I knew it was him," he said . "There was no question . I saw Frank and I knew it . He's the guy . He's a wonderful actor, and he's going to kill it in this role ." Bernthal admitted that he had no prior knowledge of The Walking Dead . He reminisced that he reacted so "organically" to the script that he "didn't want to be colored by anything else . When I did read the comic, I was shocked . Look, I'm not going to sit here and regret . One of the great things about doing TV versus film is to be surprised yourself, to not let where you're going color where you are ." The pilot episode's script was amongst several other scripts for proposed television pilots that Bernthal skimmed through; He felt that this script overshadowed the others . "(It was) pilot season, and I read everything that was out there . I still remember the day that I got this script . I told my agent that I'd be thrilled to be an extra in this, it's so good . It just blew the rest of them right out of the water ." </P> <P> Shortly after the announcement, Sarah Wayne Callies was approached to play the role of Rick's wife Lori Grimes, the lead female . The following month, Laurie Holden claimed the role of Andrea; Holden had previously worked with Darabont in the science - fiction horror film The Mist (2007). Other actors garnering roles in the main cast include Steven Yeun, Chandler Riggs, and Jeffrey DeMunn . "Days Gone Bye" featured guest appearances from actors and actresses such as Emma Bell (Amy), Andrea's younger sister . Bell would later become part of the main cast as a recurring character . Lennie James played Morgan, and Jim Coleman guest performed Lam Kendal . Samuel Witwer, who had collaborated with Darabont in The Mist (2007), appeared as a dying soldier . </P> <P> The producers chose to film in Atlanta because of its proximity to Cynthiana, Kentucky, Kirkman's hometown and the setting of his comic's first issue . "At the beginning they talk about how some of the people in neighboring states would have gone to larger cities so they could fortify them and protect the population ." Kirkman had considered other cities, particularly New York City, Miami, and Chicago . Hurd had previously filmed in the city for Lifetime . Darabont felt that Atlanta offered the essentials; "Atlanta and Georgia all - told is proving to be brilliant for us in terms of what it has to offer, in terms of what the story needed, in terms of the variety of locations--it really is a fantastic place to shoot ." Prior to filming, Kirkman toured with Darabont around the central business district . He stated, "I tagged along on a location - scouting expedition, and that was pretty fun--watching Frank Darabont walking through the streets of Atlanta as if he owned the entire city, daring cars to hit him . That was a lot of fun ." Darabont ventured onto the middle of a street to grasp a perfect shot, oblivious to oncoming traffic . </P> <P> Atlanta's climate was cited as a potential issue that would hinder production . Darabont recalled that he found it difficult to adjust to the sweltering heat, adding that he "never had clothes stick to me like this in my life". Lincoln retorted that it was "becoming a running joke that people arrive on set ready for the day and then they are battered and beaten up by the weather ." Despite such assertions, he opined that it added to the episode's overall emotion . "There's a lot of hard - earned sweat on camera . It's not comfortable and it's not pleasant, but it's as you would imagine it would be trying to survive in this world ." </P>

Where was the first episode of walking dead filmed