Danai Gurira is fully aware of the mass scale of production that goes into 'The Walking Dead'. Having played Michonne in the series since the show's third season, she's recently spoken out about how big of an adjustment she had to make to her life to be a part of the franchise.

Danai Gurira has starred as Michonne in 'The Walking Dead' since season 3Danai Gurira has starred as Michonne in 'The Walking Dead' since season 3

Coming from the world of theatre, Gurira says that she had never really been a part of anything quite like AMC's hit zombie apocalyptic series, and realised quickly that the attention surrounding the show was unlike anything else.

Speaking with EW, the actress explained the kind of secrecy that went into keeping her character's look a secret until her official on screen debut.

She said: "There were some guys out somewhere with very long lenses apparently. So there was a concern that the Michonne look would come out before they had planned for it to come out. I was being walked around with, like, umbrellas, and everything and it was so funny. I had just come from New York theatre land to cover-her-up-as-she-walks-down-the-path. It was such an interesting change."

Unfortunately, the pressure proved to be too much and so producers and those working at AMC scooped the photographs and released their own.

"A lot of the shots that you see of Michonne that are used a lot are from that first day I shot," she continued. "When our wonderful in-house photographer Gene Page, and Gale Ann Hurd, and Denise [Huth] were just like, ‘Let’s just get some shots and get them out there as soon as possible!’ So I did a lot of sword moves and shots in the little corner and we got ‘em out. So it was a very interesting first day, but I instantly felt like I was with people who were pursuing excellence and were also really awesome people and a good family."

Knowing that Gurira was instantly accepted and brought in as a member of the "family" as she calls it is certainly a good thing to hear. Whilst 'The Walking Dead' has gone through many changes since its third season, Michonne has been one of its few constants and has arguably gone through one of the most interesting character evolutions in the entire series.

Moving forward, not much is known about the path she'll be going down, but with her enjoying a close relationship with Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), we imagine she'll be front-and-centre for all of the action.

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'The Walking Dead' season 8 debuts on AMC in the US on October 22, and FOX in the UK on October 23.