Fear The Walking Deads Dillane Dives into ZombieInfested Waters in Season 2

Frank Dillane talks Nick's personal struggles and swimming with zombies on the sea-faring second season of AMC's "Walking Dead" spinoff.

It's sink or swim time on "Fear The Walking Dead." With Los Angeles overrun by zombies in Season 1, a small group of survivors set sail on Strand's yacht, the Abigail, in search of safety. However, the gang quickly realize there's just as much danger and death on sea as on land.

Frank Dillane, who plays recovering drug addict Nick on AMC's "Fear The Walking Dead," recently spoke with CBR in advance of tonight's season two premiere about cabin fever, Nick's journey, swapping film locations and the growing fanbase of the "Walking Dead" spinoff.

CBR News: Season 1 was one big pressure cooker situation. How did the zombie epidemic change Nick?

Frank Dillane: Nick had to kick the drugs, first of all, which is always a good thing. He's back at home, which is helpful. He has to now start thinking about other people and not just himself. The world may be going to hell, but things are looking great for me.

In the finale, the survivors were on the beach and eyeing Strand's yacht, the Abigail, as a means of survival to escape Los Angeles. Where do things pick up?

We pick up on that ship that we see in the distance. I think it's hard on the open sea. Life on the ship is hard, let alone it being the end of the world. Luckily, it's quite a nice boat. But, there are very similar challenges on land and sea. The challenge we always face is how to keep from being bitten. We do come across some strange obstacles, some different stuff.

Nick previously spent quite a bit of time with Strand. How will that relationship continue to develop?

Strand is obviously well-kept and smart and gentlemanly. Nick is the opposite, but they seem to get along. It seems to work. Friends are friends. You can't choose your mates. It is an odd couple, though.

There are plenty of strong personalities on the Abigail, including Nick's. Now that they are all confined to a small living space, what kind of conflict can viewers expect?

Travis and Madison argue a lot. Travis just killed his ex-wife and his son knows this. So far, it's been good. But, you can expect some personality clashes from most people on board.

Production moved away from Los Angeles and Vancouver this year. How was it filming in Mexico?

Mexico is such a nice place. It's somewhere I always wanted to go to. It's everything you could wish for. People are great. Food is great. It's an amazing country.

In tonight's premiere, Nick finds trouble in the water with zombies. What challenges were involved in filming those sequences?

That water stuff is challenging. You have to keep going under. It gets up your nose. I hope it was worth it. I think it will look good visually. It's hard because you have to hold your mark and the camera is moving around.

What else can you tease about Nick's arc beyond the premiere?

There are lots of things in store for us. Nick comes up against himself a lot. His journey becomes a spiritual one as much as it does a survival journey.

How would you compare Seasons 1 and 2? There seemed to be a slow burn last year.

I think this season is moving faster, which is a bit of a shame. There's a bit of a slow burn in the sense that we're not just killing zombies. But, I like the slow burn. I thought it really worked in the first season. I'll be very interested to see this season. I'm talking out my ass because I haven't seen it yet. I couldn't say if it remains slow-burning or if it speeds up. It depends how it's edited.

What's it been like acquiring this massive fanbase that comes out in full-force at conventions?

It's been flattering. I've only been to two conventions, and only one since people have seen the show. It was at the PaleyFest. I love my fans. They are always cool people. They are very passionate and intelligent. They know why they like the genre and exactly what it is about this show that they like. I'm always surprised and humbled by how insightful they are.

The second season of "Fear The Walking Dead" premieres 9 tonight on AMC.