Corey Hawkins’ In The Heights Role Proves Walking Dead’s Heath Mistake

Corey Hawkins is one of the standouts in In The Heights, and it shows just how much of a mistake The Walking Dead made with his character on the show, Heath. Hawkins had his breakout role in 2015’s Straight Outta Compton, where he played Dr. Dre, and that same year made his debut in The Walking Dead season 6 premiere. Since then, while the AMC show has slumped in the ratings, Hawkins’ star has continued to rise.

Beyond The Walking Dead, Hawkins has also appeared in major blockbusters such as Kong: Skull Island, Oscar fare like BlacKkKlansman, and was the lead of the short-lived series 24: Legacy. While he wasn’t the star in either of the aforementioned movies, they did prove his talent, as did 24 to a degree (though much of the show was a letdown ultimately). In The Heights, though, is an even greater showcase for what he can do.

Cast as Benny, one of the musical adaptation’s lead roles, it’s a reminder of just how good Hawkins can be, and just how much The Walking Dead underutilized him. While it’s obviously a world away from TWD in terms of story, setting, and tone, Hawkins’ performance as Benny in In The Heights possesses plenty that would’ve come in useful for the post-apocalyptic show. He’s incredibly charismatic and funny, carries one of the core romantic relationships with charm and authenticity, is a loyal and caring friend, and shows just how well he can fit into an ensemble. All of those are qualities that would’ve translated into Heath, had The Walking Dead put greater effort into developing the character and given Hawkins a more sizable part.

In The Walking Dead comics, Heath is one of the key members of Alexandria Safe-Zone. Initially a skeptic of Rick Grimes, he becomes a strong ally of his, a close friend of Glenn Rhee’s, and forms a romantic relationship with Denise Cloyd, eventually revealing much more warmth and humor to his character. The TV show, however, focused more on him being a Rick doubter, and even then much of it happened in the background. The character’s role was greatly reduced, and never massively fleshed out.

Hawkins’ performance wasn’t bad by any means, but there was little chance for him to display any of the natural charisma he so clearly has – and which would’ve been welcome in a show that can need a dose of it every now and then – nor to show off his dramatic range. In contrast, In The Heights gives the actor plenty to work with, be it musical numbers or romances, and while it’s not killing zombies, it is evidence of what he can do with the right material. Give him a chance to shine and he’ll do so brightly, whereas The Walking Dead more often seemed to dull his talents.

Unfortunately. Hawkins only ever appeared in a handful of Walking Dead episodes, turning up in just five installments across seasons 6 and 7 before being written out. His exit, too, felt incredibly jarring, as Heath disappeared from the show without a trace in season 7, episode 6, “Swear,” and still hasn’t been seen since. While much of that was likely down to the actor’s own schedule – and there remains a chance Heath will eventually return in The Walking Dead‘s future, perhaps in the Rick Grimes movies – it causes further frustration for how the character was used. Both before and after disappearing, it never felt like Heath mattered as much as he should’ve done, and given how good Hawkins is and how much more he could’ve offered, even in limited appearances, it remains a real wasted opportunity. Heath felt like any other random survivor on The Walking Dead, but In The Heights is another example that Hawkins is anything but generic.

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