'The Walking Dead' star Margot Bingham had conversations about allowing her character to wear headwraps on the show
- Warning: There are spoilers ahead for season 11, episode 12 of "The Walking Dead."
- Max (Margot Bingham) is seen wearing headwraps at the episode's start.
At the start of Sunday's "The Walking Dead," we finally learn more about Margot Bingham's mysterious Max, the real woman who was speaking with Eugene (Josh McDermitt) by radio.
During a flashback sequence at her home, we see her communicate with Eugene in a series of colorful headwraps instead of the usual wig we've seen the character wear.
It's a style choice that Bingham weighed in on.
"They were very gracious with allowing me to create this look for her at home so that we could really create the most authentic at home natural look and environment for her," Bingham told Insider of collaborating with the show's costume, hair, and makeup departments for Sunday's episode.
Bingham said it was important to show a more natural look on screen because it's a reality for many women.
"Obviously as she wraps her hair at night, that's something that a lot of women do. That's something that I do," Bingham said.
"Even in an apocalypse, women still want to take care of their looks and that's not gone," Bingham continued. "I still wanted to show that, and she's still very much infatuated with this man. She wants to look good for not only herself, but for a potential partner. So it was something that I thought was really necessary and I'm happy that they allowed me to do it."
Max's look stands out because it's one we really haven't seen on 'TWD'
Max's look on Sunday's episode stands out in particular because fans and media have long criticized how "TWD" has portrayed Black hair on screen with "bad wigs" for characters ranging from Michonne (Danai Gurira) and Ezekiel (Khary Payton) to Heath (Corey Hawkins).
The series never showed Michonne, Sasha (Sonequa Martin-Green), or any other woman of color in a headwrap.
The only time the series came close to showing Michonne in a wrap was in a "what if" scenario for the character's final episode on season 10. Her character discarded her dreadlocks for a wrap over her natural hair briefly.
You could argue that Max lives in the well-protected Commonwealth and can afford a luxury like wrapping her hair. But despite Michonne and the others living on the road for years, they eventually lived in a community where they felt safe and had the luxuries of painting, baking, and growing crops.
Max's headwrap may play into an upcoming storyline from the comics
There could also be another reason that Max's headwraps were introduced.
In Robert Kirkman's "TWD" comics, Max's character, who is based on a character named Stephanie, wears a wig to hide her real, short hair. As Eugene and Stephanie's relationship moves forward, it's something that Stephanie is uncomfortable sharing with Eugene at first.
In the comics, Stephanie isn't seen wearing headwraps.
Bingham hinted that we may see that story come into play later in the season.
"You'll see in the episode and as it moves on that it makes sense, but it was something that I really needed to show," Bingham said.