Breaking Bad, Making Good: Miller and Negan's Redemption Stories Collide

Olivia Bennett, 6/23/2025Ezra Miller and Walking Dead's Negan showcase parallel journeys of redemption and public perception.

Remember Miller? The actor who seemed destined for Hollywood's A-list before their career spectacularly combusted in a series of headline-grabbing incidents? Well, they're back — sort of. Speaking to Lo Speciale Giornale from what feels like the other side of infamy, Miller's attempted comeback has all the makings of a classic Hollywood redemption arc. Though perhaps with less polish than usual.

"If you've been in the woods for three years, I do not recommend going straight to Cannes," Miller quipped, displaying that trademark intensity that once made them a compelling screen presence. "Every photographer and every weirdo, every rich genocidal freak will be there." Not exactly your standard PR-approved mea culpa, but then again, when has Miller ever played by the rules?

The timing of Miller's attempted rehabilitation coincides rather peculiarly with fiction's most notorious reformed villain, Negan, whose journey on "The Walking Dead: Dead City" just hit a particularly gruesome milestone. That finale — good lord. Anyone else still haunted by that nursery rhyme? "Eenie, meenie, miney, mo" indeed.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Negan has spent years walking the tightrope between monster and man, much like Miller navigates their own public redemption. Though thankfully, Miller's path involves considerably fewer zombies and significantly less methane-induced immolation (looking at you, Bruegel).

Speaking of which — Kim Coates' character probably didn't expect his final bow to involve such a fiery exit. "There are villains that have to go in every show," Coates remarked, though his character's demise served up more than just shock value. It opened doors for that long-simmering tension between Maggie and Negan to finally start shifting.

Miller's own reflection feels almost scripted in its parallel to Negan's journey: "Not that I don't hold a lot of remorse and lamentation for a lot of things that I did." The actor describes their time away as an "abyss" that brought unexpected lessons — though presumably none involving baseball bats named Lucille.

Box office numbers suggest audiences haven't completely closed the door on Miller. "The Flash" managed to speed its way to $271.4 million worldwide, despite the controversy. Not exactly superhero blockbuster territory, but in today's fractured entertainment landscape? Could've been worse.

The real question isn't whether Hollywood can forgive — it's whether it can forget. As "Dead City" proves week after week, sometimes the most compelling stories come from characters wrestling with their past rather than trying to erase it. Miller seems to be learning this lesson in real-time, reaching out from their own personal apocalypse toward something resembling redemption.

Maybe that's the point both stories are trying to make: redemption isn't about becoming perfect — it's about acknowledging you never will be. Though preferably without having to survive a zombie apocalypse to figure it out.

Hollywood's latest redemption story reads like a tale of two worlds — one ripped from headlines, the other from post-apocalyptic fiction. Yet somehow, Ezra Miller and The Walking Dead's Negan have found themselves dancing an oddly similar waltz with public perception.Remember Miller? The actor who seemed destined for Hollywood's A-list before their career spectacularly combusted in a series of headline-grabbing incidents? Well, they're back — sort of. Speaking to Lo Speciale Giornale from what feels like the other side of infamy, Miller's attempted comeback has all the makings of a classic Hollywood redemption arc. Though perhaps with less polish than usual."If you've been in the woods for three years, I do not recommend going straight to Cannes," Miller quipped, displaying that trademark intensity that once made them a compelling screen presence. "Every photographer and every weirdo, every rich genocidal freak will be there." Not exactly your standard PR-approved mea culpa, but then again, when has Miller ever played by the rules?The timing of Miller's attempted rehabilitation coincides rather peculiarly with fiction's most notorious reformed villain, Negan, whose journey on "The Walking Dead: Dead City" just hit a particularly gruesome milestone. That finale — good lord. Anyone else still haunted by that nursery rhyme? "Eenie, meenie, miney, mo" indeed.Jeffrey Dean Morgan's Negan has spent years walking the tightrope between monster and man, much like Miller navigates their own public redemption. Though thankfully, Miller's path involves considerably fewer zombies and significantly less methane-induced immolation (looking at you, Bruegel).Speaking of which — Kim Coates' character probably didn't expect his final bow to involve such a fiery exit. "There are villains that have to go in every show," Coates remarked, though his character's demise served up more than just shock value. It opened doors for that long-simmering tension between Maggie and Negan to finally start shifting.Miller's own reflection feels almost scripted in its parallel to Negan's journey: "Not that I don't hold a lot of remorse and lamentation for a lot of things that I did." The actor describes their time away as an "abyss" that brought unexpected lessons — though presumably none involving baseball bats named Lucille.Box office numbers suggest audiences haven't completely closed the door on Miller. "The Flash" managed to speed its way to $271.4 million worldwide, despite the controversy. Not exactly superhero blockbuster territory, but in today's fractured entertainment landscape? Could've been worse.The real question isn't whether Hollywood can forgive — it's whether it can forget. As "Dead City" proves week after week, sometimes the most compelling stories come from characters wrestling with their past rather than trying to erase it. Miller seems to be learning this lesson in real-time, reaching out from their own personal apocalypse toward something resembling redemption.Maybe that's the point both stories are trying to make: redemption isn't about becoming perfect — it's about acknowledging you never will be. Though preferably without having to survive a zombie apocalypse to figure it out.