'The Walking Dead' Season 6: 12 EW exclusive photos

Norman Reedus (as Daryl Dixon) tells EW to expect “a lot of internal conflict" in season 6. "A lot of characters that you didn’t see having beef are starting to have beef—there’s a lot of mistrust.” 

“I’m so excited to see [Corey] bring Heath to life,” says showrunner Scott M. Gimple of the awesomely coiffed supply runner from the comic book.

Carter (Ethan Embry) Carter is a combination of a few characters from the comic, says Gimple, and appears to be on an anti-Rick crusade.

“We do play with time a little bit,” says executive producer Greg Nicotero, who directed the season 6 premiere. “And not in a traditional sense. We open right in the middle of this heightened action sequence, and we then jump around in that time frame to allow the audience to put together in their own minds what it is that we actually just saw.”

Melissa McBride, otherwise known as cookie-bribing undercover badass Carol (holding Judith in a scene on-set), talks to EW about the "frightening" new group known as the Wolves. "We're going to put some of the pieces together in season 6 and figure out more about who they are and why they are the way they are and what they want," she says.

Dr. Denise Cloyd (Merritt Wever) Wever gets a promotion from nurse (on Nurse Jackie) to doctor, and her medical expertise as demonstrated in the comic is even more crucial now that Pete is gone.

There are lots of zombies. We can't emphasize this point enough – there are just a ton of freakin' zombies in season 6. One filming day alone for the season premiere featured 300 flesh eaters, a full hundred more than the show's previous high.

"I think most of the people in Alexandria at this point just see Rick as a crazy person, says Alexandra Breckenridge, who plays Jessie, the wife of the man Rick just shot as well as Rick's possible future love interest.

Tovah Feldshuh (as Deanna Monroe, with Andrew Lincoln as Rick Grimes) is a fitness freak who sneaks in as much exercise on set when she can. "I do push-ups between takes all the time," she tells EW. "I do 36 at a shot, and I'm all heated up."

"He has gone through a transformation that viewers will find out about," Lenny James says about his character, Morgan Jones, in season 6.

Danai Gurira (as Michonne (c.), alongside Lincoln and James) has found a way to combat the humidity on the Georgia set. "When it gets really bad, we put water through my wig and I can feel it on my scalp," she tells EW. "The minute I get that cool water on my head, it's all good."

Did we mention there are a LOT of zombies this season? So much so, that a spray-tan tent was set up to "assembly-line background walkers to get color on more faces," says executive producer and monster makeup guru. 

For even more behind-the-scenes with The Walking Dead, pick up the new issue of Entertainment Weekly.