If you’re a fan of THE WALKING DEAD, you may have seen some of the Vine videos featuring “ultimate fan” Nick Santonastasso, who has been carrying out successful zombie pranks in the most hilarious of ways. Nick, who is 17, was born with a rare syndrome called Hanhart and has only one arm and no legs, but he hasn’t let that get in the way of having fun. While promoting the second half of the season in Tokyo, series star Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes) and make-up master Greg Nicotero put together a rather fun prank with Santonastasso, with their target being Norman Reedus (who plays “Daryl Dixon” on the show). Check out the video below, followed by the official press release. It should be noted that Fox is the distributor for the show in Tokyo, which explains why you’re not seeing “AMC” tagged here. This prank was part of the #getFOXed social media campaign.
THE WALKING DEAD TOKYO PRANK
Delivers Ultimate Fan Experience
Tokyo, January 17, 2014: FOX, leading international entertainment pay-TV network and broadcaster of “The Walking Dead” in 125 countries outside the USA, launched its social media driven “#getFOXed” campaign in Tokyo today. Designed to identify super fans of its global hit shows by creating unmatched fan experiences, the campaign kicked off with the Ultimate Zombie Prank on Norman Reedus.
“The Walking Dead” fan and Vine “Zombie Prankster” Nick Santonastasso, who has more than 534,000 followers, was flown to Tokyo, Japan where he was transformed into a walker by the show’s Special Effects guru, Greg Nicotero. Andrew Lincoln (Rick Grimes), Nick’s co-conspirator, manned the control room giving the final go ahead, while hidden cameras captured every angle of Nick’s big scare on Norman Reedus (Daryl). Nick’s prank was a follow up to his existing 2-part viral “Zombie Prank” Vine series:
17-year old Nick, was born with a rare syndrome called Hanhart and has only one arm and no legs. His determination and infectious zest for life have enabled him to overcome countless obstacles and he has now become an inspiration for many kids and adults. Because of his outspoken love for “The Walking Dead,” Nick was the perfect fan to launch the “#getFOXed” campaign.
Don’t miss the global return of “The Walking Dead” across FOX channels outside of the USA on February 10th. Check local listings for exact times.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
