[1] Lincoln later portrayed Simon Casey in the Channel 4 sitcom Teachers (2001–2003), Mark in the Christmas-themed romantic comedy film Love Actually (2003) and Dr. Robert Bridge in the ITV television series Afterlife (2005–2006).

Beginning in 2010, Lincoln gained recognition for his portrayal of Rick Grimes, the lead character on the AMC post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead.

[8] In 1994, Lincoln made his TV debut in "Births and Deaths", an episode of the Channel 4 sitcom Drop the Dead Donkey.

[14] He also had a lead role as university lecturer and psychologist Robert Bridge in Afterlife, and starred in the Sky 1 series Strike Back with Richard Armitage in 2010.

[17] Lincoln has performed in plays, including Hushabye Mountain in 1999,[18] Blue/Orange in 2000 and 2001,[19][20] The Late Henry Moss in 2006,[21] the Parlour Song in 2009,[5] as well as radio productions.

He becomes the leader of a group of family and friends who are forced to relentlessly fight off flesh-eating zombies and hostile humans.

[29] According to The New York Times, Lincoln's role on The Walking Dead made him "the center of one of the world's biggest pop culture franchises".

[30] Following Lincoln's departure from The Walking Dead, it was planned that he would reprise his role of Rick Grimes in a trilogy of feature-length films.