Lauren Cohanhas been playing as Maggie Greene-Rhee inThe Walking Deadseries for over a decade now. She has been one of the central figures in the show. Thanks to her on-screen chemistry with Steven Yeun, who played Glenn. Fans have adored the pairing of Glenn and Maggie. Despite Glenn’s character having met his demise seven years ago, Cohan continues to evolve Maggie’s character, delving into the complexities of grief and trauma.
In the originalWalking Deadseries, Maggie was just a supporting role in a large ensemble cast. However, things escalated as Maggie’s character started becoming more significant in the story of the show. Fast-forward today, she’s now leading her ownWalking Deadspinoff,The Walking Dead: Dead City. The new series focuses on Maggie and her unholy alliance with Negan (played by Jeffrey Dean Morgan), who was her husband Glenn’s murderer.
Lauren finds the opportunity to explore the depths of Maggie’s character “really exciting” as she now takes the central stage. The actress recently sat for an interview where she looked back on her journey portraying Maggie, shared some of her cherished memories from the early days, and discussed howDead Cityenables her to explore the “morally gray” side of Maggie as reported by BuzzFeed.
Reflecting on the past, Cohan recalls her original audition for Maggie as if it were yesterday. She had just moved to LA from the UK. She was doing TV shows like The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, and Chuck, but still felt homesick and was not completely ready to embrace Los Angeles. The audition forThe Walking Deadwas one of many, and she made tapes for her auditions.
Cohan’s first tape was created with her sister at her parents’ house. She got a callback and had to make another tape while she was at a wedding in a castle in Ireland. She remembers the script feeling intuitive and natural. After a chemistry read with Steven Yeun, she was elated to find out that she got the role.
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As for the genesis of the spin-offDead City, Cohan reveals that the discussions began before she returned toThe Walking Deadtowards the end of Season 10. Scott Gimple inquired about her interest in either returning to the show or doing a different one. The initial plan was to have her and Jeffrey Dean Morgan “take over” as the lead characters in the primary series, especially since other key actors had already left or were planning to leave.
However, the concept ofDead Cityemerged, offering an exciting opportunity to place the characters in abrand new setting with a fresh storyline. This was particularly appealing because it allowed for a leap forward in time.
Lauren Cohan’s decade-long portrayal of Maggie inThe Walking Deadhas been a journey of growth and exploration. WithThe Walking Dead: Dead City, Cohan is thrilled to be stepping into the limelight and unearthing the deeper layers of Maggie’s character.
From a nostalgic glance at the origins of her role to the anticipation ofwhat lies ahead in the spin-off, Cohan’s journey is a testament to the depth and evolution that characters can achieve in the ever-expanding universe ofThe Walking Dead.
