The Walking Dead star is writing and producing feature films while continuing Maggie’s story
Summary
– Lauren Cohan is writing a feature film she plans to direct while producing another project
– The actress says her relationship has made her career feel more meaningful
– Cohan remains interested in playing Maggie as long as The Walking Dead delivers strong stories
Lauren Cohan is preparing to take greater control of her career after spending 15 years playing Maggie Rhee in The Walking Dead universe.
During an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Cohan reflected on her long relationship with the franchise and revealed that she is now writing and producing feature films.
The actress described The Walking Dead as the greatest constant in her life. Since joining the original series during its second season, she has rarely gone longer than approximately 18 months without filming something connected to the franchise.
“It’s like a marriage for me,” Cohan told PEOPLE.
Her life has changed considerably during that time. Cohan has moved between countries, explored different acting opportunities, and watched Maggie evolve from a determined farm girl into one of the apocalypse’s most experienced leaders.
The character survived the loss of her family, the murder of her husband Glenn, and years of conflict with Negan. Cohan now continues that complicated story alongside Jeffrey Dean Morgan in The Walking Dead: Dead City.
Despite her connection to Maggie, Cohan is ready to expand her work behind the camera.
She made her directorial debut with the sixth episode of Dead City’s second season. Cohan said she was proud of the finished episode and credited former Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang with encouraging her to direct.
That experience strengthened her desire to make feature films.
Cohan is currently producing one movie while writing another project she intends to direct herself. The story she is writing has reportedly stayed in her mind for years, but directing television helped her understand how to finally bring it to the screen.
She said that learning the practical side of directing gave her the freedom to think of herself as a filmmaker rather than just an actress.
AMC has also supported her ambitions and expressed interest in having her direct episodes of other television shows.
Cohan’s relationship with The Walking Dead has included difficult periods. She temporarily left the original series during its ninth season after contract negotiations failed to produce an offer she and her representatives considered acceptable.
Her departure happened around the same time Andrew Lincoln exited as Rick Grimes, although Maggie’s absence received considerably less promotion.
Cohan then joined Scott Foley in ABC’s Whiskey Cavalier, allowing her to explore the comedy and lighter material she had wanted to perform since the beginning of her career.
Although the series was canceled after one season, Cohan does not regret leaving The Walking Dead temporarily.
She believes she advocated for herself through her actions while maintaining a path back to Maggie. Cohan returned for the season 10 finale before becoming a series regular again during the flagship show’s final season.
She now stars in and serves as an executive producer on Dead City alongside Morgan.
Cohan’s life has also changed away from the cameras.
During the PEOPLE interview, she revealed that she is currently in a relationship. Cohan did not identify her boyfriend, affectionately referring to him only as “my man.”
The actress explained that maturity has taught her that personal relationships do not need to interfere with professional ambition.
After years of fierce independence, Cohan has discovered that making time for a partner can improve her work and give her career greater meaning.
Her plans to create movies do not mean she is preparing to leave Maggie behind.
Dead City is currently airing its third season, and AMC has not announced whether the series will receive a fourth. However, Cohan said the creative team is already considering unconventional ideas for another season.
She and Morgan remain interested in finding directions that can surprise them after portraying Maggie and Negan for so many years.
Cohan believes that characters can continue to produce compelling stories when the writing allows them to reveal new qualities and experience genuine change.
That philosophy leaves the door open for Maggie’s journey to continue while Cohan begins building a separate career as a writer, producer, and director.
After 15 years in The Walking Dead universe, Lauren Cohan is not abandoning the role that changed her life. She is preparing to use everything she learned from it to tell her own stories.
