Lauren Cohan skyrocketed to stardom when she joined the juggernaut zombie sensation The Walking Dead in 2011, becoming a fan-favorite with her compelling portrayal of the fierce and resilient Maggie Greene in the groundbreaking original series. The courageous character became a staple in the thrilling show and her relationship with fellow survivor Glenn Rhee captured the hearts of viewers and made them become emotionally invested in their epic battle for survival.
Audiences were left shocked when Cohan announced her departure from the smash hit in 2018, with the actress setting out to star in the action dramedy Whiskey Cavalier after contract negotiations fell through with The Walking Dead producers. She would return to the pop culture phenomenon in time for its 11th and final season, and went on to star opposite Jeffrey Dean Morgan in the spin-off series The Walking Dead: Dead City. Let’s explore more about why Cohan left and what became of her character Maggie.
Maggie Greene Was a Fan-Favorite in ‘The Walking Dead’
Lauren Cohan became a beloved presence in the groundbreaking zombie apocalypse hit The Walking Dead as the resilient and headstrong Maggie Greene. When the character is first introduced, she (like much of her family) is extremely inexperienced and unaware of how to deal with the ravenous creatures plaguing the land, as the Greenes took shelter at their remote family farm and secluded themselves from society. When Rick and his fellow survivors arrive at the homestead, Maggie finds herself falling in love with the resourceful and earnest Glenn Rhee (Steven Yeun).
Over the course of the ensuing seasons, Maggie undergoes a major transformation and becomes a fierce fighter and crucial member of the group, risking her life for the sake of her friends and family and developing a profoundly moving bond with her devoted partner Glenn. Like all the cherished characters, Maggie is put through the emotional ringer throughout the eleven seasons of The Walking Dead and experiences unfathomable loss and heartache while fighting to survive the apocalypse, with Cohan’s commanding performance helping establish her as one of the television world’s most talented stars.
Cohan Sets Her Sights on New Opportunities
Upon the conclusion of the show’s eighth season, Lauren Cohan had fulfilled her contract obligations as a series regular and failed to reach a new agreement regarding her salary, with the actress demanding one that would more closely match those of fellow cast members Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus. When Cohan landed the lead role in the ABC action dramedy Whiskey Cavalier opposite Scott Foley amid her ongoing negotiations, she agreed to appear in five episodes of season nine before officially departing in 2018 after seven years on The Walking Dead.
After unfathomable trauma and sadness (like the brutal death of her beloved Glenn and the loss of her sister Beth), Maggie has a long-awaited confrontation with the baseball bat-wielding villain Negan, who is locked away in a cell for his murderous actions against the group of survivors. When presented with the opportunity to kill Negan, Maggie realizes he is a broken man and the shell of his former self, prompting her to shockingly spare his life and find some form of closure after the devastating loss of Glenn.
Maggie’s final screen appearance (before her triumphant return two years later) is in the season nine episode “What Comes After,” which features the character heartbroken after Rick sacrifices himself after blowing up a bridge full of walkers. A six-year time jump in the following seasons reveals that Maggie departed the safe haven Hilltop in order to help assist a new community alongside fellow survivor Georgie and her group, becoming estranged from Michonne and distancing herself from her former friends in Alexandria in the ensuing years.
Maggie’s Thrilling Story Is Far From Over
When Lauren Cohan departed The Walking Dead to portray CIA operative Francesca “Frankie” Trowbridge in Whiskey Cavalier, the action series failed to make a ratings splash despite garnering rave reviews from critics and a solid 85% Rotten Tomatoes score and was canceled after 13 episodes. In October 2019, news spread that Cohan would be reprising her role in The Walking Dead for its 11th and final season, much to the delight of longtime fans of both the actress and the trailblazing zombie original.
The Walking Dead took its final bow on November 20, 2022, after 11 riveting seasons, with the AMC horror drama sparking a pop culture phenomenon and becoming one of the most popular and celebrated shows in television history. The exhilarating universe continues to expand with exciting spin-offs like Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, further cementing the status of the franchise as one of the small screen’s most enduring and entertaining.
On June 18, 2023, Cohan and Jeffrey Dean Morgan joined forces to star in the sequel series The Walking Dead: Dead City, which focuses on Maggie and Negan as the longtime adversaries venture into the post-apocalyptic wasteland of Manhattan in order to rescue her kidnapped teenage son Hershel. The unlikely pair must keep their wits as Maggie is forced to once again cope with her intense hatred for Negan, with the duo squaring off against not only the terrifying undead but also living threats. Dead City proved to be a critical and commercial success upon its dazzling debut, and a second season is set to premiere in 2025.
