June 10, 2025 • 38 mins
This week, Tommy is joined by actress Lauren Cohan who you know and love from starring in one of the most watched drama series in the history of television, THE WALKING DEAD. Lauren now stars in the spin-off series, THE WALKING DEAD: DEAD CITY. Season 2 is out now and Lauren continues to light up the screen playing the strong, resilient, and very layered character, Maggie Greene. Today, Lauren opens up about why she has wanted to continue playing Maggie for over a decade, how the darkness of THE WALKING DEAD can sometimes affect her, what it was like losing her on-screen partner in that traumatic scene, how her own spin-off came to be, the most surprising thing about working with co-star Jeffrey Dean Morgan, what exploring that relationship has been like, making her directorial debut this season, if she ever thought about leaving the franchise, what she thinks of the future of THE WALKING DEAD franchise, if she thinks her character will ever die, how much of the season’s plot she knows before production begins, if there was ever a storyline for Maggie she did not agree with, how she navigates imposter syndrome, why she is trying to slow down when she can, the journey of learning how to be kind to herself, why sharing life with the people who matter to you is so important, and so much more.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It is a zombie apocalypse on my show, and the
question is will you survive? Hey, guys, welcome to I've
never said this before with me, Tommy di Dario, I
am so psyched to have the brilliant Lauren Cohan on
my show today, who you know and you love. From
starring in one of the most watched drama series in
the history of television, The Walking Dead, Lauren now stars
(00:23):
in the spinoff series The Walking Dead Dead City, which
season two is out right now, and Lauren continues to
kill it playing the strong, resilient and very layered character
of Maggie Green. It is always so special to talk
to an artist who has lived with the character for
over a decade, and today you are getting so many
fresh and new insights into her time throughout this franchise,
(00:45):
while also learning a little bit more about someone who
you have been watching create one of the most bad
ass characters in all of television. So let's see if
we can get Lauren to say something that she has
never said before. Lauren, how are you, my friend? It's
so good to see you.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
You too, Tommy, how you doing.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
I am fantastic. I am so excited for everything going
on in your world, and I have to tell you
I am based in New York City. So a few
weeks ago, I was walking around these streets and like
zombies were popping up all over the place, and I
was like, what in the world is going on? And
then I find out it's for season two of your show.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Yeah, isn't that funny? When AMC said they were just
basically laid out the marketing plan that we were going
to have this year, We're like, Wow, this is the
biggest most elaborate campaign we've had for not just I
mean thank for the show and especially for Dead City,
(01:49):
but it's one of the biggest campaigns. I think we've
the AMCs that we're done, and we were like, wow,
every stroke was like what walkers are everywhere? The cover
of the New York Post taking over a restants, Jeff
and I throwing the pitch at City. It was a great,
very very New York. It was pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Yeah, it was amazing. It was really well done. And
I imagine for you that's kind of a pinch me moment, right.
I saw you at the Empire State Building at City Field,
and those are such iconic things to get to do,
all because you guys are leading your own spinoff series.
How cool is that?
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Yeah? It was really it was epic. I have to
say going to City Field, I was so oh walking
onto that field. I'm in a different field, but I
walked out there and I thought, God, I wonder what
it's like to be up at bat. The crowd is watching,
you have to zone it all out. It just put
me in the mindset of these athletes, and I was like,
(02:43):
it was a very humbling cool moment. Yeah, m pire
s building a different humbling cool moment. Scary, Oh my gosh,
here your stomach flips. It was, But it was all
the celebration of like the wonder of New York and
the magic of New York.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Yeah, and to tie that all you know, into the
promo of the show is just so great. It was
such a genius idea. And again it's something that everybody
should be so proud of. This character. Maggie means so
much to so many people. You've been playing her for
well over a decade. Now, what keeps you coming back
for more?
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Continuing to find real moments and undearth things that the
show has always been really good at. That this whole
kind of universe at human moments, relatable moments in a
heightened atmosphere. And then when we started the new show,
there were fewer of us, you know, as Jeff and I,
and then we had a few supporting costs, which all
(03:38):
meant that it was like a much a lot more
time on each story. And I think that what it's
given us is a deeper psychological dive, so, you know,
for a detailed exploration of Maggie Meegue and a detailed
exploration of a mother and son, those things. Each season,
something comes up like that that is like, Okay, yeah,
(04:00):
it's a character, you know, but do you know her?
This is to myself, you know, but do I know
her like this? Do I do I know her in
this situation? And then I get to unfold and research
all those that whole lane and you just you just
keep going in a relationship this long with a character,
as well as a relationship this long for our audience
with our show, They're all just opportunities to go deeper.
(04:23):
It's like a you know, it's like a marriage, it's
like a long friendship. It's like an area of study
that you'll never be done with.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
And so interesting too, because I think at least in
my opinion, So much of what we enjoy as viewers
is we get to see these characters in these really
kind of like gray areas. You know, everything feels like
it's in the name of survival, And can you really
judge someone for what they do in those circumstances. Maybe yes,
maybe no, But I imagine as an artist that's a
really interesting thing for you to dive into.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Yeah, and just making assessments of how we react and
how we behave I mean, that is always alive and
in me in the show too, because I have to
wind myself back to Maggie's experiences and understand trauma and
understand the sort of the toolbox that they're working with.
(05:16):
And I think what I love about this season is
saying we've operated this way and we've made decisions from
this place, and something really, really a big curve ball
comes in this year where it's like your tools don't
work anymore, you know, And this is like this is
all within the context of how she and Need and
interact and how Herschel and she interact. But it's like,
(05:39):
after all this time, the thing that's kept you alive,
it's not about surviving in that way anymore. It's about surviving,
and that survival is going to require a whole new
skill set of internal of an internal relationship that was
very abstract, but.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
I get what you mean. I mean it's emotionally it's
such a journey that you take us all on. And
that's what's so interesting about a character that has been
around for a while now and your character. She's been
a part of some of the biggest storylines in the
franchise and continues to be in the spin off series.
Is there something you look back on and you're like, man,
that was a hard one, Like that was a hard
(06:18):
day of work for me, and I'm even surprised that
I got through it.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Yeah, I think it was. I think it's largely just
like letting it go and not letting it go like
the process of it, but like looking back and saying, oh,
there's a million ways that I could have done this
as an actor or whatever. And so the battle with
yourself of saying, like, Okay, cool, this is what we did.
Leave it on the downs floor. And then the physically
hardest and emotionally hardest moments that were in the show
were We're definitely those days where you know, the episode
(06:46):
that we all know about. We shot that for a
long time, and then we had a summer off and
we had to come back and pick up where we
left off. And you just don't want to. You just
don't want to go there. You don't want to do it.
But then this this weird little surrender and you're all
doing it together, and you just kind of like jump
in the pit, and you're doing everybody a disservice by
(07:07):
not letting it, letting it happen.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Yeah. Yeah, but I get wanting to probably protect yourself
in a weird way. I mean, it's obviously you're showing
up and you have a job to do, but yeah,
I allow yourself to have to go to some of
those darker moments or relive trauma or anything like that.
I imagine that can be quite a lot at the
end of a long day.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Yeah. Yeah, and you just you want like a different context.
It's like you spend time and you don't want to
go too far away from any of it because it
makes your job harder to shift back into it. But
you also can't really wrench yourself to like a popcorn
rom com chill out mode, like your brain, you know,
when you get that sort of like tired wired. There's
(07:47):
a sense of that that sustains for the months of
filming that I know many actors in whatever zone they
have to inhabit, can attest to. And but that's why,
that's why we get to make indelible things and we
all get to be so connected through them because we're
like they're impacting us.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
And they're impacting the audiences. I mean, these moments and
these scenes are impacting the audiences, as you know. I'm
sure you've seen right and heard from many fans. You know,
when your character lost her partner or lost Glenn, it
was like it was like the world ended for so
many people. Did you feel that too?
Speaker 2 (08:21):
I did, and I think and that's kind of like
what I mean is it's like we are all in
the conversation together, you know, our audience and us, and
the fact that you and I can talk about it
as like a moment we all remember, you know what
I mean, And I feel I get it. I mean,
I just I get it. I meet people all the
time that are like they remember that moment. And it
(08:42):
was also at a time when TV was like we
were all watching one thing, you know, and it was
part of a there was less competition for our attention
just in terms of like all the things to watch,
and I feel, I feel really grateful that I was
part of a show that was meaningful to that many
people at a time when things were meaningful to that
many people because there were fewer things. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Yeah, and that's what led to this incredible spinoff series,
Dead City that people are just loving and enjoying and
are so excited it's back for this amazing season. Did
you have any inclination that a spinoff was coming when
this was offered to you.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
I mean when I came back to the show in
season at the end of season ten, I signed for
four years. I think it was four years that I
signed for, And I thought that what they originally wanted
to do was they knew that Andy was lead, with
that Rick was leaving. Andy was leaving, and Jeff and
I were kind of going to take over the original show,
(09:45):
so we knew that our storyline would sort of like
narrow and magnify. But then they decided to end the
show and then create these three spinoffs. So while we
were still in the show, we knew that, and it
took away some of the grief or preparing for the
degree mid ending, you still had the goodbye to your
friends that you couldn't totally conceptualize. You know, we lost
(10:06):
people throughout the course of the show, always in surprising ways,
that a major character would get killed off, and that
was it was. We all felt it so much. But
then the group loss of the show ending was sort
of circumvented by Jeff and I knowing, Okay, well, don't
get to we got this thing. They got to gear up,
and it almost like, yeah, it was weird. You were
(10:29):
saying goodbye to something, but busy getting ready for this
other thing. So so it was it was exciting to
know that there was an appetite for it and that
the network wanted to do it, and there were many
iterations of how it could have gone. They talked about
doing something with Maggie and with home the whole new
group of people. They talked about doing something with Meagan's
character and some whole group of people, and then they
(10:50):
talked about the iteration of Maggie and Megan, and then
talk to our show runner Eli Journet, and his ideas
for the show were very exciting to them. So that
was the direction that we went in and so I
was somewhat prepared for it, but it doesn't make it
any less like exciting and novel that it's actually happening,
and they were going to move to New York and
(11:12):
we're going to tell this story in any way, there's
going to be a bit of a time jump and
you'll see and then tonally that we were going to
do something different. So you were like, wow, what what
I feel like? You know, like we think we know
these characters, and now it's going to be a new context,
you know, like bring it, let me open that book.
I want to read it.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
And of course you and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, you guys
together are flawless. I mean, people love watching the two
of you and all the adventures you go on. What's
been the most surprising thing about getting to know him
better and working with him?
Speaker 2 (11:40):
I mean, the most surprising thing that we always laugh
about is like the uniqueness of putting these two not rivals,
but these two enemies in a show together. You don't
it doesn't happen very often in terms of the storyline,
and then it obviously couldn't be more different for us
in real life. It's just it's fun. Jeffrey and I
had worked together years before Working Dead. I was on
(12:01):
Working Dead already, I think for a season or so,
and we worked together on Batman Versus Superman, which was
Zack Snyder's film, and jeff was so intrigued by the
Working Dead and was asking Pepperingman with loads of questions
about it. And then lo and behold, you know, a
few years later we're working together on this show. And
then we had both been on Supernatural, so we had
kind of had all these like crossed possible paths and whatnot.
(12:24):
But Jeffrey's just like he's just been partner in crime.
It's really fun to go there, and he brings humor
and lightness and depth and sincerity and analysis. It's just
it's great. I feel really lucky. You know, you never
know who you're gonna end up with, and I don't
think these long roads lost when you don't get along.
It's just too hard.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Yeah, it always makes it better when you feel like
the on screen chemistry translates to off screen, because I
do feel like as an audience member, you feel it
and you can see it. Yeah, to enjoy your co
workers in any industry, you're in as ohways a bonus.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Totally and you get to I mean this season, at
the beginning of the season, we obviously Sow Maggie Nigan
were in different places and they were sort of both
both prisoners of sorts of these different groups. And then
we do finally get together in episode four, I think,
and and the way that they play off each other
(13:15):
is like it was fun for Jeff and I because
we've had this time. We're like, oh, we can't wait
till our episodes together, and it's like, ah, here we go,
you know, just like the things that happened, the bristle
that happens between between us, We're just like, this is great.
You know, as actress is what you always want.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
And you get to keep doing really interesting things and
pushing yourself as an actress and as an artist, including
your directorial debut. Yeah, episode six it just aired. How
has that been for you?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
It's funny, It's I you know, you prepare yourself for
a situation and then you'll always be surprised. And I
came away with it with a gratitude. I came away
having actually been able to say sit with this for
a second, just like let let yourself know that you're
here and enjoy and celebrate it. It was a hard
(14:16):
thing to do, and we did it, and we we
a choose something that we're all really proud of, and
I mean the whole season as well. And then I
felt sort of awakened to lots of things that I
want to know more about, lots of things about my
own working process, both as an actor and aside and
as a direct A best way you can learn about anything,
(14:38):
I think, is to go put yourself in someone else's shoes.
And as a director, you're in everybody. You're standing next
to everybody's shoes at different moments in the process, and
it's so exciting. I mean, the concert of creativity on
a production is a really beautiful thing. And you get
(14:59):
to observe and participate in the talents in all these
different domains of production design and costume design and just
just enjoy people bringing their best and enjoy people doing
the thing that they do so well. And then you know,
in directing the episode, I just felt like I got
to sort of like be a little bit of like
(15:19):
a sticky glue between everybody and a little bit of
a spider web, and and I enjoyed enjoy the process.
It was very challenging at times because it was, you know,
shifting between acting and directing and being intimidated sometimes to
work with actors who I admire so much and give
them direction and not just sort of like just feel
(15:40):
over my head with what could I possibly offer somebody
who I had like worship. But it was really really
ready great experience.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Did you always want to direct? Or did your interests
get peeked through doing The Walking Dead Over the years.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
The entire like machinations that were action are so beautiful
because it's a it's a giant thing, but it's a
collection of so many small things and you only ever
have to be doing like one of those things at once.
And so as a life lesson and as a pursuit,
you're like, Okay, cool, I just how do I navigate
(16:20):
through this and not be overwhelmed and just be present,
be present like a million times in a million ways successively.
So when directing, when the desire to try it became
stronger for me, I tried to just go in with
that curiosity of how will this experience? Let me let
this experience show itself to me and decide if I
(16:41):
like it decide if I want to pursue it. But
I knew I was equipped to do a solid enough
job because I was prepared and I have respect and
appreciation for what I don't know and how much of
a team effort it is. And so I think go
into it with open arms and open eyes and an
(17:02):
open heart is something that I'm glad of. And it
just showed me. It just showed me possibilities and from
there I make more choices. So yeah, it was a
bit of a roundabout answer, but that's I guess what
the experience was.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
Yeah, well, it's so cool. It's so cool that you
can now play in this field and arena, and you know,
for a show that has meant so much to you.
You get to keep growing and expanding and learning, which
is something that hopefully many of us want to keep
doing in our lives in our careers. It's very easy, though,
to feel like you have imposter syndrome when you walk
into a situation and you don't feel like you know
(17:39):
everything and you're kind of maybe learning some things on
the go, or like you said, you're working with people
who you're like, oh my god, I can't believe I'm
the one kind of directing them or giving them orders
or I'm the boss in this room, So how did
you not let that get in your head and you just.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Did your jobs? Such a great question because I I
know that what people are going to do is going
to be great, and maybe we're going to say, oh cool,
you know, should we think about or what you should
think about? But what if there's this factor that is
also a play, or if we tried it this way
(18:14):
or something, But you're never thinking of like you're never
thinking of controlling anything like the control piece would have
been coming out of fear. And don't get me wrong,
I had to fight that need to control or direct
quote unquote, and I think that you wouldn't because I
was lucky enough to be somewhere where everybody is so good.
(18:38):
My only task was really to make sure that it'll
fit that episode and that moment in the story and
this point in the narrative. So that starts from the
prep time you have before the episode begins, before the
shooting begins, and so it's like, all right, we're in
the room, we're with the writers, we're saying like cool,
so same page that this is the aspect of this scene,
(19:00):
this is the important perspect of this episode. And then
all you do is sort of like put that, put
that away in your in your mind and your heart,
and then go to set and be free knowing that
you've got the same you've got a shared chacta, and
that charter is the thing that's going to guide you
through the episode. And I had very good advice. I
(19:22):
saw out a lot of advice, and the best advice
that I really took away was like, you're going to
be nervous. You're going to be scared the first moment
you're going to step to this side and it's okay,
first time you've done it. Just just know that that
feeling will happen. But secondly, don't pretend to know anything
that you don't know, and don't be afraid to ask.
(19:42):
And that is the best life advice I've ever had,
because you you don't get anywhere pretending that you know,
and I don't. I don't want to pretend. I'm way
more interested in the truth. Like it's it's it's hard,
and it's like uncomfortable, but asking a question and learning
(20:05):
something from somebody who really knows their department and they
what they want to do, and that's not hard, that's enlightening,
And that's the best thing I really took away from
the experience.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Yeah, that's incredible, and it puts a good appetite, you know,
in your mouth for wanting to maybe do more of
that because you did go in with such a healthy
mindset and you knew that you were there to do
a job that you were very capable of doing. But
you also did leave that room for growth. And I
think that's something that again, we all need to do
in any career. So it's so applicable to everybody, which
(20:39):
is really really cool. Was there ever a time over
the years that you got so maybe overwhelmed or so
worked up with the work because it is dark sometimes
and traumatic and intense that you thought, ah, man, I
don't know if I can do this anymore.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
Yeah, a lot all the time, Like all the time
I think that, And all the time I think that,
Like when I do when I have like a day
where there's like even a lot of interviews, and then
I look back and I'm like, what did I That's
not I don't even even think that, Why did I
say that? And then I'll spin into this place of
self analysis and self hate and I beat myself up
(21:20):
and and then I'm like, why do I even do
this to myself? I just want I just want to
do a job where this doesn't like And then I
just think, no, you know what, like we all feel
like we need to sometimes be so much and achieve
in every way, and that is not in this job.
(21:41):
That is in my mind, and that is in the
mind of any of us, maybe maybe a lot of
us some at the time. And what can I do, Like,
what's my what's my best way to show up in
the world to be like, you know what, I'm a
freaking human being. Okay, was everything I ever said or
did ideal and perfect? No, And what's the best thing
(22:03):
I can do now is like not be lost in myself,
is like say, okay, cool, I still love you, and
I'm gonna go see where I'm needed. I'm gonna go
like connect and find the things that like bring the
cycle back around. And I don't know, it's just like
I don't I don't want to be there. I don't
I don't want to be in that stuff. And I
just like I know that to show up in life
(22:25):
as a parent, as a partner, as a friend, as
a colleague is like anything requires listening and vulnerability and
and and I like, I like, even when I have
like hard times with a with a job or whatever,
I like that I have to keep doing that because
(22:47):
I know I'm a better person when I do stay
vulnerable and stay forgiving.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
M Yeah, absolutely, I think that's something important for all
of us to go through life with. It's not always easy,
but it's it's definitely an important thing to do. I imagine
with the success of The Walking Dead and now Dead
City being so for lack of a better word, exposed
and out there and having people asking questions and maybe
(23:12):
even this interview, like, I'm sure it's something you kind
of have to get used to and settle into a bit, right, Yeah, And.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
I have hard times so with it sometimes, Like I
call my parents in the midst of a heavier press
time and I just was like, you just like lose.
You feel really prole, and you feel really exposed, and
you feel not enough, and then you remember that like
(23:38):
that's not necessarily like your experience is valid, but that's
not necessarily like nobody's analyzing you as much as you
think they are. And if they are, or they'll be
analyzing somebody else and then they won't be analyzing that
person anymore. And I just think that it's like, you
gotta let it go, you gotta slow down. The biggest
(23:59):
thing for me in life lately has just been like
so down, so down, and don't forget the important. When
I say the important things, I think of like don't
put too much stock in any one thing, and definitely
don't put too much stock in your work at the
expense of the other things that are important to you,
you know, whether that's your family, or whether that's your friends,
(24:20):
or whether that's your creative outlets. I don't know what
it is. But when I went to when I was
on Working Dead, our producer at the time said, you know,
don't forget learned this all Like we were looking around
the set and he was like, don't forget. This all
goes away, So don't forget to build the other parts
of your life. And I'm so ambitious and I will
(24:42):
work so hard. And it's in the last couple of
years I've finally taken that advice to heart and thought
that the all the success doesn't it's notice it's not
as important as you think it is.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
There's so many secrets and you know, concoctions to why
this show works and why it's been around, and why
they're spin offs and why you're leading it and all
of the things. But I imagine, I think I think
this is going to be around for years and years
and years and years and years. Do you think that's
the case.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
I think you can tell the story for a while,
and I think I think a couple more years would
be good, and maybe I want to do more things. Yeah,
it's come back and you know, but just just step
(25:38):
away for a bit. It's it's it's somewhat difficult to
do other stuff while doing the show because you want
to rest sometimes in between. But there's like a lot
of I don't know, and sometimes that's just life stuff.
But I definitely, definitely I'm on the train team. Let's
(26:00):
let's go somewhere with the story that is, as long
as it can be special and real and true, then
I'd like to see it go as long as it could.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Yeah. Yeah, And there will be a point to your
point where you'll be ready for.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Something else, yeah yeah, yeah, something.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
That's maybe a Christmas movie or something it's not so
trauma driven.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Yeah, maybe an ice skating movie. Do you know why
I said that. I think it's because you said Christmas.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Well, you know what, here we go, we're manifesting it
right now for you. Absolutely, yes, But I think there
should be something in your contract where your character is
never allowed to die.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Yeah, I know, I'll leave before that happens. We can.
I never want to see you. Who knows.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
Look, at this point, I just don't think it would
be Anything can happen in that world, of course, but
I think a lot of people would be very.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Upset by that. Yeah. Yeah, but if the upset was
like a really really wild, gut wrenching episode that also
had also had an epic message of love, then that
would be okay, okay, okay. It has been on the
Zombie Apocalypse a lot.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
You're like, I need a break from the Apocalypse.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Yeah. He doesn't all have to be at this level. Yeah,
I know, I know.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Well that begs the question, do you know what's coming
up in the series, Like when you start filming a
whole new season, do you know everything that's about to
go down to that season finale and like maybe even
the following season or how clued in are you?
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Yeah? We're as clude in as we as we like
to be. We've got a lot of a lot of
access now to the process, and by access, I just
mean like we're all in the conversation together. And to me,
it's the exciting part is knowing that we have writers
who want to do a different thing and take it
(28:03):
somewhere new. And then I get to say, this is exciting.
You guys are amazing at your job, and I dip
in and dip out and try to make sure that
I still keep you know, my priority on acting. I
was the in directing, but in this in this season.
But yeah, so we know we know stuff. And it's
funny because sometimes I sort of like, sometimes I missed
(28:26):
knowing less, just for just for vague moments where I
was where I wouldn't be, like thinking ahead or in
a conversation about something, and I was like, oh, I
like the surprise I looked back at. Don't get me wrong,
I never want to go back, because it's really really
fun to collaborate with the writers and to hear, to
hear the genus of an idea because as an actor,
(28:46):
you obviously take like the fully formed script and you
unravel it so that you get your connection to it
and watching other writers do sort of the reverse process.
It's really scintillating. But yeah, it's good. There's definitely less
like hanging around time I'm set. Yeah, yeahs too. I'm sure.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
I'm sure. Was there ever a storyline over all the
years for your character Maggie that you did not want
to do and that you maybe said, guys, I love you,
I respect you, but I got to kill this storyline
for her.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
There was a storyline when after Maggie has this interaction
with the governor and it's not a pleasant interaction. It's funny.
I've never talked about this before. Oh my gosh, I
just realized the name of your show, and that was
not intentional. But I didn't think that her and Glenn
(29:50):
would have this moment of passion that they have afterwards,
because I felt like it was strange timing and I
still don't. I don't know how I feel about it,
but I do know that the scene and Glenn and
Maggie having that moment I'm very very glad of because
(30:10):
there's so little tenderness in the show, and there's definitely
you know, it was like a celebration to see that
couple be together in that way. And then there's their
whole storyline falling in love and like the passionate things
that came with that and everything and who they were.
But I do remember at the time being like this,
she just went through this ordeal with the governor. Is
(30:30):
that where her brain's going to go to having this
this relation right right with her husband? And yeah, I'm
just reflecting on it now. But then there were there
were definitely just times where I had felt dreadful depicting
the moments of loss that Maggie had. But there are
obviously the things that are so great about the show.
(30:52):
You know, the things you dread are when your friends
get the call and the scene of them dying is
I know how to do it. And that's a rare
experience to have. It's a rare experience to feel so
deeply with people connect and everybody knows our little, our
little college of our fifteen year college experience.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
Yeah, it's it is rare. It is super rare and
super special. That's why I do imagine it feels like
a sucker punch, right like when you do lose a
friend on a show. I imagine when you read the
script or were told or called that hey, Glenn's going
to die. It was like, what what?
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Totally and it was I mean, because that one was
from the comics, you knew it was sort of unavoidable
that the event would happen. The thing I think about
a lot too as we go forward into doing this
new season and is always making character death count, you know,
whether it's somebody that is awful and is a villain
(31:53):
and is making a lot of trouble for our heroes,
or it's somebody that you love. It's just like that
was always what was what was special about the working day.
It was so impactful about Game of Thrones. It was
what I love about sopranos. It's like, you're these these
death meaning something you know, and that's why we watch.
(32:15):
I mean, that's what we that's what that's what's thrilling
and meaningful.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
Yeah. Yeah, spoken like an actor but also a director.
I'm getting a lot of direct director vibes from you.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
I'll talk about good shows, so that helps.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
Yeah. Yeah, well that's very very true. I I just
could talk to you forever, and I so love this
interview because it's so interesting to gain insight into such
a beloved character and the work that you do. That
really resonates and means so much to so many people,
and also step into this new journey of directing that
is so exciting to hear about and learn more about
(32:52):
you as a human, which is the purpose of this show.
It's to bring on fan favorite artists and celebrate you,
but also give you a chance that you don't always
get on a red carpet when you have two minutes
with somebody, and as you mentioned, you probably go home
and are like, oh my god, in two minutes, did
I say everything to make me look professional and polished
and interesting and fun and creative? And yeah, it's just
such a weird, unnatural situation, even for me covering them.
(33:14):
I kind of created the show because I was tired
of only having those interactions with people, even at a
junket maybe six minutes if you're lucky, but it's just
not enough time for real conversation. So that's where the
title I've Never said this before was born from, and
I always wrap up every interview with the question based
off that title, and that question is surprise Surprise, Is
(33:38):
there any anything you can think of that you've never
said before, whatever that means to you that you wanted
to say today.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
Wait, can I say one thing real quick before I
say that, I really appreciate your interview, this interview with you,
and I really appreciate your demeanor and your you. This
was like a very nice conversation, and I feel relaxed,
and I feel like it's it's rare to to have
(34:06):
that experience in you know, we're on zoom right now,
and I totally hear what you're saying about those snippets
not allowing you to get into something. But but I
think you're also just very good at this, and I
just want to I just want to put a light
on that for a second, because that's one of the
things I'm I don't know. I guess I noticed. We
(34:26):
talked about this a little bit before. It's like, you
can go through you can go through life and not
stop and smell the roses. And I guess the thing
I've never said before is I'm going to I'm smelling
the roses. That sounds like such a strange thing. I
(34:47):
guess that's the point. Yeah, Yeah, that's it.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
I like that you're smelling the roses. You're stopping more
in life too. And I got that also from a
little bit of what you were saying earlier. But to me,
that means you're kind of taking more time for you,
for Lauren, not just the artist, the actress, the fill
in the blank of what everything else wants or expects
you to be. It seems like you're really stepping into this,
(35:11):
this era of maybe putting you more front and center.
Is that right?
Speaker 2 (35:15):
Yeah, I don't know if it's putting me. I think
it's maybe I'm finding balance and I sort of felt
ambitious about balance and now I feel balanced about balance.
And it's not perfect all the time, but I'm more
open in the truth of it all, right. I just
(35:42):
I want it. I know it's important. I prioritize it
and I mean that and I think I meant to
mean it before and I think now I mean it.
And maybe that's the thing I never said before. But
I'm gonna you choose what they never said before. Button
(36:03):
is in our conversation. I like it all.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
I like it all. I think it's all wonderful and valid,
and I never when people say share multiple things. I
like to conclude it all because I think it's your
truth and I think that's really cool and I'm happy
to hear. I'm always happy to hear when somebody feels
like they're reaching that point of, as you say, balance
of stopping to smell the roses of To me, that
(36:27):
also means, I guess, for me personally, being better with
my mental health journey, right, and just making sure I'm
checking in with myself and being that person for me.
So I hope that's also what you're doing and checking
in with yourself.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
Yeah, yeah, totally, totally. Yeah, And let and remember that
everything is a mirror insofar as like what do you
want to put out? And when I see something somewhere,
I need to know that that's that I have a
big part in how I'm seeing that, and I get
to I get to lift it up, I get to
(37:04):
improve it, I get to be gentle with it. And yeah,
but I like this mental health emphasis.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Yeah. Yeah, Well, Lauren, not only are you a badass
in The Walking Dead City and everything you do as
an artist, but you're also a really cool, grounded human
and that's always rewarding for me when I get to
have these conversations. I would have loved you in studio,
and I know timing didn't work out, but even to
feel that on Zoom is such a pleasure, and I
(37:32):
just couldn't be happier to hear that you are finding
the things in life that make you feel good and
that make you feel grounded and balanced while doing work
you love and stepping into new zones of directing and
pushing and challenging yourself. I mean, I feel like it's
a good time in your life to be you, and
I'm happy to hear it and see it.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
Thank you so much, Tommy, this was appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
Of course. Thank you. Everybody. Continue watching The Walking Dead.
It did to city and I hope to see another
episode directed by you in the near future.
Speaker 2 (38:04):
Yeah, me too.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
I've Never Said This Before is hosted by Me Tommy Dedario.
This podcast is executive produced by Andrew Puglisi at iHeartRadio
and by Me Tommy, with editing by Joshua Colaudney. I've
Never Said This Before is part of the Elvis Duran
podcast network on iHeart Podcasts. For more, rate review and
subscribe to our show and if you liked this episode,
(38:33):
tell your friends. Until next time, I'm Tommy de Dario.
It is a zombie apocalypse on my show, and the
question is will you survive? Hey, guys, welcome to I've
never said this before with me, Tommy di Dario, I
am so psyched to have the brilliant Lauren Cohan on
my show today, who you know and you love. From
starring in one of the most watched drama series in
the history of television, The Walking Dead, Lauren now stars
(00:23):
in the spinoff series The Walking Dead Dead City, which
season two is out right now, and Lauren continues to
kill it playing the strong, resilient and very layered character
of Maggie Green. It is always so special to talk
to an artist who has lived with the character for
over a decade, and today you are getting so many
fresh and new insights into her time throughout this franchise,
(00:45):
while also learning a little bit more about someone who
you have been watching create one of the most bad
ass characters in all of television. So let's see if
we can get Lauren to say something that she has
never said before. Lauren, how are you, my friend? It's
so good to see you.
Speaker 2 (01:06):
You too, Tommy, how you doing.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
I am fantastic. I am so excited for everything going
on in your world, and I have to tell you
I am based in New York City. So a few
weeks ago, I was walking around these streets and like
zombies were popping up all over the place, and I
was like, what in the world is going on? And
then I find out it's for season two of your show.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Yeah, isn't that funny? When AMC said they were just
basically laid out the marketing plan that we were going
to have this year, We're like, Wow, this is the
biggest most elaborate campaign we've had for not just I
mean thank for the show and especially for Dead City,
(01:49):
but it's one of the biggest campaigns. I think we've
the AMCs that we're done, and we were like, wow,
every stroke was like what walkers are everywhere? The cover
of the New York Post taking over a restants, Jeff
and I throwing the pitch at City. It was a great,
very very New York. It was pretty cool.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Yeah, it was amazing. It was really well done. And
I imagine for you that's kind of a pinch me moment, right.
I saw you at the Empire State Building at City Field,
and those are such iconic things to get to do,
all because you guys are leading your own spinoff series.
How cool is that?
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Yeah? It was really it was epic. I have to
say going to City Field, I was so oh walking
onto that field. I'm in a different field, but I
walked out there and I thought, God, I wonder what
it's like to be up at bat. The crowd is watching,
you have to zone it all out. It just put
me in the mindset of these athletes, and I was like,
(02:43):
it was a very humbling cool moment. Yeah, m pire
s building a different humbling cool moment. Scary, Oh my gosh,
here your stomach flips. It was, But it was all
the celebration of like the wonder of New York and
the magic of New York.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Yeah, and to tie that all you know, into the
promo of the show is just so great. It was
such a genius idea. And again it's something that everybody
should be so proud of. This character. Maggie means so
much to so many people. You've been playing her for
well over a decade. Now, what keeps you coming back
for more?
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Continuing to find real moments and undearth things that the
show has always been really good at. That this whole
kind of universe at human moments, relatable moments in a
heightened atmosphere. And then when we started the new show,
there were fewer of us, you know, as Jeff and I,
and then we had a few supporting costs, which all
(03:38):
meant that it was like a much a lot more
time on each story. And I think that what it's
given us is a deeper psychological dive, so, you know,
for a detailed exploration of Maggie Meegue and a detailed
exploration of a mother and son, those things. Each season,
something comes up like that that is like, Okay, yeah,
(04:00):
it's a character, you know, but do you know her?
This is to myself, you know, but do I know
her like this? Do I do I know her in
this situation? And then I get to unfold and research
all those that whole lane and you just you just
keep going in a relationship this long with a character,
as well as a relationship this long for our audience
with our show, They're all just opportunities to go deeper.
(04:23):
It's like a you know, it's like a marriage, it's
like a long friendship. It's like an area of study
that you'll never be done with.
Speaker 1 (04:29):
And so interesting too, because I think at least in
my opinion, So much of what we enjoy as viewers
is we get to see these characters in these really
kind of like gray areas. You know, everything feels like
it's in the name of survival, And can you really
judge someone for what they do in those circumstances. Maybe yes,
maybe no, But I imagine as an artist that's a
really interesting thing for you to dive into.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Yeah, and just making assessments of how we react and
how we behave I mean, that is always alive and
in me in the show too, because I have to
wind myself back to Maggie's experiences and understand trauma and
understand the sort of the toolbox that they're working with.
(05:16):
And I think what I love about this season is
saying we've operated this way and we've made decisions from
this place, and something really, really a big curve ball
comes in this year where it's like your tools don't
work anymore, you know, And this is like this is
all within the context of how she and Need and
interact and how Herschel and she interact. But it's like,
(05:39):
after all this time, the thing that's kept you alive,
it's not about surviving in that way anymore. It's about surviving,
and that survival is going to require a whole new
skill set of internal of an internal relationship that was
very abstract, but.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
I get what you mean. I mean it's emotionally it's
such a journey that you take us all on. And
that's what's so interesting about a character that has been
around for a while now and your character. She's been
a part of some of the biggest storylines in the
franchise and continues to be in the spin off series.
Is there something you look back on and you're like, man,
that was a hard one, Like that was a hard
(06:18):
day of work for me, and I'm even surprised that
I got through it.
Speaker 2 (06:22):
Yeah, I think it was. I think it's largely just
like letting it go and not letting it go like
the process of it, but like looking back and saying, oh,
there's a million ways that I could have done this
as an actor or whatever. And so the battle with
yourself of saying, like, Okay, cool, this is what we did.
Leave it on the downs floor. And then the physically
hardest and emotionally hardest moments that were in the show
were We're definitely those days where you know, the episode
(06:46):
that we all know about. We shot that for a
long time, and then we had a summer off and
we had to come back and pick up where we
left off. And you just don't want to. You just
don't want to go there. You don't want to do it.
But then this this weird little surrender and you're all
doing it together, and you just kind of like jump
in the pit, and you're doing everybody a disservice by
(07:07):
not letting it, letting it happen.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Yeah. Yeah, but I get wanting to probably protect yourself
in a weird way. I mean, it's obviously you're showing
up and you have a job to do, but yeah,
I allow yourself to have to go to some of
those darker moments or relive trauma or anything like that.
I imagine that can be quite a lot at the
end of a long day.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Yeah. Yeah, and you just you want like a different context.
It's like you spend time and you don't want to
go too far away from any of it because it
makes your job harder to shift back into it. But
you also can't really wrench yourself to like a popcorn
rom com chill out mode, like your brain, you know,
when you get that sort of like tired wired. There's
(07:47):
a sense of that that sustains for the months of
filming that I know many actors in whatever zone they
have to inhabit, can attest to. And but that's why,
that's why we get to make indelible things and we
all get to be so connected through them because we're
like they're impacting us.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
And they're impacting the audiences. I mean, these moments and
these scenes are impacting the audiences, as you know. I'm
sure you've seen right and heard from many fans. You know,
when your character lost her partner or lost Glenn, it
was like it was like the world ended for so
many people. Did you feel that too?
Speaker 2 (08:21):
I did, and I think and that's kind of like
what I mean is it's like we are all in
the conversation together, you know, our audience and us, and
the fact that you and I can talk about it
as like a moment we all remember, you know what
I mean, And I feel I get it. I mean,
I just I get it. I meet people all the
time that are like they remember that moment. And it
(08:42):
was also at a time when TV was like we
were all watching one thing, you know, and it was
part of a there was less competition for our attention
just in terms of like all the things to watch,
and I feel, I feel really grateful that I was
part of a show that was meaningful to that many
people at a time when things were meaningful to that
many people because there were fewer things. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Yeah, and that's what led to this incredible spinoff series,
Dead City that people are just loving and enjoying and
are so excited it's back for this amazing season. Did
you have any inclination that a spinoff was coming when
this was offered to you.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
I mean when I came back to the show in
season at the end of season ten, I signed for
four years. I think it was four years that I
signed for, And I thought that what they originally wanted
to do was they knew that Andy was lead, with
that Rick was leaving. Andy was leaving, and Jeff and
I were kind of going to take over the original show,
(09:45):
so we knew that our storyline would sort of like
narrow and magnify. But then they decided to end the
show and then create these three spinoffs. So while we
were still in the show, we knew that, and it
took away some of the grief or preparing for the
degree mid ending, you still had the goodbye to your
friends that you couldn't totally conceptualize. You know, we lost
(10:06):
people throughout the course of the show, always in surprising ways,
that a major character would get killed off, and that
was it was. We all felt it so much. But
then the group loss of the show ending was sort
of circumvented by Jeff and I knowing, Okay, well, don't
get to we got this thing. They got to gear up,
and it almost like, yeah, it was weird. You were
(10:29):
saying goodbye to something, but busy getting ready for this
other thing. So so it was it was exciting to
know that there was an appetite for it and that
the network wanted to do it, and there were many
iterations of how it could have gone. They talked about
doing something with Maggie and with home the whole new
group of people. They talked about doing something with Meagan's
character and some whole group of people, and then they
(10:50):
talked about the iteration of Maggie and Megan, and then
talk to our show runner Eli Journet, and his ideas
for the show were very exciting to them. So that
was the direction that we went in and so I
was somewhat prepared for it, but it doesn't make it
any less like exciting and novel that it's actually happening,
and they were going to move to New York and
(11:12):
we're going to tell this story in any way, there's
going to be a bit of a time jump and
you'll see and then tonally that we were going to
do something different. So you were like, wow, what what
I feel like? You know, like we think we know
these characters, and now it's going to be a new context,
you know, like bring it, let me open that book.
I want to read it.
Speaker 1 (11:29):
And of course you and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, you guys
together are flawless. I mean, people love watching the two
of you and all the adventures you go on. What's
been the most surprising thing about getting to know him
better and working with him?
Speaker 2 (11:40):
I mean, the most surprising thing that we always laugh
about is like the uniqueness of putting these two not rivals,
but these two enemies in a show together. You don't
it doesn't happen very often in terms of the storyline,
and then it obviously couldn't be more different for us
in real life. It's just it's fun. Jeffrey and I
had worked together years before Working Dead. I was on
(12:01):
Working Dead already, I think for a season or so,
and we worked together on Batman Versus Superman, which was
Zack Snyder's film, and jeff was so intrigued by the
Working Dead and was asking Pepperingman with loads of questions
about it. And then lo and behold, you know, a
few years later we're working together on this show. And
then we had both been on Supernatural, so we had
kind of had all these like crossed possible paths and whatnot.
(12:24):
But Jeffrey's just like he's just been partner in crime.
It's really fun to go there, and he brings humor
and lightness and depth and sincerity and analysis. It's just
it's great. I feel really lucky. You know, you never
know who you're gonna end up with, and I don't
think these long roads lost when you don't get along.
It's just too hard.
Speaker 1 (12:42):
Yeah, it always makes it better when you feel like
the on screen chemistry translates to off screen, because I
do feel like as an audience member, you feel it
and you can see it. Yeah, to enjoy your co
workers in any industry, you're in as ohways a bonus.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Totally and you get to I mean this season, at
the beginning of the season, we obviously Sow Maggie Nigan
were in different places and they were sort of both
both prisoners of sorts of these different groups. And then
we do finally get together in episode four, I think,
and and the way that they play off each other
(13:15):
is like it was fun for Jeff and I because
we've had this time. We're like, oh, we can't wait
till our episodes together, and it's like, ah, here we go,
you know, just like the things that happened, the bristle
that happens between between us, We're just like, this is great.
You know, as actress is what you always want.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
And you get to keep doing really interesting things and
pushing yourself as an actress and as an artist, including
your directorial debut. Yeah, episode six it just aired. How
has that been for you?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
It's funny, It's I you know, you prepare yourself for
a situation and then you'll always be surprised. And I
came away with it with a gratitude. I came away
having actually been able to say sit with this for
a second, just like let let yourself know that you're
here and enjoy and celebrate it. It was a hard
(14:16):
thing to do, and we did it, and we we
a choose something that we're all really proud of, and
I mean the whole season as well. And then I
felt sort of awakened to lots of things that I
want to know more about, lots of things about my
own working process, both as an actor and aside and
as a direct A best way you can learn about anything,
(14:38):
I think, is to go put yourself in someone else's shoes.
And as a director, you're in everybody. You're standing next
to everybody's shoes at different moments in the process, and
it's so exciting. I mean, the concert of creativity on
a production is a really beautiful thing. And you get
(14:59):
to observe and participate in the talents in all these
different domains of production design and costume design and just
just enjoy people bringing their best and enjoy people doing
the thing that they do so well. And then you know,
in directing the episode, I just felt like I got
to sort of like be a little bit of like
(15:19):
a sticky glue between everybody and a little bit of
a spider web, and and I enjoyed enjoy the process.
It was very challenging at times because it was, you know,
shifting between acting and directing and being intimidated sometimes to
work with actors who I admire so much and give
them direction and not just sort of like just feel
(15:40):
over my head with what could I possibly offer somebody
who I had like worship. But it was really really
ready great experience.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Did you always want to direct? Or did your interests
get peeked through doing The Walking Dead Over the years.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
The entire like machinations that were action are so beautiful
because it's a it's a giant thing, but it's a
collection of so many small things and you only ever
have to be doing like one of those things at once.
And so as a life lesson and as a pursuit,
you're like, Okay, cool, I just how do I navigate
(16:20):
through this and not be overwhelmed and just be present,
be present like a million times in a million ways successively.
So when directing, when the desire to try it became
stronger for me, I tried to just go in with
that curiosity of how will this experience? Let me let
this experience show itself to me and decide if I
(16:41):
like it decide if I want to pursue it. But
I knew I was equipped to do a solid enough
job because I was prepared and I have respect and
appreciation for what I don't know and how much of
a team effort it is. And so I think go
into it with open arms and open eyes and an
(17:02):
open heart is something that I'm glad of. And it
just showed me. It just showed me possibilities and from
there I make more choices. So yeah, it was a
bit of a roundabout answer, but that's I guess what
the experience was.
Speaker 1 (17:18):
Yeah, well, it's so cool. It's so cool that you
can now play in this field and arena, and you know,
for a show that has meant so much to you.
You get to keep growing and expanding and learning, which
is something that hopefully many of us want to keep
doing in our lives in our careers. It's very easy, though,
to feel like you have imposter syndrome when you walk
into a situation and you don't feel like you know
(17:39):
everything and you're kind of maybe learning some things on
the go, or like you said, you're working with people
who you're like, oh my god, I can't believe I'm
the one kind of directing them or giving them orders
or I'm the boss in this room, So how did
you not let that get in your head and you just.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Did your jobs? Such a great question because I I
know that what people are going to do is going
to be great, and maybe we're going to say, oh cool,
you know, should we think about or what you should
think about? But what if there's this factor that is
also a play, or if we tried it this way
(18:14):
or something, But you're never thinking of like you're never
thinking of controlling anything like the control piece would have
been coming out of fear. And don't get me wrong,
I had to fight that need to control or direct
quote unquote, and I think that you wouldn't because I
was lucky enough to be somewhere where everybody is so good.
(18:38):
My only task was really to make sure that it'll
fit that episode and that moment in the story and
this point in the narrative. So that starts from the
prep time you have before the episode begins, before the
shooting begins, and so it's like, all right, we're in
the room, we're with the writers, we're saying like cool,
so same page that this is the aspect of this scene,
(19:00):
this is the important perspect of this episode. And then
all you do is sort of like put that, put
that away in your in your mind and your heart,
and then go to set and be free knowing that
you've got the same you've got a shared chacta, and
that charter is the thing that's going to guide you
through the episode. And I had very good advice. I
(19:22):
saw out a lot of advice, and the best advice
that I really took away was like, you're going to
be nervous. You're going to be scared the first moment
you're going to step to this side and it's okay,
first time you've done it. Just just know that that
feeling will happen. But secondly, don't pretend to know anything
that you don't know, and don't be afraid to ask.
(19:42):
And that is the best life advice I've ever had,
because you you don't get anywhere pretending that you know,
and I don't. I don't want to pretend. I'm way
more interested in the truth. Like it's it's it's hard,
and it's like uncomfortable, but asking a question and learning
(20:05):
something from somebody who really knows their department and they
what they want to do, and that's not hard, that's enlightening,
And that's the best thing I really took away from
the experience.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Yeah, that's incredible, and it puts a good appetite, you know,
in your mouth for wanting to maybe do more of
that because you did go in with such a healthy
mindset and you knew that you were there to do
a job that you were very capable of doing. But
you also did leave that room for growth. And I
think that's something that again, we all need to do
in any career. So it's so applicable to everybody, which
(20:39):
is really really cool. Was there ever a time over
the years that you got so maybe overwhelmed or so
worked up with the work because it is dark sometimes
and traumatic and intense that you thought, ah, man, I
don't know if I can do this anymore.
Speaker 2 (20:58):
Yeah, a lot all the time, Like all the time
I think that, And all the time I think that,
Like when I do when I have like a day
where there's like even a lot of interviews, and then
I look back and I'm like, what did I That's
not I don't even even think that, Why did I
say that? And then I'll spin into this place of
self analysis and self hate and I beat myself up
(21:20):
and and then I'm like, why do I even do
this to myself? I just want I just want to
do a job where this doesn't like And then I
just think, no, you know what, like we all feel
like we need to sometimes be so much and achieve
in every way, and that is not in this job.
(21:41):
That is in my mind, and that is in the
mind of any of us, maybe maybe a lot of
us some at the time. And what can I do, Like,
what's my what's my best way to show up in
the world to be like, you know what, I'm a
freaking human being. Okay, was everything I ever said or
did ideal and perfect? No, And what's the best thing
(22:03):
I can do now is like not be lost in myself,
is like say, okay, cool, I still love you, and
I'm gonna go see where I'm needed. I'm gonna go
like connect and find the things that like bring the
cycle back around. And I don't know, it's just like
I don't I don't want to be there. I don't
I don't want to be in that stuff. And I
just like I know that to show up in life
(22:25):
as a parent, as a partner, as a friend, as
a colleague is like anything requires listening and vulnerability and
and and I like, I like, even when I have
like hard times with a with a job or whatever,
I like that I have to keep doing that because
(22:47):
I know I'm a better person when I do stay
vulnerable and stay forgiving.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
M Yeah, absolutely, I think that's something important for all
of us to go through life with. It's not always easy,
but it's it's definitely an important thing to do. I imagine
with the success of The Walking Dead and now Dead
City being so for lack of a better word, exposed
and out there and having people asking questions and maybe
(23:12):
even this interview, like, I'm sure it's something you kind
of have to get used to and settle into a bit, right, Yeah, And.
Speaker 2 (23:18):
I have hard times so with it sometimes, Like I
call my parents in the midst of a heavier press
time and I just was like, you just like lose.
You feel really prole, and you feel really exposed, and
you feel not enough, and then you remember that like
(23:38):
that's not necessarily like your experience is valid, but that's
not necessarily like nobody's analyzing you as much as you
think they are. And if they are, or they'll be
analyzing somebody else and then they won't be analyzing that
person anymore. And I just think that it's like, you
gotta let it go, you gotta slow down. The biggest
(23:59):
thing for me in life lately has just been like
so down, so down, and don't forget the important. When
I say the important things, I think of like don't
put too much stock in any one thing, and definitely
don't put too much stock in your work at the
expense of the other things that are important to you,
you know, whether that's your family, or whether that's your friends,
(24:20):
or whether that's your creative outlets. I don't know what
it is. But when I went to when I was
on Working Dead, our producer at the time said, you know,
don't forget learned this all Like we were looking around
the set and he was like, don't forget. This all
goes away, So don't forget to build the other parts
of your life. And I'm so ambitious and I will
(24:42):
work so hard. And it's in the last couple of
years I've finally taken that advice to heart and thought
that the all the success doesn't it's notice it's not
as important as you think it is.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
There's so many secrets and you know, concoctions to why
this show works and why it's been around, and why
they're spin offs and why you're leading it and all
of the things. But I imagine, I think I think
this is going to be around for years and years
and years and years and years. Do you think that's
the case.
Speaker 2 (25:17):
I think you can tell the story for a while,
and I think I think a couple more years would
be good, and maybe I want to do more things. Yeah,
it's come back and you know, but just just step
(25:38):
away for a bit. It's it's it's somewhat difficult to
do other stuff while doing the show because you want
to rest sometimes in between. But there's like a lot
of I don't know, and sometimes that's just life stuff.
But I definitely, definitely I'm on the train team. Let's
(26:00):
let's go somewhere with the story that is, as long
as it can be special and real and true, then
I'd like to see it go as long as it could.
Speaker 1 (26:12):
Yeah. Yeah, And there will be a point to your
point where you'll be ready for.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Something else, yeah yeah, yeah, something.
Speaker 1 (26:21):
That's maybe a Christmas movie or something it's not so
trauma driven.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Yeah, maybe an ice skating movie. Do you know why
I said that. I think it's because you said Christmas.
Speaker 1 (26:37):
Well, you know what, here we go, we're manifesting it
right now for you. Absolutely, yes, But I think there
should be something in your contract where your character is
never allowed to die.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Yeah, I know, I'll leave before that happens. We can.
I never want to see you. Who knows.
Speaker 1 (26:53):
Look, at this point, I just don't think it would
be Anything can happen in that world, of course, but
I think a lot of people would be very.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
Upset by that. Yeah. Yeah, but if the upset was
like a really really wild, gut wrenching episode that also
had also had an epic message of love, then that
would be okay, okay, okay. It has been on the
Zombie Apocalypse a lot.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
You're like, I need a break from the Apocalypse.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Yeah. He doesn't all have to be at this level. Yeah,
I know, I know.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
Well that begs the question, do you know what's coming
up in the series, Like when you start filming a
whole new season, do you know everything that's about to
go down to that season finale and like maybe even
the following season or how clued in are you?
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Yeah? We're as clude in as we as we like
to be. We've got a lot of a lot of
access now to the process, and by access, I just
mean like we're all in the conversation together. And to me,
it's the exciting part is knowing that we have writers
who want to do a different thing and take it
(28:03):
somewhere new. And then I get to say, this is exciting.
You guys are amazing at your job, and I dip
in and dip out and try to make sure that
I still keep you know, my priority on acting. I
was the in directing, but in this in this season.
But yeah, so we know we know stuff. And it's
funny because sometimes I sort of like, sometimes I missed
(28:26):
knowing less, just for just for vague moments where I
was where I wouldn't be, like thinking ahead or in
a conversation about something, and I was like, oh, I
like the surprise I looked back at. Don't get me wrong,
I never want to go back, because it's really really
fun to collaborate with the writers and to hear, to
hear the genus of an idea because as an actor,
(28:46):
you obviously take like the fully formed script and you
unravel it so that you get your connection to it
and watching other writers do sort of the reverse process.
It's really scintillating. But yeah, it's good. There's definitely less
like hanging around time I'm set. Yeah, yeahs too. I'm sure.
Speaker 1 (29:07):
I'm sure. Was there ever a storyline over all the
years for your character Maggie that you did not want
to do and that you maybe said, guys, I love you,
I respect you, but I got to kill this storyline
for her.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
There was a storyline when after Maggie has this interaction
with the governor and it's not a pleasant interaction. It's funny.
I've never talked about this before. Oh my gosh, I
just realized the name of your show, and that was
not intentional. But I didn't think that her and Glenn
(29:50):
would have this moment of passion that they have afterwards,
because I felt like it was strange timing and I
still don't. I don't know how I feel about it,
but I do know that the scene and Glenn and
Maggie having that moment I'm very very glad of because
(30:10):
there's so little tenderness in the show, and there's definitely
you know, it was like a celebration to see that
couple be together in that way. And then there's their
whole storyline falling in love and like the passionate things
that came with that and everything and who they were.
But I do remember at the time being like this,
she just went through this ordeal with the governor. Is
(30:30):
that where her brain's going to go to having this
this relation right right with her husband? And yeah, I'm
just reflecting on it now. But then there were there
were definitely just times where I had felt dreadful depicting
the moments of loss that Maggie had. But there are
obviously the things that are so great about the show.
(30:52):
You know, the things you dread are when your friends
get the call and the scene of them dying is
I know how to do it. And that's a rare
experience to have. It's a rare experience to feel so
deeply with people connect and everybody knows our little, our
little college of our fifteen year college experience.
Speaker 1 (31:16):
Yeah, it's it is rare. It is super rare and
super special. That's why I do imagine it feels like
a sucker punch, right like when you do lose a
friend on a show. I imagine when you read the
script or were told or called that hey, Glenn's going
to die. It was like, what what?
Speaker 2 (31:31):
Totally and it was I mean, because that one was
from the comics, you knew it was sort of unavoidable
that the event would happen. The thing I think about
a lot too as we go forward into doing this
new season and is always making character death count, you know,
whether it's somebody that is awful and is a villain
(31:53):
and is making a lot of trouble for our heroes,
or it's somebody that you love. It's just like that
was always what was what was special about the working day.
It was so impactful about Game of Thrones. It was
what I love about sopranos. It's like, you're these these
death meaning something you know, and that's why we watch.
(32:15):
I mean, that's what we that's what that's what's thrilling
and meaningful.
Speaker 1 (32:21):
Yeah. Yeah, spoken like an actor but also a director.
I'm getting a lot of direct director vibes from you.
Speaker 2 (32:29):
I'll talk about good shows, so that helps.
Speaker 1 (32:31):
Yeah. Yeah, well that's very very true. I I just
could talk to you forever, and I so love this
interview because it's so interesting to gain insight into such
a beloved character and the work that you do. That
really resonates and means so much to so many people,
and also step into this new journey of directing that
is so exciting to hear about and learn more about
(32:52):
you as a human, which is the purpose of this show.
It's to bring on fan favorite artists and celebrate you,
but also give you a chance that you don't always
get on a red carpet when you have two minutes
with somebody, and as you mentioned, you probably go home
and are like, oh my god, in two minutes, did
I say everything to make me look professional and polished
and interesting and fun and creative? And yeah, it's just
such a weird, unnatural situation, even for me covering them.
(33:14):
I kind of created the show because I was tired
of only having those interactions with people, even at a
junket maybe six minutes if you're lucky, but it's just
not enough time for real conversation. So that's where the
title I've Never said this before was born from, and
I always wrap up every interview with the question based
off that title, and that question is surprise Surprise, Is
(33:38):
there any anything you can think of that you've never
said before, whatever that means to you that you wanted
to say today.
Speaker 2 (33:45):
Wait, can I say one thing real quick before I
say that, I really appreciate your interview, this interview with you,
and I really appreciate your demeanor and your you. This
was like a very nice conversation, and I feel relaxed,
and I feel like it's it's rare to to have
(34:06):
that experience in you know, we're on zoom right now,
and I totally hear what you're saying about those snippets
not allowing you to get into something. But but I
think you're also just very good at this, and I
just want to I just want to put a light
on that for a second, because that's one of the
things I'm I don't know. I guess I noticed. We
(34:26):
talked about this a little bit before. It's like, you
can go through you can go through life and not
stop and smell the roses. And I guess the thing
I've never said before is I'm going to I'm smelling
the roses. That sounds like such a strange thing. I
(34:47):
guess that's the point. Yeah, Yeah, that's it.
Speaker 1 (34:50):
I like that you're smelling the roses. You're stopping more
in life too. And I got that also from a
little bit of what you were saying earlier. But to me,
that means you're kind of taking more time for you,
for Lauren, not just the artist, the actress, the fill
in the blank of what everything else wants or expects
you to be. It seems like you're really stepping into this,
(35:11):
this era of maybe putting you more front and center.
Is that right?
Speaker 2 (35:15):
Yeah, I don't know if it's putting me. I think
it's maybe I'm finding balance and I sort of felt
ambitious about balance and now I feel balanced about balance.
And it's not perfect all the time, but I'm more
open in the truth of it all, right. I just
(35:42):
I want it. I know it's important. I prioritize it
and I mean that and I think I meant to
mean it before and I think now I mean it.
And maybe that's the thing I never said before. But
I'm gonna you choose what they never said before. Button
(36:03):
is in our conversation. I like it all.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
I like it all. I think it's all wonderful and valid,
and I never when people say share multiple things. I
like to conclude it all because I think it's your
truth and I think that's really cool and I'm happy
to hear. I'm always happy to hear when somebody feels
like they're reaching that point of, as you say, balance
of stopping to smell the roses of To me, that
(36:27):
also means, I guess, for me personally, being better with
my mental health journey, right, and just making sure I'm
checking in with myself and being that person for me.
So I hope that's also what you're doing and checking
in with yourself.
Speaker 2 (36:43):
Yeah, yeah, totally, totally. Yeah, And let and remember that
everything is a mirror insofar as like what do you
want to put out? And when I see something somewhere,
I need to know that that's that I have a
big part in how I'm seeing that, and I get
to I get to lift it up, I get to
(37:04):
improve it, I get to be gentle with it. And yeah,
but I like this mental health emphasis.
Speaker 1 (37:11):
Yeah. Yeah, Well, Lauren, not only are you a badass
in The Walking Dead City and everything you do as
an artist, but you're also a really cool, grounded human
and that's always rewarding for me when I get to
have these conversations. I would have loved you in studio,
and I know timing didn't work out, but even to
feel that on Zoom is such a pleasure, and I
(37:32):
just couldn't be happier to hear that you are finding
the things in life that make you feel good and
that make you feel grounded and balanced while doing work
you love and stepping into new zones of directing and
pushing and challenging yourself. I mean, I feel like it's
a good time in your life to be you, and
I'm happy to hear it and see it.
Speaker 2 (37:52):
Thank you so much, Tommy, this was appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (37:55):
Of course. Thank you. Everybody. Continue watching The Walking Dead.
It did to city and I hope to see another
episode directed by you in the near future.
Speaker 2 (38:04):
Yeah, me too.
Speaker 1 (38:06):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (38:07):
You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
I've Never Said This Before is hosted by Me Tommy Dedario.
This podcast is executive produced by Andrew Puglisi at iHeartRadio
and by Me Tommy, with editing by Joshua Colaudney. I've
Never Said This Before is part of the Elvis Duran
podcast network on iHeart Podcasts. For more, rate review and
subscribe to our show and if you liked this episode,
(38:33):
tell your friends. Until next time, I'm Tommy de Dario.
Host
Tommy DiDario
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