Lauren Cohan

Lauren Cohan ( ; born January 7, 1982) is an American–British actress known for her role as Maggie Rhee in the AMC post-apocalyptic horror television series The Walking Dead (2011–2018; 2020–2022), a role she reprises in The Walking Dead: Dead City (2023–present). Her other notable TV roles include Bela Talbot in the dark fantasy drama Supernatural (2007–2008), Rose in the supernatural teen drama The Vampire Diaries (2010–2012), Vivian McArthur Volkoff in the action comedy Chuck, Francesca "Frankie" Trowbridge in the action comedy-drama Whiskey Cavalier (2019), and War Woman in the adult animated superhero show Invincible (2021–2023). Her film appearances include the comedy Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj (2006), the psychological thriller horror The Boy (2016), the biographical drama All Eyez on Me (2017), and the action thriller Mile 22 (2018).

Early life Cohan was born Lauren Storholm in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, to an American father while her mother is Scottish. She was raised in New Jersey and spent a year in Georgia. When she was thirteen, her family moved to her mother's native United Kingdom, settling in Surrey, England.

She has younger half-siblings through her mother and father's remarriages. Cohan graduated from King Alfred's College, Winchester (now the University of Winchester) with a Bachelor of Arts in Drama and English literature.

Career

Film In 2006 and 2007, after her film debut in Casanova (2005) as Sister Beatrice, Cohan starred in the sequel to Van Wilder (2002), Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj, as Charlotte Higginson. Her next role was in the 2008 film Float. In February 2010, she was cast in Death Race 2 and was the lead in the 2016 supernatural-horror The Boy. Also in 2016, she appeared as Martha Wayne, Batman's deceased mother, in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and played Leila Steinberg in the 2017 biographical drama All Eyez on Me. In 2025 she appeared in the independent end of the world movie When I'm Ready, her first on-camera film appearance since 2018's Mile 22.

Television In 2007, Cohan garnered her first major supporting role, which was also described as a season lead, when she was cast for season three of Supernatural as Bela Talbot, a thief who procures valuable supernatural objects and sells them to rich and powerful people in the supernatural world. The character appeared in six episodes of the series. Her final appearance was in the penultimate episode of season three titled "Time Is on My Side".

Cohan played the recurring character Rose, a 560-year-old vampire, in The Vampire Diaries. In 2011, she joined the television series Chuck in a recurring role playing Vivian McArthur Volkoff, a "charming, sophisticated socialite" from the United Kingdom, and the daughter of primary villain, Alexei Volkoff. She also guest starred on shows such as Archer, Cold Case, CSI: NY, Life, and Modern Family.

Cohan starred in a pilot for The CW called Heavenly (2011) in which she played the lead character, Lily, an attorney who teams up with an angel; however, it was not picked up as a series.

In April 2011, Cohan was cast in her most notable role as Maggie Greene (later Maggie Rhee) on The Walking Dead, an AMC post-apocalyptic horror television series based on the comic book series of the same name. She first appeared in season two as a recurring character, but she became a series regular at the start of season three. The drama was the highest-rated series in cable television history in 2015. At the conclusion of the eighth season of The Walking Dead, Cohan completed her contract obligations as a series regular. It was later reported Cohan had not reached an agreement to sign on for season nine as a main cast member due to a pay dispute, as she demanded an increased salary closer to the salaries of her male co-stars Andrew Lincoln and Norman Reedus. AMC refused and Cohan began making herself available for TV pilots. Cohan eventually reached an agreement to appear in five episodes in the first half of season nine of The Walking Dead and departed the series in 2018.

In early 2018, in the midst of her contract negotiations with AMC regarding The Walking Dead, Cohan was cast as CIA operative Francesca "Frankie" Trowbridge in the ABC action comedy-drama Whiskey Cavalier. Whiskey Cavalier was picked up to series in May 2018 and premiered on February 24, 2019. ABC did not renew the series for a second season. In October 2019, it was reported that Cohan would return to The Walking Dead as a series regular in the series' eleventh and final season. Following the conclusion of the series, Cohan starred alongside Jeffrey Dean Morgan in the spinoff series The Walking Dead: Dead City, with both also serving as executive producers. In July 2023, the series was renewed for a second season.

Personal life Cohan lives and works in both London and Los Angeles.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2003 The Quiet Assassin Alessia Short film 2005 Casanova Sister Beatrice 2006 Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj Charlotte Higginson 2008 Float Emily Fulton 2010 Young Alexander the Great Leto 2010 Practical Lauren Short film 2010 Death Race 2 September Jones Direct-to-video 2014 Reach Me Kate 2016 The Boy Greta Evans 2016 Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Martha Wayne 2017 All Eyez on Me Leila Steinberg 2018 Mile 22 Alice Kerr 2022 Catwoman: Hunted Julia Pennyworth (voice) Direct-to-video 2025 When I'm Ready Julia

Television Year Title Role Notes 2007 The Bold and the Beautiful Forrester Creations Employee Episode: "Episode #1.4986" 2007–2008 Supernatural Bela Talbot Main role (Season 3); 6 episodes 2008 Valentine Joanna Clay Episode: "Pilot" 2009 Life Jackie Rolder Episode: "Initiative 38" 2010 Modern Family Receptionist Episode: "Unplugged" 2010 Cold Case Rachel Malone '86 Episode: "One Fall" 2010 CSI: NY Meredith Muir Episode: "Flag on the Play" 2010–2012 The Vampire Diaries Rose Recurring (Seasons 2–3); 6 episodes 2011 Heavenly Lily Pilot 2011 Chuck Vivian McArthur Volkoff Recurring (Season 4); 5 episodes 2011–2018; 2020–2022 The Walking Dead Maggie Greene Rhee Recurring role (season 2); 12 episodes Main role (seasons 3–11); 132 episodes 2012 Childrens Hospital Lulu Pratt Episode: "British Hospital" 2013 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Avery Jordan Episode: "Legitimate Rape" 2013; 2024 Whose Line Is It Anyway? Herself 2 episodes 2014 Archer Juliana Calderon (voice) Recurring (Season 5); 4 episodes 2014 Tim & Eric's Bedtime Stories Stephanie Episode: "The Bathroom Boys" 2016 Lip Sync Battle Herself Episode: "Sonequa Martin-Green vs. Lauren Cohan" 2016 The Mindy Project Ashley Guest (Season 4); 2 episodes 2017 Robot Chicken Maggie Greene (voice) Episode: "The Robot Chicken Walking Dead Special: Look Who's Walking" 2019 Whiskey Cavalier Francesca "Frankie" Trowbridge Main role; 13 episodes 2021; 2023 Invincible Holly / War Woman (voice) 2 episodes 2024 Twilight of the Gods Inge 2 episodes

Video games Year Title Role 2014 Destiny Exo Stranger Voice 2025 Dead by Daylight Maggie Rhee Playable character; voice and likeness

Awards and nominations