The Walking Dead has lost a number of its core cast members in the past season, but whereas Tom Payne’s Jesus recently returned for a flashback cameo and Andrew Lincoln is confirmed to be reprising Rick Grimes for his own spinoff movie trilogy, we’ve yet to see Lauren Cohan back as Maggie on the hit AMC series since she vanished in episode 5.
It’s always been maintained that we haven’t seen the last of the character though, who’s been with the show since season 2, and now the actress seems more confident than ever that Maggie will return. While speaking on Busy Tonight, the star – who’s moved on to ABC comedy Whiskey Cavalier – was asked if she missed playing Maggie at all, to which Cohan admitted that she does but was quick to emphasize that she hasn’t said goodbye to TWD forever.
“I do but I’m not done, I’m not done,” she told host Busy Phillips. “We’re hoping we go back. Just trying to live in the unknowing.”
The explanation behind Maggie’s exit from the show certainly leaves the door open for Cohan to return in any capacity she wants. Following the six-year time jump, it was said that Maggie had left the Hilltop to help start a new community, which fans believe is likely the Commonwealth. As such, the character could easily return from this mission at some point and fit back into the show.
Alternatively, she could even lead her own spinoff which follows her experiences building this new haven in the post-apocalyptic world. Cohan’s previously teased that this is a genuine option that’s being considered, too, as she admitted that there “may have been some conversations” on the topic. Still, like she says above, nothing’s finalized yet, so let’s all just learn to live in the “unknowing” that the star speaks of.
In the meantime, The Walking Dead season 9 continues to unfold Sundays on AMC.