LEGENDS SURVIVE NOT BECAUSE THEY REMAIN FROZEN IN TIME, BUT BECAUSE THEY ARE CONTINUALLY RETOLD, RESHAPED, AND REIMAGINED.

Robin Hood, one of the world’s most enduring myths, has been adapted countless times, yet MGM+’s latest iteration reminds us why revisiting these stories is vital: to ensure they remain alive, urgent, and meaningful.

In this series, Maid Marian, portrayed by Lauren McQueen, is no longer a secondary figure; she is central to the story, a young woman finding her voice amid rigid hierarchies, inherited prejudice, and the weight of expectation. Marian’s journey, from sheltered daughter to independent force, reflects not only the challenges of her 12th century world but also echoes our contemporary moment. Stories, like societies, must evolve. They must wrestle with questions of power, justice, and freedom, and illuminate what it means to resist, adapt, and grow. Through McQueen’s portrayal, Marian becomes both a product of her era and a mirror for ours: a character who confronts inherited systems, discovers her own voice, and asserts her moral and emotional agency in ways that resonate far beyond legend. This adaptation is a reminder that myths are not static: they are living, breathing tools for understanding ourselves and the world around us. By reinterpreting Marian, the series demonstrates why stories must shift and expand, why legends must adapt, and why new generations must be allowed to see themselves reflected in the characters they inherit. It is in this evolution that Robin Hood finds its enduring power, and it is through McQueen’s performance that Marian takes her place as a heroine for our time.

PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID REISS  STYLING ABIGAIL WHITE
INTERVIEW DAVID GARGIULO

David Gargiulo __ What’s something in your personal life right now that’s been making you feel grounded or happy?

Lauren McQueen __ Well, I’ve just bought a house in Liverpool.

DG __ Congratulations!

LMQ __ Thank you! Liverpool will always be home for me. So after going to Serbia for six months to film Robin Hood, and then doing the premieres in LA and London, it feels really grounding to come back home. Having a bit of normality, being with family and friends, and having a house here just makes me really happy.

DG __ Nice. How was the premiere in LA?

LMQ __ It was amazing. I went to LA nine years ago, and at that time I’d only done one independent film. I was so new, had no real experience, and was going into meetings with casting directors and management. Coming back nine years later to show what we’d been up to for six months is something I’m really proud of. It was just incredible. Being involved in a period drama like Robin Hood has always been a dream, and it felt like a full-circle moment.

DG __ When you first read the role of Marian in the new adaptation of Robin Hood, what surprised you most about how this series reimagined her?

LMQ __ When I read the brief about the series, I was really excited that they were bringing this modern energy into the story. Obviously, we’ve had many adaptations before, but in this one, all the characters have their own clearly defined journeys. When I read that Marian was described as this daring and courageous woman, that immediately appealed to me, especially as a character living in the 12th century. Then, reading the first episode and learning more about her personal life, her childhood, and her relationship with her father, I was really drawn in. In the past, people have mostly known Marian just as Rob’s love interest. So I was really excited to explore her as an individual. And it was empowering and inspiring to see how all the women in the series are written. For example, when Marian meets Queen Eleanor later in the series, she really brings out her power. Marian finally finds her own voice and makes choices on her own terms. That journey from an inexperienced young woman, someone who hasn’t had many interactions outside her home or the forest, to the person she becomes is amazing to play.

DG __ When I watched the series, I realized how Marian evolves from a character who, in the books, is more of a supporting love interest, to someone who really becomes central, a hero in her own right.

“THE WRITERS, JONATHAN ENGLISH AND JOHN GLENN, DIDN’T WANT TO WRITE MARIAN AS A VICTIM AND I DIDN’T WANT TO PLAY HER AS ONE EITHER.”

— LAUREN MCQUEEN ON ROBIN HOOD

DG __ I can only imagine. How do you get into character and feel scared when, as you said, you know it’s not real, and it can even feel kind of funny? How do you make it authentically terrifying?

AKA __ There are two ways I approach it. For more psychological fear, I think deeply about the character’s perspective. For example, I had a scene where my character confronts someone very frightening but significant from her life. I really put myself in her mindset: imagining that this person could actually harm me, thinking about who or what I’m truly afraid of, and connecting it to real emotions. When there’s a close-up on the eyes, I go fully for it, trying to channel authentic fear. Other times, the fear is more physical. In those scenes, I might not fully believe the threat, so I rely on my body to convey it. I do one take, and if it doesn’t feel right, I build it up physically until it reads as real. I find that physicality is easier on the mind and emotions, so when I can, I lean on it. It also depends on the shot. If the camera is far away, it’s all about physical expression. If it’s a tight close-up, it’s about showing every thought and emotion in my eyes. So, my approach shifts depending on what the scene requires. I hope it makes sense!

DG __ It does! And it’s a good segue into my next question. You mentioned having two different approaches. Do you tend to work more in a structured way, or do you prefer space to experiment and improvise?

AKA __ I tend to spend a long time preparing before filming. I ask myself every question I can think of, and I try to plan certain moments in certain scenes. That gives me a bit of structure. But the truth is, once I’m on set, I have to let go of all of that. If I arrive with a plan and it usually doesn’t work because it’s not in the moment. Luckily, my body remembers what I’ve prepared, so it can come out naturally and organically, without feeling forced. I always want it to come from a real, authentic place, not just “acting.” It’s a bit hit-or-miss. Some scenes work incredibly well. Magic happens and moments we discussed months ago with the director suddenly emerge in ways we didn’t expect. Other times, it doesn’t happen, but the scene can still work because the preparation is there, and you can play it out. I love those magical moments, when things come alive organically, and often that energy comes from the other actor in the scene. We’re just in the moment together: reacting, listening, and building something real.

DG __ Oh do tell. Give me an example from The Witcher. How did that magical moment you mentioned happened?

AKA __ The Witcher was special. My character is an elf. We played a gang, The Rats, and we were part of Ciri’s storyline. I remember a truly magical moment. What made it magical was the way our relationships and camaraderie came together. In the beginning, we didn’t know each other; we came from all sorts of different backgrounds. But suddenly, on set, something just clicked. We would go for drinks together, come up with little quirks and banter that were ours alone, and it started to shine through in our chemistry. It showed up in tiny movements: the way someone would punch someone else, little improvisations, and in the later episodes, we had a lot of room for fun and playful moments. Without spoiling anything, we really began to bring our own personalities into our characters, and that created many magical moments between all of us. We became a total unit, communicating even without words. That was joyful. We were lucky because connecting six people who play a family from all sorts of different backgrounds can sometimes feel flat. But the spark happened. Incidentally, Iskra, the name of my character, means “spark” in Polish.

DG __ I had no idea. That is so appropriate! What was it like immersing yourself in The Witcher’s world, which is so rich in myth, power, and politics?

AKA __ Oh, even just being at the premiere, I realized you don’t really grasp the scope of it. The world is huge; so many lands, so many cultures, and there’s this huge parallel to our own world. For me, the biggest parallel is the persecution by humans of other creatures, which really stands in for our own prejudices and phobias. We literally mistreat and kill those who are “other.” It's a stark reflection on humanity. I hope viewers see that. A lot of it also comes from the stories themselves. Andrzej Sapkowski wrote The Witcher during the Cold War in Poland, so the political dynamics, the Russian occupation, German occupation, and other complex historical events, inform the story. Even after studying it, I still find it complicated. That complexity translates directly into the relationships in The Witcher: someone can be both your enemy and your ally at the same time. It’s never just good guy and bad guy; it’s layered and morally intricate. There’s also Slavic mythology woven throughout, which I find really cool. And, of course, I loved playing an elf. I got to work on her heightened senses because she hears more than others, is deeply empathetic, and even has visions. That was such a joy to explore.

“MODERN ADAPTATIONS RESONATE WITH MY GENERATION AND WILL CONTINUE TO CONNECT WITH FUTURE ONES.”

— LAUREN MCQUEEN ON ROBIN HOOD

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