Instagram/@laurencohan
Lauren Cohan has given us an insight into the actress’ transition to her character Maggie during ‘The Walking Dead: Dead City’ by composing Ian Hultquist’s music, which was the biggest impact on her performance, the whole process happening over the course of days. The actress said she performed her preliminary musical drafts while driving to the studio and mentally used the music to travel to the TV series’ post-apocalyptic realm. This very private representation of their preparation reveals the partnership between actors and musicians, which is usually not so evident in a television series, but creates a different atmosphere.
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Cohan’s Instagram post was treated as an announcement and not a surprise that Ian Hultquist’s complete musical score for the Dead City series was available for the public to listen to. Cohan described his works as the “very nature of the mood of the show” and, at the same time, noted that the music is what allows the show to be perceived as a different entity with its own character, separate from the main ‘The Walking Dead’ series. The announcement created an instant buzz among fans of the franchise, especially since the third season of the show is already being planned.
Songwriter Ian Hultquist thanked Cohan not only with a post, but also hinted at new content. “Lauren! Thank you so much,” Hultquist wrote, “Speaking of which, I actually have a new one to send you.” The interaction between the protagonist and the composer gave audiences a rare glimpse into their creative partnership, indicating that the musical collaboration continues while filming takes place.
Numerous commentaries have mentioned that Cohan’s technique for playing the score is similar to that of other creative individuals. One of them commented: “It’s great that you listened ahead to inform your character choices!” In saying this, the commentary goes some way to revealing that actors often go beyond the script to extract a performance, and music, in this case, turns out to be one of the strongest emotional anchors.
The future of the program was discussed most of the time. “I literally can’t wait for season 3,” said one fan, and another added, “the soundtrack is fantastic; I can’t wait to see season 3.” The simultaneous release of the score and production update created an exciting atmosphere surrounding the next chapter of the series.
Cohan’s post not only entertained but also emotionally connected with the audience by forcing them to reflect on the show. One viewer had a very personal reaction: “This post was a big surprise to me, I had just come back from my treatment and saw this beautiful post and suddenly all the tiredness of the day disappeared.” Such responses remind us of the times when celebrity communication provided comfort or distraction in difficult times simply by being present at the right time.
However, there were some negative responses; one critic wrote in Spanish: “It’s very boring, they change the plot!” This is an example of a person who has a totally different set of expectations than established franchises and their derivatives and is very quick to express his dissatisfaction. An audience that is invested in the direction of the universe will always express a variety of reactions to every artistic decision.
Additionally, there were also signs in the thread that some viewers were unclear about the overall ‘Walking Dead’ universe, when one person asked, “After The Walking Dead, can anyone tell me what the order is? Keep watching!” This illustrates that although the franchise is already quite big, it can still be very difficult for casual viewers to find their way in the ever-expanding world of spin-offs and sequels.
Cohan’s confession about her working method illuminates the fact that making a television series involves a lot of collaboration. The actress’s use of Hultquist’s music to connect her daily commute to the fictional world of ‘Dead City’ is a clear indication that actors develop the ability to bring their characters to life and thus become indistinguishable from them. This could be one of the reasons why Cohan’s performances as Maggie have been so believable and therefore so embraced by the franchise.
The release of ‘Dead City’ music is nothing less than a pre-warning to fans of the series’ diminished but still existing connection during the season gap. Hultquist’s music now presents itself like many before him in the film industry as an independent artist while also evoking the world he has helped create. For loyal viewers, access to this music is another layer of connection to the plot and characters they have followed for years.
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In the end, Lauren Cohan’s post was able to accomplish several goals simultaneously: it promoted the soundtrack that was released, generated anticipation for the upcoming season, and even revealed the behind-the-scenes artistic collaboration that made ‘The Walking Dead: Dead City’ so vibrant. In addition to recognizing Hultquist’s contribution, his message is also a reminder that the entire television production process is very much a team effort in which every element, including those that often go unnoticed,
