Lauren Cohan’s temporary exit from The Walking Dead wasn’t about zombies—it was about knowing her worth and finding new horizons.

Putting the human struggle for survival in a world overrun by the undead, The Walking Dead is a staple in the zombieverse. Having gone on for a whopping eleven seasons, the series managed to build itself a massive and loyal fanbase who still swear by the show’s intensity. The Walking Dead starred Andrew Lincoln in the lead role of Rick Grimes but the actor walked away from the show during its ninth season.

Andrew Lincoln in The Walking Dead | AMC
There is another cast member who left the show, albeit temporarily, in the same season as Andrew Lincoln – Lauren Cohan. The actress was caught in the middle of negotiations for season nine and when things didn’t seem to be going her way, she contemplated quitting the show for good.

Lauren Cohan Walked Out of The Walking Dead

Lauren Cohan as Maggie Greene in The Walking Dead | AMC
While Andrew Lincoln said goodbye to his character in order to spend time with his family (via Entertainment Weekly), Lauren Cohan’s reason was a little different. When the cast of The Walking Dead were having their contracts renewed for season 9, Cohan asked for a pay increase for her role.

A lot of back and forth happened between Cohan and AMC and in the end, it was decided that the actress who plays Maggie Greene would sign on for the ninth season only for a handful of episodes before she went her separate way.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Cohan was asked about what was going through her mind during the negotiations. The actress opened up about how “surprised” she was and took it as a sign to move on to bigger and better things, which in her case was her new show, Whiskey Cavalier.

I kind of felt in some ways surprised, to be honest with you. And I took that, how baffled I was, and thought, ‘Okay, well that’s a sign. This is maybe just not a fit anymore.’ To feel like we weren’t lining up in so many ways I just thought, ‘Okay, well, maybe that means something.’ But in my personal life, as well as in my career, I always end up being really appreciative of things exactly as they turned out.

Because as an actor and as an artist, you’re bringing your sensitivity to your job, but I need to be able to flip the switch and just look at this in a professional way. I felt like in order to be my own guardian angel I had to put on a business head to protect the personal side of me.

Cohan appeared in the first five episodes of season nine and then departed from the series. Her last episode was titled What Comes After, which is the same episode that Lincoln left The Walking Dead in.

Lauren Cohan had no Ill Feelings Toward The Walking Dead

Lauren Cohan in Season 9 Episode 5, ‘What Comes After’ | AMC
Cohan had been a part of The Walking Dead for almost a decade. While this should have made it a bit too difficult for her to make her exit, the actress realized she would have to depersonalize the situation and realize that change is a constant part of her life

Despite her decision to move on, Cohan had no ill feelings toward the show and credits it for opening doors for her as an actress and allowing her to build friendships that would last a lifetime.

The Supernatural actress told EW,

The greatest maturation has been depersonalizing it, and the end lesson has been knowing that that’s a part of life. I have had the best part of my life on the show, and the show has given me opportunities that I think we all dream of having as an actor, and it was just time to move on. And, on a personal level, I have had the time to build deep lasting friendships with people that I will never lose. That’s something I think has nudged me into this next venue of exploration, which is a new show, a new genre, and a new direction.

Even though Cohan had said goodbye to Maggie Greene, she did not close the doors for a future return. Fans later learned that she would be returning to the show as a series regular in season eleven, the final season of The Walking Dead.