Lauren McQueen has reflected on the snobbery around soaps after leaving Hollyoaks and auditioning for other projects. Speaking with the Daily Mail, the actor, who is currently making waves as Marian in Robin Hood on MGM+, revealed that “some industry people” had “certain opinions” about soap operas.
“When I left Hollyoaks, I was aware some industry people had certain opinions about soaps, but it’s just a matter of persuading them that it doesn’t matter,” McQueen told the publication. “Because, actually, Hollyoaks was hard: being on set every day, the emotional storylines that you’re given, it’s hard work.”
McQueen, who portrayed Lily Drinkwell from 2017 to 2019, was nominated for four British Soap Awards and won two during her time on the series. Despite her success, however, the TV star experienced a particularly awkward meeting with one casting director after telling them that she’d appeared on Hollyoaks.
Noting that they “kind of snubbed it” and “rolled their eyes” when she mentioned the show, McQueen mused: “People have their own opinions, I guess.”
Following her tenure in Hollyoaks, which ended with McQueen’s character dying from sepsis, the TV star has gone on to land various roles in big-budget series, including Belgravia: The Next Chapter (2024), Masters of the Air (2024) and Outlander: Blood of My Blood (2025). She also appeared in Here (2024), an American drama film, alongside Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, and Paul Bettany, last year.
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As of November, McQueen’s latest project, Robin Hood, has officially debuted on MGM+, and the actor has already received praise for her performance as Marian. Comprised of ten episodes, the action-adventure series boasts a star-studded cast, with Connie Nielsen and Sean Bean appearing as Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Sheriff of Nottingham, respectively. Meanwhile, Australian actor Jack Patten, a newcomer to the industry, leads as Robin Hood.
In Radio Times’ review, the publication hailed McQueen as a “rising star”, adding: “A welcome addition is the influx of women in this world. Marian (Lauren McQueen) is far more than Rob’s love interest — she’s a woman reckoning with her abusive upbringing, complete with her own ambitions and convictions.”
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Meanwhile, Paste magazine added: “Patten and McQueen are sweetly adorable together, and the pairing is easy to root for, even when they occasionally struggle to navigate the uncomfortable friction between his people and hers.”
Robin Hood is currently available to watch on MGM+, which is accessible through Prime Video.
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