American Gods‘ third season recently began production, bringing the next chapter of Neil Gaiman’s beloved novel to life on the small screen. Season 3 is expected to revolve around the “Lakeside” portion of the book — and we just found out the latest actress that will be playing a role in that. According to a new report from Deadline, Lela Loren has been cast in a “pivotal recurring role” in the Starz series. The actress, who previously starred in Power and will appear in the second season of Altered Carbon, will be portraying Marguerite “Marge” Olsen, a resident of the sleepy town of Lakeside, WI.
Videos by ComicBook.com
While not native to Lakeside, Marguerite Olsen has become part of the fabric of the town as a trusted reporter for the local paper, a committed single mother of two, and a no-nonsense property manager. She is understandably wary of the pain vulnerability brings, but when Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) moves into her building, he begins to chip away at her defenses and uncover a side to Marguerite she thought she’d locked away for good.
In the books, Marguerite serves as a pivotal ally to Shadow, who is hiding in Lakeside under the name Mike Ainsel. She also serves as the half-sister of Samantha Black Crow, who was introduced in the television series last season.
Given where things ended in American Gods‘ second season, the pivot to Lakeside is certainly an interesting one for the show’s narrative. As series star Ian McShane recently pondered, there’s a chance that the show might outgrow the original source material sooner than later.
“Shadow has two revelations that happen with him which will have to be solved in Season 3,” McShane teased in a recent interview, adding that he’s not sure how much longer the Starz adaptation will run. “I’m wondering how long they can draw out the book. Will it end with Season 3, or will there be a Season 4, before Shadow takes wing on his own?”
American Gods Season 3 will be showrun by The Walking Dead and Dexter alum Charles “Chic” Eglee, after multiple behind-the-scenes changes occurred during the show’s first and second seasons.
“I’m thrilled American Gods has been renewed for a third season, and even more thrilled that I’m getting to work on it with Chic Eglee,” Gaiman said when Season 3 was initially greenlit. “Chic is the best partner-in-crime. We’ve been working for weeks now on the shape of the season and I’m delighted that he gets to carry the American Gods torch on to glory.”
What do you think of Loren joining American Gods Season 3? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
