Exclusive Interview: Morgan Kohan Talks ‘Sullivan’s Crossing,’ Her Character’s Evolution, Collaborating with Chad Michael Murray, and More

Morgan Kohan, a dynamic young actress, has enthralled audiences with her standout performances in projects like When Hope Calls, The Bold Type, and Love on Harbor Island.

Her latest project, Sullivan’s Crossing, recently made its way to the States and is the definition of must-see TV. Adapted from Robyn Carr’s bestselling novels, Sullivan’s Crossing centers around Maggie Sullivan (played by Morgan Kohan), a prominent neurosurgeon who appears to have it all. However, her world crumbles when her business partner is implicated in fraud, and she faces charges of negligence. Seeking distance from the fallout, Maggie decides to leave Boston and return to her childhood haven, Sullivan’s Crossing, a rustic and remote campground along the breathtaking coastline still managed by her estranged father, Sully Sullivan (Scott Patterson).

In Sullivan’s Crossing, Maggie rekindles old friendships and forges new connections with local residents, including the intriguing newcomer, Cal Jones (Chad Michael Murray), who further complicates her life. As Maggie endeavors to clear her name and restore her reputation, she is compelled to confront her painful past, attempting to rediscover a side of herself long forgotten.

Pop Culturalist had the privilege of chatting with Morgan about Season 1 of Sullivan’s Crossing, the evolution of her character, her collaboration with Chad Michael Murray, and more!

PC: How did you discover your passion for the arts and storytelling?
Morgan: I grew up dancing; that was my outlet. It’s where I found a love for performing and storytelling. I loved it and pursued it for many years. I never reached the point of making it my career, but there was something special about being on stage. The dances I did were more story-based than technical. It’s been cool to look back and say, “That makes sense.”

Long story short, there was a time when I wasn’t sure what I was going to do, and I ended up in musical theater college. The program had everyone singing, dancing, and acting. That’s where I was thrust into a bunch of acting classes with scene studies, movement, vocal classes, and theory.

It was very eye-opening to this world. That’s definitely where my love really started.

PC: Who or what has had the biggest influence on your career?
Morgan: I had a couple of dance teachers who are first to mind. There was one dance teacher who suggested the school that I ended up going to because she saw something in me and what I loved so much about the passion of storytelling.

I was tall, lanky, and awkward. There were teachers who didn’t shove me in the back; they let me go forward. Those people have always had a real special place in my heart, and I have to thank them for the start of this trajectory.

PC: You’re one of the stars of Sullivan’s Crossing, which is being adapted from a popular book series. When you’re working on a project that’s existed in another medium, how much do you use that source material as you embark on this journey?
Morgan: At the very beginning, I read the first book because I really did want to have that understanding because it has a huge audience. I wanted to understand what it was all about. I’m so glad that I did that. But then as soon as I read it for the first time, I put it aside because when I’m stepping into this character, I want to build her for me from me without having too many opinions about what I think people would want from me to do as her. I auditioned without having read it, so it was about integrating the two.

PC: As you brought her to the screen, what’s one thing that you wanted to make sure was translated from page to screen? What’s something new that you brought to her?
Morgan: There are a lot of new things in there. Sully and Maggie’s relationship is such a huge part of our show. In the books, there isn’t so much of that distance there. They’re pretty good together and don’t have too many hard feelings. That was something that was brought in with Roma Roth, our showrunner. She’s brilliant and found those pockets to expand. That was a huge thing that was brought in.

PC: Something super universal about your character’s journey is there’s a lot of vulnerability when you’re going back to your hometown. As an actor that’s bringing that to life, how did you create this space for yourself to dive into that emotion? Did you channel any of your own personal experiences?
Morgan: I always try and bring my own experiences to my character, whether or not it’s very specific or exactly the same circumstances. That rarely happens. But there are definitely feelings of being let down or abandoned or whatever the situation is. I try and pull from that because that’s where you find the truth.

PC: You’ve also talked in the past about how collaborative it’s been working with Chad [Michael Murray] and how the two of you have been able to take what’s on the page and bring your own spin to it. How has that collaboration grown over time and how have you been able to push each other as artists?
Morgan: It’s been really wonderful because that trust continues to grow over time. It’s been wonderful. It’s exciting because as you get to know each other, you know how they’re going to come into a scene. Then you can bring your own ideas and mold them together. It’s also exciting when we come in with different ideas because it’s like, “Why not try something new?”

PC: One of the benefits of television as a medium is the opportunity to grow with a character over an extended period of time. Having played Maggie now for two seasons, what’s surprised you most about her journey?
Morgan: I’ve loved seeing her growth. You’ll have to wait and see what happens in Season 2. In Season 1, there is a lot of stuff that’s happening to her and she’s dealing with a lot. In Season 2, it’s nice to see her find some grounding. She’s helping other people with their situations. It’s been so nice to see that progress.

PC: You’re such an exciting voice in this industry. As you look ahead, is there a dream role that you’d like to bring to life?
Morgan: I’ve been so lucky throughout my career. I’m at the point where I want to do everything. I’m excited for whatever comes down the pipeline. I want to do a thriller. I want to do action. I want to do comedy. This is such a magical job. I’m so lucky to be doing it.

To keep up with Morgan, follow her on Instagram. Season 1 of Sullivan’s Crossing is now available to stream on the CW.

Photo Credit: LV IMAGERY