interview by JANA LETONJA
Welsh actress Lauren Morais is quickly establishing herself as one of the most exciting rising talents to watch. With making her Marvel debut as Lisa Molinari in VisionQuest, she is stepping into the global spotlight while remaining deeply connected to her roots. A graduate of the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, she is making Marvel history as the first actor to portray a character with a Welsh accent, bringing a new dimension of representation to the superhero universe. Proud of her Welsh heritage and identity as a queer, mixed-race actress, Lauren is equally passionate about championing the Welsh language and supporting the next generation of performers. As she prepares for a defining moment in her career, we speak to her about entering the Marvel Universe, embracing complex characters, the importance of representation, and the ambitions shaping her future.
photography by DAVID REISS
You made to make your Marvel debut in VisionQuest. How does it feel to be joining such an iconic cinematic universe at this stage in your career?
Wow, it feels like a huge privilege and very exciting. It’s lush to be part of a universe full of so many fans with such a lore behind it already. It was great to get stuck into the character and have so many references to go off. Also, I’m such a fan myself. I absolutely love Agatha All Along and Wandavision, so it’s really surreal experience to now be part of it.
What drew you to Lisa Molinari, and what makes her an interesting character to portray?
I think what drew me to her was her wit and empathy in the early scenes I read. I had no idea who she was when I first read her, but I was drawn to that. As the casting process went on, I discovered she’s a pick pocket, scam artist, and that’s such a fun person to play as a woman. She has an edge and I’m drawn to edgy characters. In my final round, I found out she was Lisa Molinari and found out she had arms and a really cool coat and I thought that’s a bit of me. Furthermore, my partner introduced me to Agatha All Along, and that was a very female ensemble in the MCU, another strong character is Wanda and thought it was amazing to play another strong woman in this story.
How would you describe Lisa’s personality, motivations, and the role she plays in the story?
I think the role she plays is, at the start of the series, Tommy’s partner in crime. She’s a survivor, but also deeply caring and almost all knowing. I feel like she knows everything about this world. I also feel like she is complicated because of the way she has to survive. She makes quick judgements of people which sometimes helps in her favour, but sometimes goes against her with her relationship with Vison being this new presence in Tommy’s life. I think she’s a bit jealous of it, but I think that’s an interesting side of her. She fights for what she believes in, she’s a really good friend, a really loyal person and she’s really good in any crisis.
Marvel productions are known for their scale, secrecy, and devoted fan base. What surprised you most about stepping onto a Marvel set for the first time?
How huge it is. Everything is vastly considered and full of detail, and there are little easter eggs in the background that maybe I wouldn’t even know about, which is so fun to be able to watch a series back and find things that other people will be able to find. Even on set, Todd Stathwick would be like “That’s so cool’ and he could explain all the lore behind something on set. You can tell Marvel are really considerate of their fans and they do it for the fans. It was fun to be on Madripoor set as it felt like a different world. Me and Ruaridh would always come off it and be like “How are we still in England right now,” especially when we finished at 5am.
You’re making Marvel history by portraying a character who retains your Welsh accent. How meaningful is that milestone to you, both personally and professionally?
Being Welsh is such a huge part of my identity. The arts are in our culture. When I was younger, I participated in the Eisteddfod. I would act and sing and recite poetry in it, so it’s a huge part of why I am in the career I’m in now. I also really wanted to have a Welsh accent in the MCU because I think it’s so cool. I knew Ruaridh had a Scottish accent, I thought they could mesh together really well, and to show people another accent that we have that some people would never have heard before. I originally auditioned in an Essex accent for a couple of rounds, then the last round I did Essex, northern, American, and recently found out the makeup designer Fran said to Terry, “Let her do it in Welsh”, and I did. He must have liked it as the next day when I got the job, at the rehearsed reading, I took a chance and did it in my own accent. I asked Terry at the end if it was ok, and he just said to me “Go for it”. From there, I asked our costume designer Sarah Young if I could have a Welsh necklace which you can see in the first episode. I wanted people to know she came from Wales to London and is surviving, Welsh accent in tact.
You’ve remained passionate about working in Welsh-language productions and preserving the language through your work. Why is it important to you to continue championing Welsh storytelling as your career becomes increasingly international?
Welsh is one of the oldest languages and it’s so important to keep it alive. My schooling was in Welsh, a lot of my relationships are through Welsh language. It’s really cool that in 2026 we have Welsh films and TV series and are slowly getting more known. I think it’s epic considering the history of how people tried to get rid of our language, but we are still here. I aim to get a Welsh word into the MCU. I’m still working on it.
You graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in 2023, and your career has already taken an exciting turn. Looking back, what experiences during your training most shaped you as a performer?
I think text study was a big one for me, because growing up I didn’t really go to drama clubs after school. Going to drama school gave me the tools to learn how to study text and nuances in text like subtext, and it made me very passionate about it. It’s shaped how I approach every script I’ve done so far. Voice lessons were also a big one for me because Royal Welsh were good at focusing on keeping my accent, but making it clearer, and it’s definitely served me well working on TV and film.
What kinds of characters and stories naturally attract you? Are you particularly drawn to complex, morally ambiguous roles, or do you enjoy exploring completely different personalities?
I love stories of female rage and scorned women because I think it’s really important we see the messy side of being a woman. I think we are very interesting. I love playing villains, and I’m excited to play grown women. I’ve played a lot of teenagers, which is great because that’s messy and confusing, but as I grow older, I can’t wait to play mature roles.
Who were your biggest acting inspirations growing up, and is there a particular performer whose career you admire today?
I think the performance I vividly remember seeing and thought that is incredible was Viola Davis in Fences, and her monologue about standing with Troy. She is so fierce and deeply moving, and messy. There was snot, she was crying, she was completely in it. I watched it in the cinema and remember being so impacted by that performance and just kept thinking about it. There are multiple times I go back to watch it because she is so detailed in that speech and I just think she is one of the best actors of our time.
When you’re not filming or travelling for work, what does your ideal day look like? How do you stay grounded amid the excitement of an increasingly busy career?
I play a lot of video games on my switch and on my PS5. I love Stardew Valley, I’ve got my own farm, I harvest my crops, I water my plants, that’s a lot for a girl to do. I also play Red Dead Redemption and I’m a cowboy, stealing things, but I am on the moral path I promise.
With VisionQuest introducing you to a global audience, what would you love to explore next? Are there particular genres, filmmakers, or dream roles on your wish list?
I think coming back to strong, powerful women, I really like the Greek tragedies. I ‘d love to play Antigone, and when I’m older, I’d love to play Medea. Again, both complex women. I would love to explore the horror genre, I’ve been told I have a face for horror, and I’m taking that as a good thing. I really like Mike Flanagan who directed Carrie. Absolutely adored The Haunting of Bly Manor, I’ve watched it multiple times, and I just started Carrie and I think it’s epic.
