NBC’s upcoming Constantine series hasn’t even aired yet, but word is trickling in that it’s lost its female lead. According to THR, Lucy Griffiths (True Blood), who plays Liv in the pilot episode, has left the show because “the creators opted to move in a different direction.”
Liv was set to be the show’s female lead and John Constantine’s protege. After being marked for death by a powerful demon, she gains the ability to see the supernatural world among us, and teams up with Constantine to join the battle of good vs. evil. Apparently her part in the battle will only last one episode, because the role is not being recast, and a different character will take her place.
Liv will be replaced by Zed, a name many Hellblazer fans will recognize. Zed is initially a foil for Constantine, but becomes his right-hand woman. She will appear in an early episode of the show, and usher in several more appearances from other Hellblazer characters and members of the occult DC comics universe.
Here’s what Constantine executive producer Daniel Cerone had to say about the decision in an interview with Entertainment Weekly:
“When you put a wide-eyed innocent into that world, she’s just very reactive. The nice thing about Swamp Thing, when he first teamed up with Constantine, was that Swamp Thing had abilities, Swamp Thing had skills. Constantine needed those skills. One of the coolest things about Constantine he doesn’t have any ‘powers.’ He came out of a time with all these superheroes with their garish colors and flashy powers, and he just comes out with a rumpled coat, wearing browns and greys, and he just knows a lot magic and spells, but it’s all knowledge-based. Anything he can do is based in knowledge and his own studying. Zed is actually one of the first women Constantine meets in the comic books, and she has various psychic powers. We felt ultimately she’s going to service the first season better as someone to pair Constantine up with. She can get in his face a little bit and have some of her own realizations and skills and really push him. But if whoever Constantine is working with is constantly on her heels, that just wouldn’t service the show really well.”
The role of Zed has yet to be cast, but likely will be soon. Constantine arrives in a dimension near you on Friday, October 24th on NBC.
Originally published July 11, 2014. Updated April 12, 2018.
