Laura Marcus is Electric in Timely New Netflix Series, Death By Lightning

The up-and-coming actor talks about her role as the ”smart as steel, very saucy” daughter of US President Garfield, in Netflix’s new stranger-than-fiction political period thriller

In Death By Lightning, Matt Ross’s stranger-than-fiction Netflix series starring Michael Shannon, Matthew Macfadyen, Betty Gilpin and Nick Offerman, breakout star Laura Marcus excels in a supporting role which consolidates her position as a compelling new force on-screen.

The four-episode limited series, created by Mike Makowsky, directed by Ross (Captain Fantastic) and produced by David Benioff and DB Weiss (Game of Thrones), retells the true story of political unrest and bipartisan divide in late 19th-century America. Set in a not-so-United States, the show follows the assassination of James A Garfield (played by Shannon), who served as the 20th president of the United States from March to September 1881, before his death as a result of an assassination attempt by Charles J Guiteau (Macfadyen). 

“There was something eerie about how much the present day seemed to echo the story we were filming,” says Marcus, who plays Mollie Garfield, the president’s daughter. Known for her roles in BBC’s Bad Education and Warner Bros’ The Great Escaper (alongside Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson), Marcus will next appear in the Hunger Games franchise’s upcoming film, Sunrise on the Reaping, in 2026.

Filmed in the run up to the Trump versus Harris election, there was a mounting sense of anxiety on and off set, Marcus tells us. “The divisive nature of this election, the anxiety we all felt because of politics – these factors constantly reminded us of the importance of telling stories like this.” 

President Garfield, once deemed a “radical” Republican for his push towards total abolition, stands in the series as a symbol of progress halted. Nearly 150 years on, the story somehow remains unnervingly close to home; the political unrest is palpable. “Death by Lightning serves as a stark reminder that history hasn’t progressed as much as we might have thought.” 

Several stories unfurl throughout the show: the first is of a perturbing and forgotten history, which resurfaced in Candice Millard’s 2011 non-fiction book, Destiny of the Republic. Encouraged by Garfield’s pledge for political change, civilian Charles J Guiteau (Macfadyen) played an active part in the campaigning that saw Garfield elected. After an unsuccessful face-to-face with the president, where Guiteau is denied the recognition he believes he deserves, he feels the administration has failed him, and descends into a madness that ultimately proves fatal to the president. 

But beneath the historical drama lies an intimate portrait of family. As the Garfields move from their farm in Ohio to Washington DC, politics erode the domestic sphere. Betty Gilpin is magnetic as Lucretia Garfield, the president’s wife, and Marcus shines as his daughter in a performance that is tender, confident and captivating. Calm yet commanding, the British actress holds her space with a natural charisma, supporting her father (Shannon) from his unforeseen election to his short-term presidency and through to his final moments with empathy and control. 

Playing a historical figure brought its own challenges. “With any character who is a real person, I do my best to try to find out as much as I can about them,” says Marcus. “In old diaries and stories, Mollie was often described as an ‘incredibly precocious, whip smart and witty individual’. There’s a beautiful quote from her grandmother, Eliza, who described her as ‘merry as a cricket, smart as steel, very saucy’.” 

One key moment sees Mollie stand up to her father over his decision to turn a blind eye to the protection, or lack thereof, of migrant workers as a means to keep votes – a scene that resonated with Marcus. “There is something really pressing in these current times about standing up for what you believe in, and ensuring you are on the right side of history,” she says. “Her powerlessness in spite of her outrage felt like a hauntingly familiar feeling.”

This arc rang true for the young actor in more ways than one. “It addressed a code that would have affected my ancestors, as my family on my dad’s side emigrated out of China for work during this time, so it felt meaningful as it was like, in some slightly hippy-dippy way, acknowledging their lives and sacrifices.” 

Ross’ direction, Marcus adds, brought both humour and humanity to the story. “He has this amazing way of making dialogue that is incredibly grounded yet soulful, combined with this acerbic, dry sense of humour that makes all his characters incredibly endearing,” she says. “I remember Mike and Matt talking about how they went back and forth over what the ending should be, and I love how it ends with family. It feels emblematic of Mike’s writing: through all the politics and ‘fuck yous’, there’s a heart and soul to these people. At the end of the day, it’s a story about people and their relationships, not a history presentation.”

Death by Lightning is available to stream on Netflix now.