| Character Profile | List of appearances |
Marlena Magdelene Harmony "Nana" McQueen is the daughter of Queenie McQueen, the sister of Marguerite McQueen, the widow of Reggie and the mother of several children including Kathleen, Myra, Louis and Reenie McQueen.
Biography[]
1937-2007: Life Before Hollyoaks[]
Marlena McQueen was born in July 1937 to Queenie McQueen and an unknown man. She has a sister, Marguerite. As a young woman, Marlena was targeted by her father's best friend, but she kept quiet due to his 'war hero' status. In 1953, Marlena joined her family in watching Queen Elizabeth II's Coronation on her father's friend's television. She was lured into his bathroom and raped, and threatened into silence.
In her youth, Marlena dated Willy Trotter until catching him sleeping with another woman, Doris Platt, under Dee Valley Bridge. She later met Reggie, marrying him on 28th August 1961. Although serially unfaithul towards him, the pair began a family: their first daughter Myra was born in July 1966, followed by Kathleen in 1968, Louis some time later, Reenie in 1975, and another child after. In 1980, Myra fell pregnant by her boyfriend, thug Martin Brownlow, who was murdered in prison in August. Around Christmas, Myra gave birth to a son, but Marlena forced her hand into leaving him on the doorstep of St. Eustace's Catholic Church, believing Father Patrick would take care of him.
By 1991, Reggie had died and Marlena began dating Derek Clough. Derek was physically abusive towards Marlena and - unbeknownst to her - raped Reenie, resulting in the birth of Porsche McQueen. Marlena and Derek separated not long after. In 2007, Louis, who had joined the army, was killed whilst serving in Iraq.
2007-2009: Visits to the Family[]
By now affectionately known as "Nana McQueen", Nana arrived in July 2007 for her grandchildren Mercedes and Tina McQueen's upcoming wedding to Russ Owen and Dom Reilly. She returned in October 2007 after Carmel and John Paul McQueen were hospitalised following a carbon monoxide outbreak at a party. However, she soon started causing trouble by accusing Carmel of kissing Russ, and was sent away after being caught stealing the £500 compensation. She visited her family again at Christmas, falling out with Myra over the baby she made Myra give up in 1980.
In February 2008, Nana visited Myra following her arrest for benefit fraud, but received a frosty reception. She drunkenly confided in family friend Niall Rafferty about Myra's firstborn - unaware of Niall's true identity - and was beaten and left for dead by him. In September 2008, Tina and Dom visited Nana with their new baby Max. In November 2008, Nana returned for Tina's funeral after she was killed by Niall in an explosion at St. Eustace's Church. After complaining about Jacqui and John Paul's lack of attendance, then soon turning on Myra for Niall's behaviour, Mercedes kicked her out.
After Kathleen was imprisoned, Nana took in her daughter Theresa. However, Theresa turned up in Hollyoaks and slept with Jacqui's ex-boyfriend Tony Hutchinson (unaware that she was underage). Nana returned to collect her after Tony's arrest but Theresa opted to stay. In May 2009, Nana gifted Michaela McQueen a valuable painting of herself from a Dutch artist, but Michaela lost it and Leila Roy ended up paiting over it.
2012-2015: Stepping Up to Family Drama[]
Nana returns to the village after a few years of being in the background and absent by November 2012. Nana returns with Carmel in a bid to help Carmel get her life back on track in the village after her scarring accident the first task Nana does during her return is finding Carmel to go on a date with a man and she enlists Barney Harper-McBride to go on a date with her granddaughter. However, by the end of the year Carmel begins to date Lawyer, Jim McGinn.
In 2013, Nana has to support and help her family through some tough instances such as Myra being miss diagnosed thanks to a mix up by Mercedes' fiancée, Paul Browning, Mercedes later being kidnapped and held hostage by Clare Devine and having to help her granddaughter, Jacqui flee the country after scamming dangerous gangster, Trevor Royle and later on discovers Myra is "dead" however would later find out that Myra had to fake her death to rsacle the wrath of both Browning and Trevor. In 2014, Nana comforts Carmel when Jim is murdered by Fraser Black in January 2014. Nana would also find herself in the middle of Sonny Valentine's revenge plan and would at one point be attacked by Sonny. In November 2014, Nana is devastated when Carmel is killed and Mercedes goes missing by the end of the year Nana is pleased when Myra is allowed to come home from Alicante and the two support John Paul whom confesses he was raped by Finn O'Connor.
By April 2015, Nana's estranged and convicted daughter, Reenie McQueen arrives after being released from Prison and moves in with along with her three but already arrived daughters and husband Pete Buchanan whom Nana as well as the rest of the family ate totally unaware of Pete's sexual abuse towards Cleo. In May 2015, Nana is pleased to learn Mercedes is alive and well after originally believing she had been murdered by Freddie Roscoe. In June 2015, Nana along with the rest of the family are heartbroken when Phoebe is murdered by The Gloved Hand Killer. Nana is also devastated to learn Derek Clough abuser her daughter Reenie and allowed him to die in her home but by November 2015, Nana is unable to cope with the revelation that Pete has sexually abused both Porsche and Cleo and ends up writing a good bye letter to her family stating she has gone to Alicante leaving Myra angry.
2016-Present: Return and More Family Drama[]
Nana returns after the best part of a year away from the village when she's found at the McQueen's home by Myra in October 2016 during this return Nana is told about everything that has gone on during her absence such as Pete getting sentenced for the abuse of Cleo and vows to help Myra move on from her current husband Diego Salvador. In 2017, Nana shows up again to learn Cleo is pregnant and is in a relationship with Joel Dexter by November 2017, Nana is devastated to discover that Bart had been murdered by Warren for his supposed involvement in Warren's sister, Katy Fox's death.
In August 2018, Nana along with the McQueens attend a hen do to Ibiza for Mercedes and learn that she is due to marry Russ Owen again however Russ is murdered by Breda in November 2018. By March 2019, Nana steps up for the family after Myra departs the village and by November 2019, Nana tells Mercedes she is exiled from the family after her involvement in Grace Black's hit and run and pinning it on Harry Thompson but later finds Mercedes in The Loft unconscious after being shot however Mercedes survives and lies saying that Sylver was the culprit however this was not the case.
In January 2020, Nana is shocked to discover that her relative, Breda is a serial killer whom has killed several men over the past three decades whom she dubbed "bad dads" by the end of the year Nana and the rest of the family begun to be blackmailed by serial killer Silas Blissett and Seth Costello but the blackmail came to an end by February 2021. Nana discovers that John Paul has been emotionally as well as physically abused by his new boyfriend George Kiss and becomes a suspect in his murder however its revealed to be Sally St. Claire. In December 2021 Nana has a health scare and opts to go in a care home however she becomes better but by January 2022, Nana comforts the family after Sylver is killed during Salon de Thé de Marnie Explosion. On Christmas 2023 a furious Nana confronts Warren Fox who had been having an affair with Mercedes for the past few months and slaps him as she blames Warren for ruining the family Christmas. After a heated exchange with Warren, Nana is told to leave, she later discovers no one is home and is locked out in the snow, Nana then suffers a stroke whilst leaving Mercedes a voicemail.
Appendices[]
Residences[]
| Address | Duration |
|---|---|
| 26 Leigh Road | |
| The Dog in the Pond | |
| The Cage |
Employment History[]
Other Information[]
- In 2008, Michaela McQueen said that she was a "seventh child of a seventh child", implying that her mother Myra had at least six siblings.
- Nana's date of birth is 1937 as she was around 16 when she was raped in 1953. (Episode 3941 (1st September 2014))
- Nana's age was given as 82 in 2014.
Background Information[]
- Nana has not been seen on-screen since Episode 6289 (16th January 2024) for unknown reasons. In Episode 6367 (3rd May 2024), it was mentioned that Nana was in Spain.
Introduction sequence[]
- ???: Myra pops a party popper while Nana pops a bottle of champagne.
- 2018-2019: Nana sings karaoke with Myra, Sally and Bobby.
- 2019-2022: Nana swings round a microphone whilst singing karaoke with Sally and Bobby.
- 2022-: Nana steals a handbag from Sweater Thunberg.
See also[]
Gallery[]
| Current Characters |
|---|
| Tony Hutchinson • Jack Osborne • Darren Osborne • Nancy Osborne • Ste Hay • Mercedes McQueen • John Paul McQueen • Nana McQueen • Theresa McQueen • Lucas Hay • Diane Hutchinson • Liberty Savage • JJ Osborne • Frankie Osborne • Joel Dexter • Marie Fielding • Maxine Minniver • Sienna Blake • Robbie Roscoe • Freddie Roscoe • Peri Lomax • Leela Lomax • Grace Black • Cleo McQueen • Goldie McQueen • Prince McQueen • Misbah Maalik • Pearl Anderson • Zoe Anderson • Vicky Grant • Dillon Ray • Dilly Harcourt • Abe Fielding • Donny Clark • Martha Blake • Rex Gallagher • Jeremy Blake |