East of Eden Star Christopher Abbott Has Been Quietly Building an Incredible Career For Years

Our product picks are editor-tested, expert-approved. We may earn a commission through links on our site. Why Trust Us?Jason Speakman/MH Illustration/HBO/Universal/Searchlight Pictures/Netflix5 min readCHRISTOPHER ABBOTT RECENTLY described the moment when he was introduced to a massive auditorium full of Marvel fans as their new Professor Charles Xavier—the leader of the X-Men—as “a bit of a dream and a nightmare,” because “I kind of felt like a lot of people there didn’t know who I was.”That’s unfortunate for those people, because Abbott, 40, has been putting in consistently great work in movies and on television for 15 years and counting. And with X-Men just around the corner, his time as an actor anyone doesn’t know is rapidly dwindling.But before he begins to inhabit the headspace of one of Marvel’s most powerful telepaths, he’ll take on another iconic role: Adam Trask in Netflix’s new take on East of Eden. Adam is one of the central characters in John Steinbeck’s sprawling epic novel, a thoughtful soldier turned settler whose primary flaw is his own naiveté—a quality that comes and goes and that he can never quite get a handle on. This adaptation comes from co-showrunner Zoe Kazan, whose grandfather Elia Kazan directed the 1955 East of Eden movie that made James Dean a star. In expanding her adaptation to a limited series, Kazan gets the chance to dive deeper on the book than the film ever did, and it gives Abbott a juicy, complex, role to sink his teeth into—exactly the type of character that’s made him such an interesting actor to date.If you’re watching East of Eden, waiting on X-Men, or perhaps all of the above, you might be curious to check out Abbott’s work and what he can do. And he’s proven that he can do a lot. Below, we’ve highlighted some of his best roles to date, showcasing his skills in spaces that include, but are not limited to, comedy, drama, action, and even horror.Watch East of Eden HereGirls (2012 - 2013) HBOAbbott’s breakthrough role came as Charlie, the kind-hearted boyfriend of Alison Williams’s vapid Marnie, in Lena Dunham’s HBO series Girls. He was a recurring character throughout the show’s first two seasons before abruptly exiting the series, but he would later return for a later episode, season 5’s “The Panic in Central Park,” which is one of the best television episodes of the century—for any show.Watch It HerePossessor (2020)Elevation PicturesPossessor absolutely rules. This film from Brandon Cronenberg (son of David) slipped under the radar a bit when it was initially released in the dark ages of 2020, but it’s a high-concept thriller that sucks you in from the first minute—and really works. The film follows an assassain (Andrea Riseborough) who kills her targets by taking over the consciousness of people close to them. One of the people she takes over is the husband-to-be of a target’s daughter, played by Abbott. The movie is kind of like Collateral meets Invasion of the Body Snatchers but set in a surreal world. Just toss it on—you won’t regret it.Watch It HereJames White (2015)The Film ArcadeAbbott’s first post-Girls breakthrough performance came in James White, a crushing drama where he plays the titular character. Abbott plays James, a flailing twenty-something struggling to balance the many stresses of life. Abbott and Cynthia Nixon (who plays his sick mother) are fantastic together.Watch It HereCatch-22 (2019)HuluAbbott takes on the lead role of Yossarian in Hulu’s adaptation of Joseph Heller’s iconic anti-war novel, which was directed by George Clooney. Like East of Eden, Hulu’s Catch-22 allows for a more in-depth adaptation of the novel than any prior version, and Abbott is a natural pick as the man at the center of it all, trying to prove he’s not fit to serve.Watch It HereIt Comes at Night (2017) A24It Comes at Night marks one of Abbott’s most intriguing dives into the horror-thriller space. The film imagines the depths people would go to if a deadly plague wiped people out, and made resources sparse and people widely paranoid of everyone and everything around them. Abbott bounces off well with costars Joel Edgerton and Riley Keough, and the movie makes for a strong creepy, grim watch.Watch It HereThe Sinner (2017)USA NetworkAbbott starred alongside Jessica Biel in the first season of anthology series The Sinner. The setup is simple and compelling: a woman (Jessica Biel) stabs a man she seemingly does not know to death on a public beach inexplicably. Case closed, right? The Sinner tells viewers that there can be much more to a story than what first meets the eyes. Abbott plays Biel’s husband, a role that lets him put his pragmatic nature on display.Watch It HereSweet Virginia (2017)IFC FilmsTwo of our favorites come together in Sweet Virginia, a movie that pairs a hitman (Abbott) with a former rodeo champion (Jon Bernthal) in a small town setting—and the story really gets going from there. Probably for the best to go in knowing as little as possible, but Abbott plays wonderfully against type in this one, trading in his calm, kind tendencies to play someone a bit more unhinged.Watch It HerePoor Things (2023)Searchlight PicturesAbbott doesn’t enter Yorgos Lanthimos’s masterful Poor Things until the third act, but man does he make an impression. As Bella Baxter’s (Emma Stone) husband, Abbott hams it up all the way and is totally despicable from his first moment on screen. Lanthimos has always had a major talent for getting great performances out of his actors, and he helps Abbott give one his best to date in this Oscar-winning film.Watch It HereWolf Man (2025)UniversalIt’s worth noting, too, that Abbott hasn’t just been hanging out in indie films and buzzy awards-level fare. He’s also dabbled in major blockbusters as well, perhaps most notably in Wolf Man. In this reinvention of the classic Universal Monster story, he plays a father who slowly succumbs to a terrible fate that no one wanted.Watch It HereBlack Bear (2020)Momentum PicturesIf you’re looking for a psychological drama that will get the gears in your brain moving (and features a whole lot of great acting), look no further than Black Bear, another great movie that was a bit overlooked due to its release in 2020. The movie follows two distinct stories with a John Cassavetes/Gena Rowlands style of throwback energy. It’s also notable for bringing Abbott and co-star Aubrey Plaza together for the first time; The two recently welcomed a baby together.Watch It HereThe Testament of Ann Lee (2025)Searchlight PicturesYou kind of just have to see this one, which tells the true story of real-life historical figure (and kind-of cult leader) Ann Lee, played brilliantly by Amanda Seyfried. Abbott gives a typically strong performance as her unforgiving husband.Evan is the culture editor for Men's Health, with bylines in The New York Times, MTV News, Brooklyn Magazine, and VICE. He loves weird movies, watches too much TV, and listens to music more often than he doesn't.