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I Just Realized Where I Know ‘The White Lotus’ Star Carrie Coon From—and I Know Why I Didn't Recognize Her at First

She's made a major change

Carrie Coon
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Tribeca Festival

Have you ever had that moment while watching a movie or TV show when an actor looks familiar, but you just can’t figure out why? That’s exactly what happened to me when I started watching The White Lotus season three. As an avid fan, I was already keeping an eye out for familiar faces from previous seasons (hello, Belinda aka Natasha Rothwell) and actors I recognized from other projects, like Amiee Lou Wood from Sex Education. So, when Carrie Coon appeared as Laurie in The White Lotus, I couldn't shake the feeling that I knew her from somewhere.

A quick look at her IMDb revealed an impressive resume, with roles in Ghostbusters, Avengers, Gone Girl and The Gilded Age. But none of these were where I recognized her from. When I went back a little further, though, it hit me: She starred in The Leftovers, which ran for three seasons from 2014 until 2017.

White Lotus Carrie Coon
Fabio Lovino/HBO

Looking at current photos of Coon from The White Lotus (above) compared to those from The Leftovers (below), it's easy to see why it took me a moment to place her. These days, she sports blonde hair, but a decade ago, she was a brunette with shorter hair than the bob she’s wearing now.

The Leftovers is an American supernatural drama based on Tom Perrotta's 2011 novel. The series begins three years after the "Sudden Departure," a global event where 2% of the world’s population mysteriously disappears. The show follows police chief Kevin Garvey (Justin Theroux) and his family, as well as grieving widow Nora Durst (Coon) and her brother, Reverend Matt Jamison (Christopher Eccleston), as they try to adjust to life after the Departure.

The Leftovers Carrie Coon
Gary Gershoff/WireImage

The series boasted a stacked cast too, including Chris Zylka, Margaret Qualley, Ann Dowd and Regina King, to name a few. I think it might be time for a rewatch.

You can catch all three seasons of The Leftovers and The White Lotus on Max.

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