Carrie Coon

Carrie Alexandra Coon (born January 24, 1981) is an American actress. She is known for her leading performances in numerous prestige television dramas as well as her performances on film and stage. She has received a Critics' Choice Television Award, as well as nominations for four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe and two Tony Awards.

On television, her breakthrough role was as a widow in the drama series The Leftovers (2014–2017), for which she won the Critics' Choice Award. She would gain further recognition playing a police chief in the third season of the black comedy crime anthology series Fargo (2017), a matriarch of a wealthy family in the period drama series The Gilded Age (2022–present), and a divorced lawyer in the third season of the satirical dramedy anthology series The White Lotus (2025), all of which earned her Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

She made her film debut in Gone Girl (2014), with subsequent roles in films such as The Post (2017), Widows (2018), The Nest (2020), Boston Strangler (2023), and His Three Daughters (2024). She has acted in blockbuster films, such as Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and its sequel Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) and its sequel Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024).

On stage, Coon made her Broadway debut as a naive newlywed in the revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (2012), for which she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. She returned to Broadway playing a divorced waitress in the revival of the Tracy Letts play Bug (2026) for which she earned a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.

Early life and education Carrie Alexandra Coon was born on January 24, 1981, in Copley, Ohio, to Paula (née Ploenes) and John Coon. She has an older sister, an older brother, and two younger brothers.

Career

2006–2013: Early roles and stage work Coon began her career in regional theater. After graduating from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Coon was immediately recruited by the Madison Repertory Theatre and made her professional stage debut in a production of Our Town. After her debut with the Madison Repertory Theatre, Coon joined the American Players Theatre and stayed with them for four seasons. Coon moved to Chicago in 2008 and made her Chicago debut with a production of Brontë at Remy Bumppo Theatre Company. Coon commuted between Chicago and Wisconsin for several years, alternating between Chicago productions, productions in Milwaukee, and seasons with the American Players Theatre. During these years, Coon provided for herself by performing motion capture work for a video game company based in Wisconsin.

Coon's breakthrough came in 2010 when she was cast as Honey in the Steppenwolf Theatre Company production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? The role immediately resulted in further parts in Chicago productions, and she followed the production to performances in Washington, D.C. and New York City, making her Broadway debut. For her performance, she won a Theatre World Award and received a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play. She starred opposite her future husband Tracy Letts. Steven Oxman of Variety described the Broadway revival as an "relentlessly intense" production adding that "Carrie Coon makes an especially sensitive, sympathetic Honey". Mark Kennedy of The Associated Press labeled the revival "astonishing" citing Coon as giving a performance of "great fragility".

Coon made her screen debut in an episode of the short-lived NBC series The Playboy Club in 2011. She later guest-starred on TV series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Ironside, and Intelligence.

2014–2019: Acclaim in prestige television Following her Tony Award nomination in 2014, Coon was cast as one of the main characters in the HBO drama series The Leftovers, alongside Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, and Ann Dowd. That same year, she made her film debut in Gone Girl, based on the 2012 novel of same name and directed by David Fincher.

In early 2015, Coon starred in the lead role of the Off-Broadway production of Placebo at Playwrights Horizons. She also participated in readings for her husband Tracy Letts' 2015–2016 season play Mary Page Marlowe and was in talks to perform in the production in Chicago if her filming schedule with The Leftovers permitted; in December 2015, it was announced that Coon would be one of six actresses portraying the title character in Mary Page Marlowe for the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago from March to May 2016. In April 2015, Coon left The Gersh Agency for United Talent Agency. In October and November 2015, Coon filmed the movie Strange Weather alongside actress Holly Hunter for director Katherine Dieckmann in Mississippi. In December 2015, she filmed the horror romance The Keeping Hours for director Karen Moncrieff and Blumhouse Productions.

Coon starred in the lead role of Gloria Burgle in the third season of the FX anthology series Fargo. She received a nomination for the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her role and won the TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama for both Fargo and The Leftovers. In 2017, she filmed Great Choice, a horror short mimicking a 1990s Red Lobster commercial. The same year she played real life journalist Meg Greenfield in the Steven Spielberg–directed historical drama film The Post. In 2018, Coon co-starred in the Steve McQueen heist thriller film Widows. Coon provided the voice and motion capture for Proxima Midnight, a member of the Black Order and a child of Thanos, in the superhero film Avengers: Infinity War (2018) directed by the Russo brothers.

2020–present: Career expansion Coon received a Canadian Screen Award nomination for Best Actress at the 9th Canadian Screen Awards in 2021 for her work in the film The Nest. On April 30, 2020, Coon joined the cast of the HBO drama series The Gilded Age as Bertha Russell, which began airing in 2022. She starred in the Azazel Jacobs family drama His Three Daughters (2023). The film follows three estranged daughters as they care for their dying father. Jon Frosch of The Hollywood Reporter wrote "Coon is masterful at conveying the space between those inner and outer selves." The film was picked up for distribution by Netflix and released in September 2024. In January 2024, Coon joined the cast of the third season of the HBO anthology series The White Lotus, which premiered in February 2025. In August 2025, it was announced that Coon would return to Broadway in Tracy Letts' play Bug at the Samuel J. Friedman Theater with performances starting in December 2025, reprising the role she played at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in 2020 and 2021.

Personal life Coon married actor and playwright Tracy Letts in 2013. They have a son born in 2018 and a daughter born in 2021. Coon was pregnant while shooting the first season of The Gilded Age.

Acting credits Film

Television Year Title Role Notes 2011 The Playboy Club Doris Hall Episode: "An Act of Simple Duplicity" 2013 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Talia Blaine Episode: "Girl Dishonored" 2013 Ironside Rachel Ryan Episode: "Pilot" 2014 Intelligence Luanne Vick Episode: "Patient Zero" 2014–2017 The Leftovers Nora Durst Main role 2017 Fargo Gloria Burgle Main role (season 3) 2018 The Sinner Vera Walker Main role (season 2) 2021 What If...? Proxima Midnight (voice) Episode: "What If... T'Challa Became a Star-Lord?" 2022–present The Gilded Age Bertha Russell Main role 2023 Teenage Euthanasia Michelle's Mother (voice) Episode: "Viva La Flappanista" 2025 The White Lotus Laurie Duffy Main role (season 3) 2025 The Simpsons Beatrice Bouvier (voice) Episode: "Sashes to Sashes"

Theatre Year Title Role Notes 2006 Our Town Emily Overture Center for the Arts (Madison Repertory Theatre) Romeo and Juliet Ensemble American Players Theatre (Spring Green, Wisconsin) The Matchmaker ErmengardeAmerican Players Theatre (Spring Green, Wisconsin) Measure for Measure JulietAmerican Players Theatre (Spring Green, Wisconsin) 2007 Anna Christie Anna Overture Center for the Arts Misalliance Hypatia American Players Theatre The Night of the Iguana CharlotteAmerican Players Theatre 2008 The Diary of Anne Frank Miep Gies Overture Center for the Arts Brontë Emily Remy Bumppo Theatre Company (Chicago debut) A Midsummer Night's Dream Helena American Players Theatre Henry IV Lady PercyAmerican Players Theatre The Belle's Stratagem Miss OgleAmerican Players Theatre 2009 Magnolia Ariel Goodman Theatre (Chicago) Henry V Kate American Players Theatre Reasons to Be Pretty StephanieRenaissance Theatreworks (Milwaukee) Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Honey Steppenwolf Theatre Company (Chicago) 2011Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?Honey Arena Stage (Washington, D.C.) 2012 The Girl in the Yellow Dress Celia Next Theatre (Evanston) Pretty Penny Crystal Writers Theatre The March Emily Thompson Steppenwolf Theatre Company Three Sisters MashaSteppenwolf Theatre Company Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Honey Booth Theatre (Broadway debut) 2015 Placebo Louise Playwrights Horizons (Off-Broadway) 2016 Mary Page Marlowe Mary Page Marlowe (ages 27–36) Steppenwolf Theatre Company (Chicago) 2020 Bug Agnes White Steppenwolf Theatre Company (Chicago) 2025BugAgnes White Samuel J. Friedman Theater, Broadway

Podcasts

Awards and nominations Organizations Year Category Work Result Canadian Screen Awards 2021 Best Actress The Nest Chicago Film Critics Association 2020 Best Actress The Nest Chlotrudis Awards 2018 Best Supporting Actress Strange Weather Critics' Choice Television Awards 2015 Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series The Leftovers 2016 Best Actress in a Drama Series The Leftovers 2017 Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries Fargo 2018 Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries The Sinner 2026Best Actress in a Drama Series The Gilded Age Dorian Award 2026Outstanding Lead Performance in a Broadway PlayBug Drama Desk Award 2018 Outstanding Actress in a Play Mary Jane Empire Awards 2015 Best Female Newcomer Gone Girl Golden Globe Awards 2026 Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film The White Lotus Gotham Awards 2020 Best Actress The Nest Jeff Award 2019 Performer in a Principal Role – Play Bug Lucille Lortel Awards 2018 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play Mary Jane MTV Movie & TV Awards 2018 Best Fight Avengers: Infinity War Obie Award 2018 Distinguished Performance by an Actress Mary Jane Primetime Emmy Awards 2017 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Fargo 2024 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series The Gilded Age 2025 Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series The White Lotus 2026 Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series The Gilded Age Satellite Awards 2018 Best Actress in a Drama Series The Leftovers Saturn Awards 2022 Best Supporting Actress Ghostbusters: Afterlife Screen Actors Guild Awards 2023 Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series The Gilded Age 2026 Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama Series The White Lotus TCA Awards 2017 Individual Achievement in Drama The Leftovers / Fargo Theatre World Award 2013 Distinguished Performance Award Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Tony Award 2013 Best Featured Actress in a PlayWho's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 2026 Best Leading Actress in a Play Bug