This story first appeared in the Nov. 20 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
Who: Christopher Abbott in James White (in limited release Nov. 13).
Where you’ve seen him before: Abbott, 29, played Charlie, boyfriend of Marnie (Allison Williams), on seasons one and two of HBO’s Girls.
Why you should care now: As a young New Yorker caring for his dying mother (Cynthia Nixon), Abbott has earned rapturous reviews and a Gotham Award nomination for best actor. “Watching his bruised, bristling performance as the rudderless title character, … it’s natural to assume [the choice to leave Girls] was dictated by the actor’s hunger for a darker exploration of his considerable range,” wrote THR critic David Rooney following the film’s premiere at Sundance.
Why he loves Cynthia Nixon: “She’s a damn great actress. So present, and gives you so many things to bounce off of,” Abbott tells THR. “I couldn’t ask for more. And she’s warm and kind to boot.”
Whose career he admires: “Sam Rockwell: always works with great people and always does something different. He disappears in roles. I love that,” Abbott says.
What he’ll do next: Abbott has two films slated for 2016: Katie Says Goodbye, starring Olivia Cooke and Mary Steenburgen, and Glenn Ficarra and John Requa’s Fun House, with Margot Robbie, Tina Fey and Billy Bob Thornton.
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