Carrie Alexandra Coon (born January 24, 1981) is an American actress. In television, she is known for her starring roles as grieving mother Nora Durst in the HBO drama series The Leftovers (2014–2017) and as Gloria Burgle in the third season of the FX anthology series Fargo (2017). She won the TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama for both performances, won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for The Leftovers and was nominated for the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for Fargo. She also had a leading role in the second season of the anthology drama series The Sinner (2018), and is known for playing Bertha Russell in the HBO series The Gilded Age.
On stage, Coon was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in the 2012 revival of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? She has also appeared in numerous films, including the psychological thriller Gone Girl (2014), the political drama The Post (2017), the heist thriller Widows (2018), the superhero film Avengers: Infinity War (2018), the period drama The Nest (2020), and the supernatural comedy Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021).
Early life :
Coon was born in Copley, Ohio on January 24, 1981, to Paula (née Ploenes) and John Coon. She has an older sister, an older brother, and two younger brothers. She graduated from Copley High School in 1999, next attending the University of Mount Union, graduating in 2003 with a BA in English and Spanish. In 2006, she earned her M.F.A. in acting from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Career :
Early career
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 Tony Award nomination.
Coon made her screen debut in an episode of the short-lived NBC series The Playboy Club in 2011. She later guest-starred on Law & Order: Special
