Christopher Abbott cast as Professor X in X-Men and stars in Netflix's East of Eden

Actor Christopher Abbott is set to portray Professor Charles Xavier in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe X-Men reboot. Abbott recently described his casting reveal at Disney’s D23 event as a mix of a “dream and a nightmare,” noting that the initial reaction from the audience felt muted as many attendees were unfamiliar with his previous work.

In addition to the X-Men franchise, Abbott has been cast as Adam Trask in a Netflix limited series adaptation of John Steinbeck’s novel “East of Eden.” The series is co-run by Zoe Kazan. Abbott’s career includes notable roles in HBO’s “Girls,” the sci-fi thriller “Possessor,” and the Hulu adaptation of “Catch-22.”