Why 'East of Eden' Star Christopher Abbott Looks So Familiar - PureWow

He's booked & busyPublished Oct 11, 2026•1:00pmGregory Pace/ShutterstockIf you started watching Netflix’s East of Eden and immediately thought, “Wait, I know that guy,” you’re definitely not alone. Christopher Abbott has been working steadily for more than a decade, popping up in everything from HBO dramas to Oscar-winning movies, and his latest role is one of his biggest yet. Abbott stars as Adam Trask in Netflix’s seven-episode adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic 1952 novel. Created by Zoe Kazan, the series follows the Trask family across generations, with Florence Pugh playing Cathy Ames and Mike Faist as Adam’s brother, Charles. Abbott’s Adam is a morose Army veteran who falls for Cathy and heads west with her to California, where his life takes some major turns. COURTESY OF NETFLIXBut if Abbott’s face is giving you major déjà vu, there’s a very good chance you remember him from HBO’s Girls. Abbott played Charlie Dattolo, Marnie Michaels’ on-again, off-again boyfriend, appearing in 13 episodes between 2012 and 2016. Charlie starts out as the sweet, devoted boyfriend before the relationship gets considerably more complicated.