Christopher Abbott Reflects on His UneXpected Professor X Moment at D23

Christopher Abbott is stepping into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as one of its most recognizable characters, but his introduction as Professor X at D23 turned out to be a more complicated eXperience than he expected.

Abbott was announced as Charles Xavier during Marvel’s presentation, becoming part of the studio’s upcoming X-Men reboot. The film is currently scheduled to arrive in May 5, 2028. That is, if Avengers: Secret Wars doesn’t get pushed back (it might).

In a conversation with New York Magazine, Abbott looked back on the moment while speaking from New York City’s Russian and Turkish Baths. Rather than simply being an overwhelming career milestone, the actor said the experience left him feeling unexpectedly self-conscious.

“I think I started walking out pretty enthusiastically, and then I kind of felt like a lot of people there didn’t know who I was, so then my energy shifted within the split second,” he said. “I was a little bit more humble about it.”

Christopher Abbott tells Samuel Hine about sweating through his big Professor X reveal at D23.

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That realization apparently changed how he approached his entrance. Abbott had initially considered making a celebratory gesture as he walked onto the stage, but he reconsidered after sensing that the audience response wasn’t quite what he had anticipated.

“I almost did a fist pump when I walked out, and then I felt like the applause was muted,” Abbott continued. “So I was like, ‘I’m just going to walk out and nod.’”

For Abbott, the entire scene apparently had an almost unreal quality. The actor compared the experience to something that felt simultaneously exciting and unsettling.

Professor X represents a major new chapter for Abbott, whose career has largely been built around dramatic and independent projects. His upcoming Marvel role will put him in one of the most prominent franchises in contemporary Hollywood.

Audiences will soon get to see Abbott in Netflix’s East of Eden miniseries, which premieres Thursday. The series also stars Florence Pugh and Mike Faist.

Source: New York Magazine