In an intense and thoughtful Justin Theroux interview, Carrie Coon delves into the layered process behind her acclaimed Broadway return in Tracy Letts‘ play Bug, now running at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in New York. The play, written nearly thirty years ago, revisits themes of paranoia, conspiracy, and human connection—subjects that resonate on stage and in Coon’s varied career, including her celebrated turns in The Leftovers and The Gilded Age. This conversation traverses creative relationships, the role of humor in tragedy, and the enduring relevance of a harrowing psychological drama in today’s world.
Reliving Old Partnerships and Revealing New Layers
Justin Theroux and Carrie Coon share a professional history with HBO’s The Leftovers, an experience that clearly shaped their mutual respect and insight. On the morning after Theroux saw Bug, he observed not just the physical demands of Coon’s stage performance but also how her body of work explores the boundaries of human endurance, both emotional and physical. From Bertha Russell’s calculated power games in The Gilded Age to the all-consuming paranoia of Bug, Coon has shown an affinity for roles that force characters—and audiences—to confront the darkest rooms of the mind.
The play unfolds in a cramped motel room where two characters spiral into delusion, their unease fueled by drugs and conspiracy thinking. Theroux commented on how prescient the script felt, observing,
“That big, beautiful monologue that’s given in the second act, it reads like it’s from QAnon.”
—Justin Theroux, Actor. The script draws from research Letts conducted after events such as the Oklahoma City bombing, connecting early internet conspiracy culture to today’s charged discourse.
Staging and Physicality: Bringing Bug to Broadway’s Largest Audience
For Coon, the move from intimate black box venues to Broadway’s large stages adds a new layer of challenge. She revealed that
“this is probably the largest house Bug has ever been in,”
and described the contrast between past productions and their current constraints. Intimidating and physically demanding, the role of Agnes has left her and other cast members “covered in bruises and cuts,” illustrating the heightened realism and intense intimacy of the performances.
Fight and intimacy coordinator Marcus Watson played a pivotal role. When asked about the unique overlap between fight and intimacy choreography, Coon noted,
“violence is intimate. And violence often happens between intimate partners and is often part of scenes that include intimacy. So he decided to train in both.”
This approach added authenticity, underscoring a central theme of shared vulnerability amidst chaos. The physical exhaustion is relentless, but, as Coon and Theroux describe, so is the commitment to emotional truth.
Theroux was struck not just by the play’s intensity, but by moments of dark humor throughout. “He’s funny on purpose,” Coon said, noting Letts’ intentional layering of wit amid disturbing content.
Reflecting Societal Anxiety and Artistic Purpose
Theroux noted a thematic through line in Coon’s work, observing roles that gravitate towards societal breakdown and existential dread. Coon attributed this to the zeitgeist, stating,
“artists are just absorbing what’s happening in the zeitgeist. I think that’s happening in TV as well, and I happen to be working in the medium, so I get to have a job.”
The discussion moved into how Letts’ play—though untouched since its publication—echoes the longevity of suspicion and conspiracy in American culture. Coon pointed out how the play’s references to technology and paranoia stemmed directly from the 1990s,
“some of that language was pulled straight off of the deep dive Tracy did on the very early days of the internet, right after the Oklahoma City bombing.”
Later, Theroux touched on The Leftovers and other works reflecting global instability, suggesting that such stories tap into a communal anxiety and skepticism that remain persistent in popular storytelling.
Humor and Catharsis on Stage and Screen
Both Theroux and Coon reflected on the balancing act between despair and laughter. Coon remarked,
“If an audience is laughing, then they’re listening.”
—Tracy Letts, Playwright (as relayed by Carrie Coon). For her, humor is essential: it signals authenticity, grounds the work in human experience, and opens pathways for catharsis. They reminisced about how The Leftovers initially lacked humor but later embraced weirdness and surprise, which enriched its narrative and creative impact. Theroux described crying on set as “extremely cathartic,” and Coon shared insights about emotional release, telling a story about Tom Perrotta on set questioning her ability to drop heavy emotion seamlessly, to which she replied,
“All right, Tom, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
—Carrie Coon, Actor; and
“You drop it just like that?”
—Tom Perrotta, Author.
Coon argued that actors are generally healthy people since
“we’re invited to be fully expressed,”
allowing them to move quickly from deep emotional scenes to ordinary life. The conversation reveals how professional demands can also nurture personal resilience.
Inside the Creative Process with Tracy Letts
As husband and wife, Coon and Letts have navigated the complexities of artistic collaboration from inside their family home to rehearsals on Broadway. With Bug already published and established, Letts contributed as a resource rather than an omnipresent rewritist. Coon shared,
“He would pop into rehearsal to answer questions sometimes. Questions like, ‘What is it really like to smoke crack?’”
—Carrie Coon, Actor. She contrasted this process with the collaborative dynamism of new works, where Letts welcomes feedback from a diverse team, even late-night notes from assistants or dramaturges. “He’s not a novelist,” Coon pointed out, insisting that theater is, by nature, a collective medium.
This openness enhances trust—there is little ego and much flexibility, even as Letts stands by his decades-old words. Coon explained the difference theater makes compared to film or television, emphasizing the sense of shared creation and the constant negotiation between personal and public boundaries.
Portraying Addiction, Mental Strain, and Delusion
Diving deeper into the substance of Bug, Theroux brought up the heavy presence of drug use and the border between reality and delusion in the script.
“Is he a part of your drug-addled imagination or is he actually…? And is that intentional?”
—Justin Theroux, Actor. Coon’s confirmation, “Yes.” —Carrie Coon, Actor, demonstrated the ambiguity intentionally left on stage for the audience to wrestle with.
Coon described how Letts was initially motivated by a desire to portray lives not typically seen on stage.
“He grew up in a working class town in Oklahoma. I grew up in a working class town in Ohio,”
connecting the narrative to personal roots and wider social landscapes. At its heart, she argued, the play is about how people assign blame for their suffering: “who did this to me?” and how, politically, the temptation to fill that void creates new dangers. The rise of both conspiracy theories and unfulfilled searches for meaning were recurring subjects.
Theroux suggested, “Is it seeking comfort?” while Coon expanded on this, exploring the contemporary epidemic of loneliness and the roles both technology and social media play in deepening feelings of alienation. Letts’ characters ultimately seek agency in a world that seems to deny it, even if their chosen path is self-destruction. For Coon, it was meaningful to find moments where Agnes
“feels empowered and like she has answers. As terrifying as that is, there’s something to be said for at least going out on your own terms.”
The Realities of Balancing Stagecraft and Family Life
Theroux, himself a veteran of both stage and screen, wondered about the practical impact of the theater schedule, particularly as Coon juggles a growing family. The romantic notion of actors having “the whole day” vanishes under the weight of early mornings, childcare, and constant transitions between personal and professional modes. Coon described a day that began after the show with early errands, breakfast-making, and school drop-offs before prepping once again for curtain call. Affording help and support, she noted, makes her continued stage career possible—an acknowledgment of privilege and the complex logistics facing working parents in theater.
Learning From Failure and Embracing Growth
Theroux shifted gears with classic Barbara Walters interview questions about overcoming setbacks and finding lessons in defeat. Coon expressed,
“it’s important to articulate that you do, in fact, learn the most from failure.”
She described an instance when unclear boundaries led to family strains and highlighted how experiences from shows like The Leftovers taught her to project confidence while battling insecurity behind the scenes. Theroux offered reassurance, noting her performance felt powerfully sure even during the earliest days on set.
The play has drawn diehard fans from previous works, and Coon recognized how much past roles have resonated with audiences. The lasting impact of The Leftovers manifests even now, as fans seek meaning and connection through live performances.
“It’s just one of those shows. And I actually don’t take much credit for it, because those scripts were so bled on and so beautifully written. But it’s that rare thing in work where you really realize, Oh, we were so lucky.”
—Justin Theroux, Actor.
Gender, Public Image, and the Nature of Recognition
As the interview drew toward its end, Theroux brought up a series of vintage, sometimes invasive, Barbara Walters questions posed to public figures like Barbara Streisand and Dolly Parton.
“Why didn’t you get your nose fixed?”
and “Is it all you?”—questions that reveal the persistent scrutiny facing women in public life, especially about appearance. Coon observed that such lines of inquiry remain common, even when the context or culture changes. Noting the effect of her platinum hair from roles like The White Lotus, she remarked on how recognition changes with looks and aging, and how these questions often reflect deeper social expectations or pressures.
Theroux admitted surprise at some of Walters’ more pointed interview moments, stating,
“I can’t believe she asked these questions.”
Coon countered that while some distance has been gained, the core of these issues persists, albeit in different, often subtler forms. The conversation also touched on the playful aspect of physical transformation for actors, such as wigs, glasses, and mustaches, confirming the craft’s delight in shifting identity from the outside in. Coon concluded,
“Oh yeah, once we get this part right, most of the work is done.”
The Broader Impact: Contemporary Paranoia on Stage
Bringing Bug to Broadway taps into cultural anxieties that have only deepened in recent years. Whether examining how conspiracy theories start and spread, or showcasing how humor and trauma share the stage, the collaboration between Carrie Coon, Tracy Letts, and the entire ensemble highlights the enduring relevance of theater as a medium for confronting society’s dark currents. Familiar names like Damon Lindelof, Michael Shannon, and even Barbara Walters appear in this conversation, providing additional insight into how individual careers and broader trends intersect.
As Bug continues its run, the questions it raises—about meaning, blame, likeness, and fear—do not offer easy answers, but instead challenge the audience to sit with uncertainty. For Coon, Theroux, and their creative partners, the lasting value lies not just in the performance, but in the conversations sparked, the boundaries pushed, and the empathy invited across the footlights.
