Why Robert From The Lost Symbol Looks So Familiar

Novelist Dan Brown has spent the better part of the 21st century as a legit literary sensation. That's largely thanks to the blockbuster success of his 2003 novel, "The Da Vinci Code," the second of his works centered on his most iconic character, Robert Langdon. For those unfamiliar with Brown's creation, Langdon appears in five different novels (via Dan Brown's official site). He is a famed symbologist and Harvard professor who is frequently called on to act as an academic James Bond and use his specific skill set to solve all manner of mysteries. Given their popularity, it's no surprise Brown's works have made their way to Hollywood. Legendary director Ron Howard helmed feature-length adaptions of three of Brown's novels — 2006's "The Da Vinci Code," 2009's "Angels & Demons," and 2016's "Inferno" — with Tom Hanks playing Robert Langdon in each big-screen story (via IMDb). 

Howard also serves as an executive producer on "The Lost Symbol," the new Peacock streaming show featuring Langdon (via Variety). The new series serves as a prequel to the previous movie offerings and sees a younger actor tackle the Langdon role, per Vulture. That actor's name is Ashley Zukerman, and he'll no doubt look familiar to many. Here's where you've seen Zukerman previous to "The Lost Symbol."

If you're familiar with the face of Ashley Zukerman, it's most likely because you've seen him recently in Netflix's "Fear Street" trilogy. Based on the beloved book series from famed "Goosebumps" scribe R.L. Stine, the "Fear Street" story is spread over three separate periods. "Fear Street: Part 1" is set in 1994, "Part 2" takes place in 1978, and "Part 3" is mostly set in 1666. Each installment follows a different group of teens as they try to avoid getting killed by one (or more) reincarnated serial killers controlled by a curse cast by a 17th-century witch.

Each "Fear Street" movie is a loving homage to past slasher films, and each boldly reimagines or adds to the genre. Released over three consecutive weeks in July, the trilogy is directed by "Honeymoon" director Leigh Janiak. All three films feature the same cast members, too. Zukerman features prominently in the film trilogy as Shadyside sheriff Nick Goode, and his distant ancestor Solomon Goode, both of whom fail miserably to live up to their surname.

Ashley Zukerman has been a regular player on the small screen over the years. In the past, he's appeared in some of the best television shows, including the Steven Spielberg-produced WWII epic "The Pacific," AMC's zombie thriller "Fear the Walking Dead," the bracing atomic bomb saga "Manhattan," and FX's critically-lauded drama "A Teacher." In addition to these high-profile shows, you've probably seen Zukerman on HBO's dark comedy "Succession." The series follows the filthy rich Roy clan, who spends much of the show's narrative fighting about who should take over the family's news and entertainment empire if feisty patriarch Logan Roy (Brian Cox) ever decides to step aside.

Zukerman doesn't play one of the Roys on "Succession," but he's still a memorable character. In Seasons 1 and 2, he plays Nate Sofrelli, a political strategist enmeshed in an extramarital tryst with campaign colleague Shiv Roy (Sarah Snook). The pair's relationship is doomed from the start and ends with them parting ways in a less-than-amicable fashion halfway through Season 2. Nate's return for Season 3 is not confirmed, but we'd be a bit surprised if we've seen the last of him.

Ashley Zukerman's work in the "Fear Street" trilogy is not his first time at the horror movie rodeo. In fact, the actor played a pivotal role in one of 2018's best and most overlooked genre confections, "The Wind." If you're among the many who've yet to experience "The Wind," it's currently streaming on Netflix and comes highly recommended by critics (via Rotten Tomatoes). As such, we'll try not to spoil any of this pic's many twists, but we will reveal that "The Wind" is a horror-western hybrid that peppers in atmospheric chills throughout its 88-minute runtime. It does so while telling the story of Lizzy (Caitlin Gerard), a hardened frontierswoman who loses her grip on reality in terrifying fashion after moving to the intensely isolated plains of New Mexico in the 19th century.

Gerard anchors "The Wind" in a powerhouse performance, with supporting players Julia Goldani Telles, Dylan McTee, and Miles Anderson entering and exiting the narrative in service of her character's unfolding nightmare. As her philandering husband, Zukerman plays a part in that nightmare, including its horrific climax. Even though he doesn't have a ton of screen time, Zukerman delivers a menacing, quiet performance that is every bit as entrancing as Gerard's.