Why The Boys' Crimson Countess Has TWD Fans Doing Double Takes

Season 3 of "The Boys," which is streaming weekly on Amazon Prime Video, follows a group of mercenaries dedicated to destroying the corrupt superheroes (Supes, in the show's parlance) of their world. The season has been a critical darling thus far, as it expands into exploring the history of the Supes and satirizing our real-world socio-political issues with its trademark blend of emotional storytelling and hyperviolent panache.

Among the most hyped-up aspects of Season 3 has been the introduction of Payback, a World War II-era team of Supes led by Soldier Boy (Jensen Ackles), a clear parody of Captain America who wakes up after decades of cryogenic stasis to find himself in an unfamiliar, modern world. Other members of his former team include Sean Patrick Flanery as Second Amendment enthusiast Gunsmoke and, notably, Laurie Holden as Crimson Countess, a fireball thrower with a troubled past.

While the modern Supes who comprise The Seven feel like demigods, the Payback Supes have clearly aged out of their prime (with the exception of Soldier Boy, due to the whole being cryogenically frozen thing). Gunsmoke now gives speeches at gun shows, while Crimson Countess supplements the income she makes as a Voughtland performer by doing cam shows for internet perverts — Seth Rogen, an executive producer on "The Boys," makes a hilarious cameo as one such customer.

Holden has had a brilliant career thus far, even before joining the cast of "The Boys." Most notably, she played Andrea Harris on "The Walking Dead," AMC's hit zombie drama. It speaks to her prowess as a talented character actor that some fans of both "The Boys" and "The Walking Dead" were doing double takes when they finally recognized her.

Maybe it was the elaborate superhero costume, maybe it was the passage of time, but whatever the reason, some fans didn't realize that Laurie Holden, who plays Crimson Countess on "The Boys," was the same person who played Andrea Harrison on "The Walking Dead." In the Reddit discussion thread for "The Boys" Season 3 Episode 5, some fans who finally made the connection were shocked that they hadn't recognized her.

After one fan made a joke connecting "The Boys" to "The Walking Dead," some fans of both shows did double-takes. u/potatoguiness remarked, "I didn't know it was her and I am a huge TWD fan. Now that I look back and connect the dots it does look like her." Others were equally shocked, with u/AdamGoodtime123 doubting their own sanity, writing, "Woah! I had no idea. Holy cow. She looks so different here (or I'm just bad with faces?)." Some blamed her elaborate costuming, as u/The_Celtic_Chemist observed, "No, even knowing it's her I think she's hard to recognize. And I'm pretty good with faces. The age and red hair and all really threw me. I can see it's her, but I doubt I would have placed her if I wasn't told."

Of course, Holden has a history of blending into her roles. Over her storied career, she's played double agent Marita Covarrubias on "The X-Files," been spurned in love as Ben Grimm's ex-flame in "Fantastic Four," and even battled monsters as Amanda in the 2007 Stephen King adaptation, "The Mist." The role of Crimson Countess is yet another feather in her cap, proving that Holden can hold her own in any genre or role.