Not many people can say they coached both an NBA player and a famous actor.
The 2020s have been a golden age for former Northwestern athletes in the pros. Brooks Barnhizer became the first Wildcat in 26 years to be drafted to the NBA when he was selected in the second round last June. Veronica Burton was a top-10 pick and the WNBA's Most Improved Player a season ago. Three ex-Cats — Rashawn Slater (Los Angeles Chargers), Greg Newsome II (Cleveland Browns) and Peter Skoronski (Tennessee Titans) — were first-round NFL Draft picks as well.
There's another Wildcat who is starring at the next level, but the former Northwestern hooper has flown under the radar compared to his peers.
Charlie Hall played basketball under Chris Collins from 2015 to 2019, appearing in 21 games over his four years. The 6-foot-5 forward has been successful as an actor since graduating from Northwestern and was recently revealed to be joining a highly popular TV series.
Television and streaming giant HBO announced on Tuesday that Hall had been cast in the fourth season of its hit show, The White Lotus. The murder mystery has featured a star-studded group of actors since it was first released in 2021, and Hall's inclusion is a significant step in the 28-year-old's career.
"So incredibly excited!" Hall said in an Instagram post sharing the news. "Working with insanely talented people on my favorite show. Also, if anyone has pickup basketball connections in France please let me know."
The White Lotus takes place at a wealthy hotel resort, with previous seasons occurring in Hawaii, Italy and Thailand. Season four of the show is set to film in France, but has not begun shooting yet. The show's creator, Mike White, returns as the director and writer for the next season.
Hall is most known for playing a character named "Andrew" in The Sex Lives of College Girls. His filmography also includes episodes in Veep, Bel-Air and Love, Victor, as well as movies Moxie and Sweethearts.
At Northwestern, Hall played 36 minutes across 21 basketball games and started on Senior Night in 2019. He was a member of the Wildcats' first NCAA Tournament team in program history and earned playing time in the Round of 32 game against Gonzaga. In his career, Hall tallied one point, five rebounds and two blocks.
Hall is the son of famous actors Brad Hall and Julia Louis-Dreyfus, both of whom also attended Northwestern. The couple met while in Evanston before going on to become regulars on NBC's Saturday Night Live.