Justin Theroux Helped Ann Dowd Through a Panic Attack on the Set of The Leftovers

Published: June 2, 2025

Ann Dowd has opened up about a terrifying experience she had on the set of the HBO drama, The Leftovers, and how her co-star Justin Theroux came to her rescue. The actress, 69, recalled how she had a panic attack while preparing to drop her daughter off at college, and how Theroux, 53, helped her through it.

The incident occurred while she was living with Theroux during the filming of the show, which aired from 2014 to 2017. Dowd said that she had never experienced a panic attack like that before, and that she thought she was going to die. But Theroux was by her side, talking her through it and reassuring her that everything was going to be alright.

Dowd recalled, "He told me things were going to be alright, and things were alright. And the next day, things were better." She smiled, remembering the incident.

This isn't the first time Dowd has spoken about experiencing anxiety. In September 2023, she opened up about how she had made new friends with anxiety during the health crisis. She also spoke about how grateful she was to be back to work on her Hulu drama, Handmaid's Tale, and how important it was to her.

The Leftovers, which ran for three seasons on HBO, followed the aftermath of a global cataclysm that resulted in the unexplained disappearance of 140 million people. The show starred Theroux, Dowd, Carrie Coon, Margaret Qualley, Amy Brenneman, among others.

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