Netflix’sEast of Edenseries is eyeing aPoor Thingsstar to join the Florence Pugh-led project. John Steinbeck’s 1952 novel was first adapted into the 1955 film directed by Elia Kazan and starring James Dean in his first major role as a troubled young man searching for his identity while competing for the affection of his deeply religious father with his favored brother. In 2022, after a competitive bidding war, Netflix acquired the rights to theEast of Edenlimited series withFlorence Pugh starringand producing. Zoe Kazan, the granddaughter of Elia Kazan, is writing and executive producing.
Now, several years after it was first announced, the adaptation is looking to add another big name. According toDeadline,Christopher Abbott is in talks to co-star opposite Pugh in Netflix’s limited series adaptation ofEast of Eden. Abbott will play Adam Trask, the role previously played by Raymond Massey in the 1955 film.
What To Expect From Netflix’s East Of Eden Series
Story, Cast, & More
East of Edenis regarded by many asSteinbeck’s most ambitious noveland is considered by the author himself to be his magnum opus. Its story has been adapted to the screen multiple times over the years, including the aforementioned 1955 film and an ABC miniseries in 1982.Netflix’s limited series is said to paint an intimate portrait of the Trask familyagainst the backdrop of significant historical events and focus on the novel’s themes of trauma and healing, love and betrayal, and duty versus free will.
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Pugh will play the role of Cathy Ames, later known as Kate Trask, who acts as an antiheroine. Beneath the character’s charming and attractive facade, she is a malevolent woman who manipulates and harms others for her own personal pleasure and gain. Considering her exceptional ability to portray complex and multifaceted characters, Pugh is a perfect choice for Cathy Ames. Jo Van Fleet played the character in the 1955 film andwon an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, while Jane Seymour won a Golden Globe for her performance in the 1982 miniseries.
Pugh is an Oscar-nominated actress for her performance inLittle Women, so she should be able to portray a version of Cathy Ames that is equally acclaimed as past iterations. Similarly, Raymond Massey is remembered for his stern and rigid demeanor as Adam Trask, soAbbott is also tasked with setting himself apart from an iconic portrayal of the past. Considering his role in HBO’sGirlsandscene-stealing turn inPoor Things, Abbot seems like an equally strong choice for Netflix’sEast of Edenseries.
