‘East of Eden’ Review: A Terrifying Florence Pugh Towers Over Zoe Kazan’s Accomplished Netflix Adaptation of the John Steinbeck Classic
Co-starring Mike Faist and Christopher Abbott, the seven-episode miniseries is truer to the source material than the 1955 feature from Zoe Kazan's grandfather, Elia Kazan.
On October 1, Netflix premiered a seven-part adaptation of John Steinbeck's novel "East of Eden", starring British actress Florence Pugh as the complex character Cathy Ames. Set in the early 1900s, the series follows the Trask family as they grapple with intergenerational trauma and the struggle to break free from their past. Pugh's portrayal of Cathy is described as "the darkest and most captivating figure" yet, diverging from the monster-like depiction in Steinbeck's original work.
The 30-year-old actress aims to have viewers "sympathize and maybe fall in love with (Ames) a little bit" as she delves into the motivations behind her character's actions.
Zoe Kazan, granddaughter of director Elia Kazan who helmed the 1955 film adaptation, penned the script for the Netflix series. She emphasizes the importance of exploring the duality of human nature in her adaptation, asking, "What do we do about that? Can we change? Can we break generational patterns?" The show aims to honor the novel's exploration of the coexistence of good and evil within individuals, while also addressing the question of whether people can alter their destinies.
Written by urgent.news from Malay Mail's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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