{
  "id": 8257282,
  "title": "How Zoe Kazan Made East of Eden Her Own",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/how-zoe-kazan-made-east-of-eden-her-own",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-18T13:50:56.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Time",
    "slug": "time",
    "url": "https://time.com/article/2026/09/16/zoe-kazan-east-of-eden-netflix/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In June 2024, Zoe Kazan embarked on a journey to New Zealand after witnessing her favorite film, East of Eden, on an airplane. The story revolves around a multi-generational saga that reimagines the tale of Cain and Abel twice over. The Netflix adaptation, set to premiere on October 1st, covers the entirety of this saga while reimagining the characters and their relationships. The film explores themes of guilt, rejection, and alienation, delving into whether the characters can escape the shadows of their family history and forge their own paths.\n\nKazan, a mother of small children, was excited to dive into this adaptation of her grandfather's masterpiece. Despite her initial hesitation, she found herself drawn to the project, particularly the characters her grandfather chose to rewrite or omit. Among them were Cathy, a mother who walks out on her infant sons, and Lee, a Chinese American servant who steps in to raise the boys. Kazan may embody aspects of Cathy and Lee in her script, but the project resonated with her due to her own struggle with living in her grandfather's shadow.\n\nThe inspiration for the adaptation came from Kazan's love for Steinbeck and her own desire to explore America's shadow. At the age of 15, she embarked on a Steinbeck-themed road trip with her parents, and her passion for the author only grew stronger over the years. Her career as an actor and screenwriter, including her work in The Big Sick, She Said, Ruby Sparks, and Wildlife, eventually led her to the East of Eden project, where she spent six years immersed in Steinbeck's world and focused on the complex character of Cathy.",
  "summary": "The writer discusses adapting the novel Elia Kazan made into a classic movie, centering Cathy's story, and that Taylor Swift tweet",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}