Florence Pugh to star in Netflix's series 'East of Eden'
Florence Pugh is all set to headline Netflix's limited series adaptation of the 1952 classic novel East of Eden written by American novelist John Steinbeck. The series, still in development, will be written by Zoe Kazan, who will also be an executive producer. In addition to essaying a key role in the show, Pugh has also come on board as a co-producer. Details inside.
Why does this story matter?
- East of Eden is considered to be Steinbeck's magnum opus, thought to be more popular than his Of Mice and Men.
- In 1955, Kazan's grandfather Elia Kazan had adapted East of Eden into a film with Warner Bros. bankrolling the project.
- The film marked actor James Dean's breakthrough role.
- The upcoming project will now mark Kazan's first major writing credit.
'Florence Pugh is our dream Cathy,' said Kazan
Anonymous Content and Endeavor Content will be co-producing the series, reported Deadline. Talking about Pugh, Kazan said, "Florence Pugh is our dream Cathy; I can't imagine a more thrilling actor to bring this character to life." The actor-writer also expressed her desire to "shed a new light on the material for a 21st-century audience." The producers are yet to sign the series helmer.
'East of Eden' will focus on two families
The limited series will focus on trauma, repair, love, and betrayal, and will also explore the philosophically debatable issue of free will. To recall, the source material chronicled the lives of two clans—the Trasks and the Hamiltons—and was set against the backdrop of the Salinas Valley in California. Steinbeck had called it "the story of my county and the story of me."
Pugh has multiple releases planned
Pugh is on a roll with multiple high-stakes projects stacked one after another. The Oscar-nominated actor will next appear in Don't Worry Darling, co-starring Harry Styles and Chris Pine. She is also awaiting the release of The Wonder, which is expected to drop on Netflix sometime this year. In July 2023, she will be seen on celluloid in Christopher Nolan's ambitious multistarrer Oppenheimer.
