Florence Pugh will soon be seen in an upcoming Netflix limited series which is being adapted from John Steinbeck’s 1952 magnum opus, East of Eden which chronicled the lives of two families in the Salinas Valley across three generations while focusing on an unhinged anti-heroine named Cathy.
In 1955, Elia Kazan directed the fourth and final part of Steinbeck’s novel, focusing on the Biblical story of Cain and Abel, revolving around a prodigal son who tries to win his father’s affection while harbouring contempt for his favourite brother.
One of the only three films with James Dean in the lead, alongside Julie Harris, Raymond Massey, Richard Davalos and others, East of Eden was a rich and poignant adaptation of the American classic.
The Netflix limited series is being helmed by writer and actress, Zoe Kazan who was seemingly in awe of the novel and her grandfather’s work. She “fell in love” with the book after first reading it in her teens.
Zoe Kazan said, “Since then, adapting Steinbeck’s novel — the great, sprawling, three-generational entirety of it — has been my dream.”
Florence Pugh has already established her merit and acting skills by appearing in a slew of different roles across titles like Little Women, Midsommar, Lady Macbeth and more. She has a knack for playing mysterious and slightly antagonistic characters that leave an indelible mark on the minds of the audience and begins to grow on them.
She will be taking over Jo Van Fleet’s role in Elia Kazan’s film and play the villainous anti-heroine, Cathy Ames.
Talking about casting Pugh in the show, Zoe said, “More than anything, I have wanted to give full expression to the novel’s astonishing, singular antiheroine, Cathy Ames. Florence Pugh is our dream Cathy; I can’t imagine a more thrilling actor to bring this character to life.”
Netflix has not yet announced the project nor have the other names of the cast members in the legacy project been revealed.
