Florence Pugh stars as Cathy Ames, one of classic literature’s most evil villains in Netflix’s East of Eden. Author John Steinbeck described Cathy as having a malformed soul, and the teaser trailer for the limited series confirms Pugh is embracing Cathy’s well-deserved reputation while portraying herself as the heroine of her own story.
The series also stars Christopher Abbott as Adam Trask, Mike Faist as Charles Trask, Hoon Lee as Lee, Tracy Letts as Cyrus Trask, Ciarán Hinds as Samuel Hamilton, Martha Plimpton as Faye, Joseph Zada as Cal Trask, and Joe Anders as Aron Trask.
East of Eden premieres on October 1, 2026.
“This modern interpretation of Steinbeck’s masterpiece will explore the multigenerational saga of the Trask family, focusing new attention on its indelible antihero, Cathy Ames,” reads Netflix’s synopsis.
Zoe Kazan adapted Steinbeck’s classic novel and serves as executive producer and co-showrunner with executive producer Jeb Stuart. Zoe’s grandfather, two-time Oscar winner Elia Kazan, directed the 1955 film version starring James Dean and Jo Van Fleet. Elia Kazan became a controversial figure due to his 1952 testimony against peers in front of the House Un-American Activities Committee.
Additional executive producers include Antoine Douaihy, Zack Hayden, Steve Golin, David Levine, and Jill Arthur. Garth Davis and Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre direct and executive produce.