Zoe Kazan has taken on the challenge of adapting John Steinbeck’s novel "East of Eden" into a seven-part Netflix series, delving deeply into themes of family legacy, identity, and inheritance. The series began streaming on Thursday, marking Kazan’s first major leadership role as a showrunner and screenwriter for a high-profile literary adaptation.
Kazan, 43, has a personal connection to the source material. She is the granddaughter of Elia Kazan, the director of the iconic 1955 film adaptation of "East of Eden," which starred James Dean and received four Academy Award nominations. Although she read the novel as a teenager, Kazan had never seen her grandfather’s film or discussed the story with him before his death in 2003. When approached two decades later to develop a new screen version, Kazan embraced the opportunity, recognizing the complex legacy tied to the project but ultimately seeking to honor the novel’s core.
The Netflix series expands on Steinbeck’s sprawling narrative, covering events from 1862 to 1918 and providing deeper exploration of characters who were only partially depicted in the original film. Christopher Abbott stars as Adam Trask, Florence Pugh as Cathy Ames, with Joseph Zada and Joe Anders portraying their sons. Notably, characters like Adam’s half-brother Charles (Mike Faist) and Lee (Hoon Lee), a philosophical figure, are given more nuanced roles, and the series restores the novel’s central concept of “timshel”—a Hebrew word meaning “thou mayest”—highlighting the idea of choice and moral agency.
Kazan’s adaptation takes a narrative approach that foregrounds Cathy Ames, traditionally viewed as the story’s antagonist. Pugh said Kazan sought to portray Cathy as a multidimensional character, emphasizing her complexity rather than presenting her as a simple villain. The series explores Cathy’s troubled past, her survival in a patriarchal society, and her psychological struggles alongside her more sinister actions. Kazan acknowledged Steinbeck’s conflicting portrayal of Cathy, citing his description of her as a “total representative of Satan,” but also his efforts to probe her motivations and humanity in his letters and narrative.
Balancing respect for Steinbeck’s literary style with the demands of television storytelling, Kazan streamlined the novel’s pacing. She moved up key dramatic moments, such as Cathy’s arrival on the Trask family’s doorstep, which happens later in the book, to engage viewers more immediately. She also highlighted the novel’s thematic focus on inherited trauma and the tension between nature and nurture—topics Kazan says resonated with her personally.
Previously known primarily for her acting work in films like “Ruby Sparks,” “Revolutionary Road,” and “The Big Sick,” Kazan has increasingly focused on writing and producing. She co-wrote the 2018 film “Wildlife” with her partner Paul Dano, who also stars in the upcoming “East of Eden” series. Kazan is also developing a Netflix adaptation of Larry McMurtry’s 1985 novel “Lonesome Dove.”
As a mother of two, Kazan said she is selective about projects and aims to engage with work that holds personal significance. Reflecting on her family’s connection to “East of Eden,” she emphasized the importance of the story’s themes resonating beyond the legacy to prompt viewers to consider their own familial relationships and cycles worth breaking.
“It’s my deep desire that anyone encountering my show will then walk away thinking about their families and their own relationships to the things that they are trying to change or break free from,” Kazan said.