Created by Zoe Kazan.
East of Eden premiered on October 1, 2026.
Distributed by Netflix.
East of Eden TV Series Review
East of Eden brings John Steinbeck’s classic family saga to television with a visually rich and emotionally intense adaptation.
Florence Pugh delivers a captivating performance as Cathy Ames, while Christopher Abbott and Mike Faist give the troubled Trask brothers plenty of depth.
The series explores love, jealousy, family conflict and the difficult question of whether people can escape their past.
Hoon Lee also stands out as Lee, adding warmth and wisdom to the story.
Although the ambitious narrative occasionally moves too quickly through certain characters and relationships, the strong performances and striking production keep the series engaging.
Overall, East of Eden offers a compelling modern interpretation of Steinbeck’s story.
CR Rating: 8.2/10.
East of Eden Actors
Florence Pugh as Cathy Ames
DOB: January 3, 1996.
Bio: English actress born in Oxford, England, to restaurateur Clinton Pugh and dance teacher Deborah Pugh.
She grew up with three siblings and spent part of her childhood in Spain after her family moved there for her health.
Pugh attended Wychwood School in Oxford and later St Edward’s School.
Role: Cathy Ames is one of the central characters in East of Eden and the woman whose relationship with brothers Adam and Charles Trask becomes a major part of the story.
Cathy is intelligent, ambitious and deeply secretive, with a complicated personality and a strong instinct for controlling the people around her.
Episodes: 7.
Interesting facts: Pugh has said that she became involved with the project after Zoe Kazan approached her during the early development of the adaptation.
She was also an executive producer and described being involved in creative conversations as an important part of her experience on the series.
Notable Works: The Little Drummer Girl, Little Women, Midsommar, Dune: Part Two, Oppenheimer.
Christopher Abbott as Adam Trask
DOB: February 10, 1986.
Bio: American actor born in Greenwich, Connecticut, to Anna and Orville Abbott.
He grew up in the Chickahominy neighborhood of Greenwich and later in Stamford, where he worked at a video store and his friend’s wine store.
Role: Adam Trask is one of the central figures in East of Eden and the brother of Charles Trask.
The series portrays him as a morose Army veteran whose life changes when he falls in love with Cathy Ames.
Adam travels west with Cathy to California, where he attempts to build a home and family.
Episodes: 6.
Interesting facts: Abbott has described Adam as a character who goes through several different lives and changes significantly as the story progresses.
Notable Works: Girls, The Sinner, Catch-22, Martha Marcy May Marlene, James White, Poor Things.
Mike Faist as Charles Trask
DOB: January 5, 1992.
Bio: American actor and performer from Ohio who developed his career through musical theatre before moving into television and screen acting.
He trained at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy and became particularly recognized for his work in the stage production of Dear Evan Hansen.
Role: Charles Trask is Adam’s older brother and one of the most important figures in the first generation of the Trask family.
Unlike Adam, Charles remains closely tied to the family property and carries a complicated relationship with their father, Cyrus.
Episodes: 6.
Interesting facts: Faist has described Charles as a deeply conflicted character dealing with personal trauma and internal demons.
Notable Works: West Side Story, Challengers, The Bikeriders, Panic, Our Time.
Hoon Lee as Lee
DOB: July 18, 1973.
Bio: American actor born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and raised in Connecticut and the Boston area before moving to New York.
He graduated from Harvard University in 1994 with a degree in English literature and environmental studies.
Role: Lee is a Chinese American man who serves as the Trask family’s manservant and becomes one of the most important people in Adam’s household.
Although he initially hides his intelligence behind a deliberately constructed pidgin persona, Lee is highly perceptive and intellectually capable.
Episodes: 4.
Interesting facts: Lee is one of the characters whose role has been given greater depth in Zoe Kazan’s adaptation.
Notable Works: Warrior, Banshee, Bosch, See, Your Friends & Neighbors.
Ciarán Hinds as Samuel Hamilton
DOB: February 9, 1953.
Bio: Irish actor born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and one of five children.
His father was a doctor, while his mother, Moya Hinds, was an amateur actress who encouraged his interest in performance.
Hinds initially enrolled to study law at Queen’s University Belfast but left the course to pursue acting.
Role: Samuel Hamilton is a neighbor of the Trask family after Adam moves to California.
An Irish immigrant and experienced man of the land, Samuel becomes a friend and source of guidance for Adam.
Episodes: 2.
Interesting facts: Hinds originally enrolled in law at Queen’s University Belfast before leaving to pursue acting at RADA.
Notable Works: Game of Thrones, Rome, The Terror, The Dry, The Woman in Black, Belfast.
Martha Plimpton as Faye
DOB: November 16, 1970.
Bio: American actress born in New York City to actor Keith Carradine and actress Shelley Plimpton.
She grew up in an acting family and began appearing in commercials and acting professionally while she was still a child.
Role: Faye is the owner of a brothel in the Salinas Valley who becomes closely connected to Cathy Ames after Cathy begins working there under the name Kate.
Unlike Cathy, Faye shows genuine concern for the women under her care and develops a protective affection for Cathy.
Episodes: 1.
Interesting facts: Plimpton was introduced to acting at a young age and attended the Professional Children’s School in New York.
Notable Works: Raising Hope, The Good Wife, The Regime, Task, The Real O’Neals.
Joseph Zada as Cal Trask
DOB: July 21, 2005.
Bio: Australian actor who began building his career while still young and has quickly moved into major television roles.
Born Joseph Cumpston, he later adopted the professional name Joseph Zada, partly reflecting his family heritage.
Role: Cal Trask is the son of Adam Trask and Cathy Ames and the fraternal twin brother of Aron.
As he grows up, Cal becomes increasingly aware of the troubled history surrounding his family and struggles with the belief that he may have inherited his mother’s darker qualities.
Episodes: 2.
Interesting facts: Zada previously worked under the surname Cumpston before adopting Zada as his professional name.
He has spoken about actors such as River Phoenix and Heath Ledger as influences on his approach to acting.
Notable Works: We Were Liars, Invisible Boys, Total Control.
Tracy Letts as Cyrus Trask
DOB: July 4, 1965.
Bio: American playwright, actor and writer who developed his reputation through Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre.
He is one of the rare performers to achieve major recognition in both playwriting and acting.
Role: Cyrus Trask is the father of Adam and Charles Trask and an important figure in the family’s early history.
A former soldier who becomes an influential military and government figure, Cyrus has a complicated relationship with his sons and shows clear differences in the way he treats them.
Episodes: 1.
Interesting facts: Letts is the son of author Billie Letts and actor Dennis Letts.
His stage play August: Osage County won both the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play.
Notable Works: The Lowdown, Divorce, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Lady Bird, August: Osage County.
Joe Anders as Aron Trask
DOB: December 22, 2003.
Bio: American-British actor, screenwriter and composer born in New York City.
His birth name is Joe Alfie Winslet Mendes, and he is the son of actress Kate Winslet and filmmaker Sam Mendes.
Role: Aron Trask is Adam and Cathy Trask’s son and Cal’s fraternal twin brother.
He grows up alongside Cal under Adam’s care after Cathy leaves the family.
Aron is more idealistic and trusting than his brother and has a close relationship with Adam and Lee.
Episodes: 2.
Interesting facts: Anders began his acting career under the name Joe Mendes before adopting Joe Anders professionally.
Notable Works: I Am Ruth, Bonus Track, 1917.
Brad McMurray as Joe Valery
DOB: February 2, 1971.
Bio: Australian actor born in Queensland, Australia.
Before pursuing acting professionally, he worked as a chef for more than a decade while continuing to develop his interests in performance and martial arts.
Role: Joe Valery is a minor character in East of Eden.
He is part of the wider Salinas Valley community surrounding the Trask family rather than one of the central members of the Trask household.
Episodes: 3.
Interesting facts: McMurray is a second-degree black belt and has continued martial arts and weapons training throughout his acting career.
Notable Works: Mr Inbetween, Home and Away, Tidelands, Harrow, Troppo.
Amelia Reynolds as Ethel
DOB: N/A.
Bio: New Zealand actress and writer based in Auckland.
She began working professionally at a young age and became known for her role as Tally in the New Zealand television series The Tribe.
Role: Ethel is a supporting character within the world of East of Eden who becomes part of the story surrounding the Trask family.
Her appearances contribute to the wider social environment of the period and help populate the communities through which the central characters move.
Episodes: 2.
Interesting facts: Reynolds has worked in television since the early 2000s and has appeared in productions including Sweet Tooth and The Wilds.
Notable Works: Sweet Tooth, The Wilds, When We Go to War, Paradise Cafe.
Tandi Wright as Mrs. Garb
DOB: May 4, 1970.
Bio: New Zealand actress born in Zambia to New Zealand parents, Vernon Wright and Dinah Priestley.
She grew up in Wellington, where she attended Wellington High School before studying at Victoria University of Wellington.
Role: Mrs. Garb is a supporting character connected to the broader social world of the series.
Her appearances help expand the community surrounding the Trask family and Cathy rather than existing as one of the central members of the family conflict.
Episodes: 2.
Interesting facts: Wright was born in Zambia and raised in Wellington.
Her mother, Dinah Priestley, is a writer and actress, while her father, Vernon Wright, was a journalist.
Notable Works: Shortland Street, The Returned, Creamerie, Power Rangers S.P.D., Nothing Trivial.
More Actors
• Robert Morgan as Sheriff Quinn.
• Christopher Sommers as Mr. Bacon.
• Zoe Phillips as Abra Bacon.
• Anita Hegh as Liza Hamilton.
FAQ – East of Eden TV Series
What is East of Eden about?
The series follows Cathy Ames and the Trask family across two generations, exploring family rivalry, love, betrayal, morality and the choices that shape people’s lives.
Is East of Eden (2026) based on a true story?
No. East of Eden is a fictional drama based on John Steinbeck’s 1952 novel of the same name.
Is East of Eden a limited series?
Yes. Netflix describes East of Eden as a limited series, with seven episodes.
How many episodes does East of Eden have?
East of Eden has 7 episodes in its first and only season. All seven episodes are available on Netflix.
Where can I watch East of Eden?
East of Eden is available exclusively on Netflix as a TV-MA limited series.
Conclusion
East of Eden delivers a powerful family drama with strong performances, beautiful visuals and compelling themes of love, rivalry and personal choice.
Florence Pugh’s performance gives the series an especially memorable emotional center.