Zoe Kazan says Florence Pugh was the only person she wanted for 'East of Eden'

Kazan said Pugh was attached to the project early in its development and remained committed as the series took shape

Zoe Kazan has revealed that Florence Pugh was the "only person" she wanted to play Cathy Ames in Netflix’s new adaptation of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden.

Speaking to PEOPLE at the series’ London premiere, Kazan, who serves as writer, co-showrunner and executive producer, said Pugh was attached to the project early in its development and remained committed as the series took shape.

"You know, Florence came on to this project very early, and she stayed on year after year as we tried to put it together and make this happen," Kazan said. "She's the only person I wanted to play this role. I love her so much."

Kazan also praised Pugh’s professionalism and commitment to the production, describing her as "so smart" and "such a leader". She highlighted the actor’s preparation, punctuality and consideration for everyone she worked with, including performers with smaller roles.

Pugh is also an executive producer on the series and plays Cathy, one of the central characters in Steinbeck’s sprawling novel. For Pugh, the attraction was not simply the opportunity to portray a darker character, but to explore Cathy’s complexity and humanity.

"I think probably more than playing darker characters, I'm interested in playing complicated humans," Pugh told PEOPLE. "They're not one thing, they're not bad, they're not villains, they're not evil, they are a whole human."

Kazan began developing her adaptation in 2020, with Pugh becoming attached to the role early in the process. The writer previously revealed that seeing Pugh’s performance in Midsommar convinced her that the actor could bring the necessary complexity to Cathy.

The new series expands beyond the 1955 film adaptation directed by Kazan’s grandfather, Elia Kazan, which starred James Dean. Zoe Kazan said she wanted to explore more of the novel’s characters and its intergenerational story, although some material, including the Hamilton family storyline, had to be left out.

East of Eden stars Pugh alongside Christopher Abbott and Mike Faist, among others. The Netflix series began streaming on October 1, 2026.