More than 70 years after John Steinbeck published ‘East of Eden,’ his story of family, morality, trauma, love, and the struggle between good and evil continues to resonate with audiences across generations.
First published by Viking Press on September 19, 1952, the novel is set in California’s Salinas Valley and follows generations of the Trask and Hamilton families. Drawing heavily from the biblical story of Cain and Abel, Steinbeck’s novel asks a question that remains as relevant today as it was when it was first published: How much of who we become is determined by what we inherit, and how much can we choose for ourselves?
Netflix’s new adaptation brings the American literary classic to a new generation, with Florence Pugh as Cathy Ames, Christopher Abbott as Adam Trask, Mike Faist as Charles Trask, Hoon Lee as Lee, Tracy Letts as Cyrus Trask, Martha Plimpton as Faye, Joseph Zada as Cal Trask, Joe Anders as Aron Trask, Ciarán Hinds as Samuel Hamilton and Costa D’Angelo as young Adam Trask.
While the story is deeply rooted in California, the series was filmed in New Zealand, thousands of miles from the landscape that inspired the novel — a fitting example of just how far Steinbeck’s story has traveled.
For D’Angelo, who plays Adam Trask, the distance from California did not make the story feel any less authentic. The Australian actor embraced the opportunity to recreate the Salinas Valley in New Zealand.
The production team, he said, “did an incredible job of making it look like the Salinas Valley and all these incredible landscapes.”
“New Zealand’s the most beautiful place in the world,” he added. “So, to get to shoot there, I feel really lucky.”
That international perspective is part of what makes this adaptation so interesting. The actors portraying Steinbeck’s characters are not necessarily from the region — or even the country — where the story takes place. Yet the emotions at its center are recognizable regardless of geography.
Ciarán Hinds, who plays Samuel Hamilton, experienced that universality himself. Before joining the project, Hinds had seen the 1950s film adaptation but had not read the full novel. He was surprised to discover how expansive Steinbeck’s story really was.
What struck him most was the continued interest in Steinbeck among younger audiences.
“It’s such a heavy, heavy story,” Hinds said, but learning that “a younger generation are very, very interested in this writing” was “a thrill.”
Hinds told us that he thinks the novel endures because it contains “the basic stuff of what life is all about.”
His hope for audiences is perhaps the simplest expression of the story’s timelessness: “Life ain’t easy, but there’s always hope. Always.”
That idea of hope is also central to director Garth Davis’ connection to the material. Known for films including Lion and Mary Magdalene, Davis told us that spirituality has been a consistent element throughout his work.
For Davis, that does not necessarily mean telling explicitly religious stories. Rather, he looks for stories that contain something meaningful and human. With East of Eden, he was drawn to its exploration of intergenerational trauma and the possibility of breaking cycles.
“This is about intergenerational trauma, the toll that can have on children,” Davis explained, emphasizing that those experiences do not have to determine a person’s future.
“I don’t believe people are born evil,” he said. “I believe it’s the environment that affects who someone becomes.”
Showrunner Jeb Stuart sees that same contemporary relevance in a story whose characters may seem worlds away from modern audiences.
“It’s fun to work on a project that you think is relevant, even though it’s a period piece where sometimes the audience looks at and says, ‘God, they dress funny and they’re riding horses and stuff like that,’” Stuart told me.
He added, “[people] can relate because the things that they’re going through are so current right now.”
Stuart pointed to issues including women’s rights, family dynamics and the complicated nature of good and evil.
“We’re not all good. We’re not all evil,” he said, emphasizing the importance of looking beyond simple labels and understanding what shapes people.
That may ultimately be why East of Eden continues to connect with audiences who look nothing like Steinbeck’s characters and live nowhere near the California landscape he described. Its performers may come from Australia, Ireland, England and the United States, while its California setting was recreated in New Zealand — but the emotional questions remain universal.
What do we inherit from our families? How much do our circumstances shape us? And, perhaps most importantly, do we have the power to choose who we become?
For Davis, the answer comes down to the possibility of choice — and the responsibility that comes with it.
He hopes the series reminds audiences of “their power and their choice.”
Season 1 of East of Eden is now streaming on Netflix.
