Meet The Cast of Netflix’s East of Eden: From Florence Pugh To Christopher Abbott

Florence Pugh takes on the lead role of Cathy Ames, who is described as a “scheming antihero.” Her life is “intertwined with the lives of generations of men from the Trask family.” Creator Zoe Kazan revealed to Tudum why she chose Pugh for the main role. Kazan explained, “I didn’t have a backup. I didn’t have another person that I thought would be just as good. She is the exact right person to play Cathy.” Meanwhile, Pugh is best known for starring in Black Widow, Thunderbolts⁠*, We Live in Time, Midsommar, and Little Women.

Christopher Abbott stars as Adam Trask, Cathy’s husband and the son of stern patriarch Cyrus, played by Tracy Letts. In an interview with Awards Buzz, Abbott called East of Eden a “melodrama” and explained, “I think that throughout the course of this series, all of these characters are in a state of fight or flight mode, whether they know it or not. They’ve all been through their own version of trauma.” Fans may know Abbott from Wolf Man, Kraven the Hunter, Sanctuary, Bring Them Down, and Catch-22.

Mike Faist is cast as Charles Trask, Adam’s half-brother. In the same Awards Buzz interview, he shared how he felt when he got an offer from Zoe Kazan to join the series. Faist noted, “When Zoe came to us, I think I can speak for Chris in this, it’s simultaneously one of those things that you get extremely excited about and also very nervous about, because the task is daunting.” Faist’s notable credits include Challengers, West Side Story, The Bikeriders, Panic, and Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game.

Hoon Lee plays Lee, a Chinese-American valet and cook who helps Adam raise his two sons. While chatting with Entertainment Weekly, Hoon described his role, saying, “He’s such an incredible character, very much out of his time, who speaks so deeply to the Asian American experience.” Christopher Abbott called Adam and Lee’s relationship “co-dependent” and revealed that “they sort of can argue like a married couple sometimes.” Hoon is recognized for his roles in Mulan, Your Friends & Neighbors, Warrior, DMZ, The Oranges, and other projects.

Tracy Letts portrays Cyrus Trask, the patriarch of the Trask family and the father of Adam and Charles Trask. Those who have read the book know that Cyrus is imposing, manipulative, and overbearing. Letts has previously appeared in Lady Bird, Ford v Ferrari, A House of Dynamite, Deep Water, and The Lovers.