Zoe Kazan’s Journey with ‘East of Eden’

Zoe Kazan finds herself surrounded by historical treasures at the Library of Congress. On a mid-September afternoon, mere weeks before her adaptation of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden premieres on Netflix, she takes a moment to reflect on the legacy she’s engaging with. Curators have brought out a range of artifacts for her to explore.

Kazan, both a screenwriter and actress, approaches the project with a unique perspective. Her grandfather directed a renowned film adaptation of the same novel seven decades ago. Now, she revisits the story with fresh eyes for a limited-series format.

As Kazan navigates this adaptation, she finds herself marveling at the range of materials and history connected to East of Eden. This experience provides her a deeper connection to Steinbeck’s work, allowing her to delve into the intricate layers of the narrative.