Joseph Zada Explains Why He Didn't Watch Original 'East of Eden' for Netflix Role

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The actor also addressed stepping into the role of Haymitch Abernathy in the next Hunger Games film.

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Joseph Zada stopped by TODAY to discuss playing Cal Trask in Netflix's highly anticipated adaptation of John Steinbeck 's EAST OF EDEN, revealing that he intentionally avoided watching the original adaptation before stepping into the role. Zada explained that the decision was not entirely his own. "Our showrunner and writer Zoe, she asked me not to originally. I had sent in an audition without seeing it first...she liked my personal take on the character so I didn't watch until I finished," he said, referring to Zoe Kazan .

Zada's casting places him among an ensemble that includes Florence Pugh as Cathy Ames, along with Christopher Abbott and Mike Faist , in Kazan's multigenerational take on the Trask family saga. The series has drawn attention for reframing Steinbeck's classic novel with new focus on its central antihero, and Zada's Cal Trask sits at the heart of that family drama.

Beyond EAST OF EDEN, Zada used the appearance to look ahead to his role as Haymitch Abernathy in "The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping," giving TODAY viewers a glimpse of another major project on his schedule following the Netflix series.

The conversation offered a rare behind-the-scenes detail on how Kazan shaped her cast's approach to Steinbeck's material, echoing the emphasis on character interpretation that other EAST OF EDEN stars have described in their own promotional stops, including Florence Pugh's discussion of playing Cathy in the same limited series.

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwtv/article/Joseph-Zada-on-Why-He-Skipped-the-Original-EAST-OF-EDEN-Before-Playing-Cal-Trask-20260930)._