BREAKING:‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Just Crossed $950 Million, and No Movie in a Decade Has Sold This Many Tickets

Florence Pugh Goes Full Fairy-Tale in Silver-Beaded White at the ‘East of Eden’ New York Screening

ByHrvoje Milakovic Published on
0 Comments
Depositphotos
Our Editorial Policy

Share:

Netflix’s big fall drama has been building buzz for months, and the promotional push is now running at full speed. ‘East of Eden’ arrives Thursday, and its star has been crisscrossing the world to get audiences ready. Florence Pugh’s outfits have become one of the tour’s main talking points.

The series is Zoe Kazan’s adaptation of John Steinbeck’s 1952 novel, with Pugh playing the scheming antihero Cathy Ames. It also stars Christopher Abbott, Mike Faist, Hoon Lee, Tracy Letts, Martha Plimpton and Ciarán Hinds, and it was filmed in New Zealand. All 7 episodes drop at once on October 1.

The latest stop was New York. Florence Pugh’s ‘East of Eden’ New York screening look was a white gown covered in silver rhinestones, worn at a special event at the Paley Center for Media on Sunday, September 27. The photos show a corseted bodice with a plunging, embellished neckline, a full skirt and drop earrings, with her blonde hair swept into soft side-parted waves.

The white gown was only the latest chapter in a tour that has moved quickly. Pugh kicked off the promotion on September 17 at a screening and conversation in West Hollywood, wearing an embroidered yellow tulle Rodarte ensemble with Bvlgari jewelry. Kazan joined her at that event.

Then came London, where she wore a dramatic black ruffled Rodarte gown to a BAFTA screening on September 25. That dress came from Rodarte’s Fall 2026 collection, which was inspired by Dario Argento’s 1977 horror film ‘Suspiria’. Earlier that day she had stopped by BBC Studios in a Vivienne Westwood shirt and pants, showing off a much more casual side.

The contrast between London and New York is hard to miss. The black gown leaned into the gothic themes of the story, while the white dress feels light and almost bridal. Together they show how Pugh is using fashion to play with the different sides of her character.

Her stylists have clearly been having fun with the series’ mood. The New York look is more traditional, with sparkling crystal appliqués running along the neckline and waist. It’s a soft choice for an actress about to appear as one of literature’s most notorious characters.

RELATED:

Florence Pugh Channels Old Hollywood Glamour in a Sultry ‘Tonight Show’ Appearance Ahead of Netflix’s East of Eden

Pugh wasn’t alone in New York. Just Jared reported that Abbott, Faist and Lee attended, along with co-showrunners and executive producers Kazan and Jeb Stuart. After the screening, the stars took part in a Q&A before heading to a reception celebrating the series.

This is the kind of event that gives audiences a first look at the finished episodes. It also lets the cast talk about the experience of making a sprawling family saga. For Pugh, who is also an executive producer, it’s another chance to show how invested she is.

At the London screening, Pugh told the Press Association that making the show was a beautiful experience, despite how complicated her character is. She said the role pushed her to grow as a performer and gave her control over her choices. She also said she enjoyed being an executive producer because she considers herself opinionated.

That perspective fits the way the series has been framed. Kazan has said she wanted Cathy to feel like a person rather than an archetype. The show follows the Trask family across generations, focusing new attention on its indelible antihero.

Steinbeck’s novel is a 600-page epic that spans the Civil War to the end of World War I. The 1955 film starring James Dean adapted only the last fourth of the book, which Steinbeck approved, and a three-part miniseries followed in 1981. The Netflix series promises to adapt the entire novel in a more complete form.

That ambition has stirred some debate among readers. A piece in the student newspaper Brig argued that presenting Cathy as a misunderstood antihero could change the novel’s themes, since in the book she is rotten to her core. Other viewers are eager to see a fresh take, and screenings like this one will show whether the series lands.

With only a couple of days left, the promotional blitz is nearly complete. Pugh also stopped by ‘The Tonight Show’ on Monday and is scheduled to appear on ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’ on Wednesday. After that, the series will speak for itself.

If the fashion is any indication, this has been a well-planned campaign. Each look has fit the tone of the event, and the white gown in New York added a memorable new chapter. Now viewers will get to judge the performance.

What do you think of Florence Pugh’s sparkling white gown at the East of Eden New York screening?

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments.

Don't miss:

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted