Florence Pugh’s new series needed early 1900s California. It found it in New Zealand

Netflix’s upcoming television adaptation of John Steinbeck’s classic novel East of Eden, starring Florence Pugh, required authentic early 1900s Californian settings for its production. To achieve this period-accurate aesthetic, the production utilized several historic locations across New Zealand.

Filming for the series brought up to 150 cast and crew members to specific historic sites within New Zealand. Among the locations used for the production were the heritage properties Alberton and Highwic, as well as the Thames School of Mines, serving as stand-ins for the early 20th-century American West.