Exclusive: Creator Marshall Herskovitz on Once and Again, 10 Years Later
From the Cleavers to the Huxtables to the Pritchetts, the American television family has evolved (or devolved, in the case of the Kardashians) faster than a fish next to a nuclear power plant. On April 15, 2002, ABC ended our relationship with one of our favorites, the Mannings and Sammlers of Once and Again. The complications, joys, and heartaches of blending two post-divorce families had never been told in such a relatable manner. For show creator Marshall Herskovitz, who along with Ed Zwick created other iconic shows such as My So-Called Life and Thirtysomething, it was the cast of Once and Again which made the show so special. “When you do a TV series, you can’t have a lot of dysfunction or life will be miserable [on set],” he tells Snakkle in an exclusive interview. “We have always felt that it was right from the beginning to make sure that the dynamics were honest, open, and respectful. There was a way that both Sela [Ward] and Billy [Campbell] set the tone for the show in such a wonderful way. It really was a family.” Ten years later, we’ve teamed up with Herskovitz to remember why we loved Lily, Rick, and their complicated, unified family. By Katherine ButlerPerhaps the biggest breakout star from Once and Again was Evan Rachel Wood. Her character Jessie’s stories dealt with some groundbreaking issues at the time—including her eating disorder and her realization she might be a lesbian. When asked about Wood, Herskovitz is quick to praise the young actress. “Evan was one of those people who is an utter natural and reminded us of Claire Danes. They both just came out of the box with everything you needed to become an actor. They were geniuses who had it all.”
So what was it about Wood that made Herskovitz and Zwick cast her as sensitive Jessie Sammler? As Herskovitz tells it, “Evan had this fragility in her character that is not in her person. In the way she played that child, she just broke your heart. Evan is the only actor who has ever made me cry while I was directing her—during a scene where she reveals to her father (Billy Campbell) just how painful her parents’ divorce had been for her.”