Master storytellers Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz ("Lost," "Tron: Legacy") invite everyone to Storybrooke, Maine, a small town that probably won't show up on one's GPS, but it's a place where magic is coming!
To ensure that no one in fairytale land – especially Snow White – had any more "happily ever afters," Evil Queen Regina cast a curse which trapped the fairytale characters, frozen in time, and brought them into our modern world. Although still alive, they had no knowledge of their former selves and were sleepwalking through life – ageless -- for 28 years, until a savior arrived in the form of Emma Swan. Unbeknownst to Emma, she was the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, who had whisked her out of fairytale land and into our world as an infant to save her from the curse. Abandoned as a baby, Emma's life was anything but magical; her last job was as a bail bondsperson, but she mostly drifted without much of a life plan. When her 10-year-old son, Henry -- whom she had given up for adoption years earlier -- appeared on her doorstep with a book of fairytales and a wild story about how Emma was the progeny of fairytale characters trapped in a town called Storybrooke, she thought he was crazy. But curiosity got the better of her, and when she brought Henry back to the town – where Regina, ever the control freak, had made herself mayor and was also Henry's adoptive mother -- Emma soon discovered that Storybrooke was more than it seemed. Over time she came to believe the stories were true, began to see cracks in the curse, and was finally able to break it.
Reality and myth were merged as the fairytale characters began awakening, once the curse was lifted, and remembered who they were. But to their dismay they were not transported back to fairytale land. And to make matters worse, Rumplestiltskin – aka Mr. Gold – in an effort to gain the upper hand in his power struggle with Regina, introduced magic into the town. In fairytales magic has its place, but in our world it can have unfathomable consequences. Now the fairytale characters must contend with magic in their quest to find a way home, as new fairytale characters are revealed, old acquaintances are revisited, and some we had come to believe could be trusted will turn against their own kind.
"Once Upon a Time" stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Lana Parrilla as Evil Queen/Regina, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David, Emilie de Ravin as Belle, Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills, Meghan Ory as Red Riding Hood/Ruby and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold.
UPCOMING EPISODES
2.18 Selfless, Brave and True
MARY MARGARET DISCOVERS THAT AUGUST HAS BEEN HIDING AWAY FROM THE OTHERS AND IS COMPLETELY MADE OUT OF WOOD, AND EMMA IS SHOCKED WHEN NEAL INVITES HIS FIANCÉE, TAMARA, TO COME TO STORYBROOKE, ON ABC'S "ONCE UPON A TIME"
Eion Bailey Guest Stars as August
"Selfless, Brave and True" - While Mary Margaret goes off on her own in an attempt to come to grips with what she did to Cora and how her deed has affected her, she stumbles upon August, who has hidden himself away from the others and is completely made of wood -- ashamed at the actions he has taken in life; and Emma is shocked when Neal invites his fiancée, Tamara, to come to Storybrooke. Meanwhile, before the curse was cast, August is introduced to a man of magic who may be able to prevent him from turning back into wood -- but at a steep price -- on "Once Upon a Time," SUNDAY, MARCH 24 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET) on the ABC Television Network.
"Once Upon a Time" stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White/Mary Margaret, Jennifer Morrison as Emma Swan, Lana Parrilla as Evil Queen/Regina, Josh Dallas as Prince Charming/David, Emilie de Ravin as Belle, Colin O'Donoghue as Hook, Jared S. Gilmore as Henry Mills, Meghan Ory as Red Riding Hood/Ruby, and Robert Carlyle as Rumplestiltskin/Mr. Gold.
Guest starring are Tony Amendola as Geppetto/Marco, Keegan Connor Tracy as Mother Superior/Blue Fairy, Michael Raymond-James as Neal Cassidy, Eion Bailey as August W. Booth, Ethan Embry as Greg Mendell, Sonequa Martin-Green as Tamara, Dianne Doan as Isra, Peter Kawasaki as orderly, Rick Tae as doctor, Manny Jacinto as Quon, Tzi Ma as The Dragon and Jakob Davies as Pinocchio.
"Selfless, Brave and True" was written by Robert Hull & Kalinda Vazquez and directed by Ralph Hemecker.
For episode #218 of Once Upon a Time, a guest role (preferably with an Asian accent) is being cast: The Healer. He's 60, mystical, powerful, helpful to those in trouble, and makes predictions that can be difficult to understand. (Source)
2.19 Lacey
These 2 roles are being cast for episode 2.19: A Thief, who is male, 30 years old, brave, honorable and steals magic from Rumpelstiltskin; and Keith, who is 35, bitter due to a hard life, and likes to chase women. (Source)
2.20 The Evil Queen
2.21 Second Star to the Right
For episode 2.21, the role of Heidi is being cast. She's 13, British, and also described as being compassionate, mischievous, and somewhat naive about how dangerous the world can be. (Source)
2.22 Straight on 'Til Morning
For Once Upon a Time episode 2.22, a few teen boy roles are being cast that might be recurring. One of the boys is named Felix, and he's their leader. (Source)
There are “major plans” for Cora this season (possible 3-episode arc)
Question: I have a burning Once Upon a Time question — was the outside world affected when the curse was broken? —Jen
Ausiello: That’s what EP Adam Horowitz referred to as “an excellent question” when it was lobbed to him at Comic-Con over the weekend.
“I think the best way to answer that,” he responded, “is to say that that will be explicated rather quickly.” Explicate: To analyze and develop (an idea or principle) in detail. (Source)
Question: Any scoop on August from Once Upon a Time? Please don’t say they’re not bringing him back. —Rae
Ausiello: “We are definitely going to tell what happened to Pinocchio,” EP Edward Kitsis assured us at Con. “The last we saw, he was wood.”
Added Horowitz: “We gotta figure out what happened to him. We started the story and we intend to finish it.” (source)
Alexa: What's next for Snow and Charming on OUAT?! Please tell me they won't be getting new love interests!
Relax! It seems like the show's creators are more interested in exploring the relationship between the couple and their daughter than any prospective love interests. "There's a lot of challenges, in terms of this new relationship with their daughter. Rather than focusing on last season, where it was they didn't know who each other were and whether they'll get together and will we overcome the Kathryn of it all, this year it's a whole different set of challenges that this new familial relationship presents," Adam Horowitz explains. (Source)
Loved the Once Upon a Time midseason finale. What's coming up when the show returns? — Joan
NATALIE: The Charming family has been reunited, but look for more bad news on the horizon. When we asked Ginnifer Goodwin and Jennifer Morrison about the joyous reunion, they both offered up ominous answers that may or may not have to do with the arrival of Hook and Cora. "It's, of course, short-lived because yet another obstacle is going to be thrust between all of these characters," Goodwin says, with Morrison adding, "New terrible things need to happen for us to work out." Any guesses as to what's in store for the Storybrooke gang?
COMING UP NEXT | "No one's going to be happy" about the arrival of the pirate brig's passengers, says Jennifer Morrison. "It's too much of a threat to everything that we care about." Speaking in character, she adds, "I don’t really know that much about all these people from this other land, but I do know that those two are dangerous, so I'm certainly not going to want them anywhere near my kid." Also, as revealed in recent weeks: Mulan, Prince Phillip and Smee will each make encores; viewers will meet Dr. Frankenstein's father and brother (played by Gregory Itzin and Chad Collins); Emma's baby daddy Neal Cassidy will be seen again; and Ethan Embry (Can't Hardly Wait) and Sonequa Martin-Green (The Walking Dead) will surface in secret roles. (Source)
Will anything surprise us about the upcoming episodes of Once Upon a Time? — Megan
NATALIE: We know that the flashbacks lead to Regina enacting the curse, but coming trips to the past may surprise you. "We're going to show you some things in our world that you didn't even think were an option," executive producer Edward Kitsis says. Will we see flashbacks to other lands — say, Oz? Kitsis remains coy. "[They'll] center on our characters, but in surprising ways." (Source)
Now that Once Upon a Time‘s Hook is out in the open, will we get to see him interact with the other residents of Storybrooke? –Stefanie
You mean, presuming he survived getting mowed down by The Outsider, right? (Of course he lives.) Well, to perhaps – perhaps! – answer your question, I’ll offer up this scooplet. “Emma’s love life is going to get really complicated,” series cocreator Adam Horowitz told me last week. In fact, across Storybrooke at large, he said, “The permutations of romance will continue to turn as we move forward.” (Source)
Ausiello: Yes! While speaking with Josh Dallas about this week’s David/Charming-heavy episode, Matt Mitovich picked his brain about Brothers & Sisters alum John Pyper-Ferguson’s character, who thus far has only been described as the widowed father to a young boy. “I can’t tell you anything,” Dallas hedged. “Just know that he’s an outsider.” Speaking of outsiders, Dallas was slightly more forthcoming with a status report on wayward driver Greg Mendell, played by Ethan Embry. “In this Sunday’s episode, you see Greg grilling Belle about what she actually saw that night at the car accident,” he said, musing: “Hmm, why does he want to know…?” (Source)
What time will the Once Upon a Time Lightning Round article be posted? —Hannah JoAnn, via Twitter
NATALIE: Soon, Hannah. Better yet, because I'm feeling generous today, I will give you a sneak preview! Will poor Belle ever get her memories back? The answer is... yes! "If it was permanent, that would be the most bleak end," executive producer Edward Kitsis says, noting that how Gold helps her gets her memory back will certainly be a story line to watch out for. Let's take a moment to breathe a sigh of relief. Good? OK. (Source)
Any plans for Mulan to return to Once? — Alyson
“We’re not going to rule anything out and there are some surprises we want to keep in store for characters who may be coming back later in the season,” says executive producer Adam Horowitz. “So we’re not going to rule anything out nor will we confirm or deny.” Source
Now that Once Upon a Time‘s Emma has disappointed Henry by lying to him about his father, will Regina have a chance to really reconnect with her son? –Vicki
That is totally where I thought this was going, too, but it appears we’re both wrong. As Jennifer Morrison explained to me, “Unfortunately for Regina at this point, she is so wrapped up in her own sort of mess with her mother being in town and the complications of that relationship, and sort of her failing at trying to not use magic, she sort of misses seeing her opportunity [with Henry]. She does make a move to get him back, but she doesn’t necessarily make the most strategic move, based on the circumstances.” (Source)
Once Upon a Time | Since many – myself included – have speculated that Cora cast some sort of spell on her daughter, and that’s why Regina seems to have abandoned her redemption tour, I asked the series’ creators if we are onto something. Short answer: Nope. As Eddy Kitsis reminds, “In Episode 9, we saw Regina say, ‘I have to kill you, Mother. Your grip on my heart is too strong.’ So while the audience is right to be wary of Cora, and Regina is right to be wary of her mother’s true intentions, we can never forget how important the need to get your mom’s approval and love is.” Adam Horowitz meanwhile offered this teaser for fans of Lana Parrilla’s ever-unpredictable alter ego: “We’re going to see some Regina unleashed!” Source
OMG, is Once Upon a Time going to Neverland?! —Jayma
NATALIE: Based on the final two episode titles, it certainly sounds like it. But I have some bad news about the finale. If last year's was about breaking the curse, this year's is a little more ominous than that. "At the end of last year, Mr. Gold said magic was coming. Now that magic is here, it always comes with a price. In the finale, we'll see that price," executive producer Edward Kitsis tells me. Does that mean someone is going to die? Executive producer Adam Horowitz adds, "We should always be worried about death, but I would say that there are things to be worried about that you are probably not worried about yet, but you will be!" Source
Will Neal’s fiancée play a role in future Once Upon a Time episodes? –Devin
Yes — though probably not in quite the way you expect. And that’s all I’ll say, for now, on the matter… so here’s series cocreator Eddy Kitsis, pre-PaleyFest: “Tamara’s not going anywhere anytime soon…. We’re very excited for the audience to see what she’s all about.” (Ooh, Devin, you came so close to asking the question I have a tantalizing response for. Maybe next week….) Source.
I know we’re going to see Regina and Snow feuding more than ever now that Snow killed Cora, but are we going to get to see Regina mourn a little? -- Trish
For sure. In fact, Lana Parrilla tells me that even though we’ll see Regina having a bit of a “one track mind” when it comes to revenge, “you’re definitely going to see [her pain.] There’s a moment of grieving and mourning her mother’s passing,” she says. Source
OTHER SPOILERS
Any chance Maleficent will return next season on Once Upon a Time? — Rosie
NATALIE: Seeing as Sleeping Beauty was just added to the second season, it's likely we haven't seen the last of Maleficent.
Kristin Bauer may have Rumplestiltskin to thank for that. "I was hoping when that mist strolled into town that that meant that anything is possible," the True Blood vixen tells us. (Source)
I'm not sure why LaceBelle would make a turn towards being more like Belle, though. In any case, Bobby and Eddy have made a point to tell us that Belle is the one with the influence on him, she's the one who brings out the best. I think she must regain her memories in order to stop this darkness from overwhelming him.
Re: Gold/selfish: Gold in Manhattan was desperate, that's why he made the comment about magic; he didn't know what else to do, he was reaching....as he did with Belle and the cup. I didn't see that as selfish....both times again he was desperate.
I think Lacey might start to make a turn for good, just like we saw other people in Storybrooke in season 1 make a turn for good. Like when Archie stood up Regina or when Hansel and Gretel's father went from not wanting to be attached to anyone to taking in his children or when Ruby found her confidence and repaired her relationship with Granny or when Mary Margaret finally found her strength and started acting like Snow again before the curse broke. The list goes on and on. So I think Lacey might experience or see something that makes her realize that she has a purpose other than dressing trashy and flirting with guys. I don't think Lacey will get her Belle memories back at the end of the season, but I do think she will start to exhibit Belle qualities and try to help Rumple be a better man. I think the thing that might make her change is that she'll realize she genuinely cares for Rumple.
As for Gold being selfish. I don't mean selfish in terms of trying to hurt others, but selfish because he just wanted the easy way out of things. The scene with Belle and the cup in the hospital was desperate more than anything. He didn't cause her memories to be erased so it's not like he was trying to fix a bad thing he had done. With Bae, Rumple cause his pain. He chose power over his son and his solution was to turn back the clock and erase everything that had been done. It would save him from having to earn his son's trust back or dealing with the fact that he left his son experienced so much pain alone. So yeah, I think that was selfish, but when he was dying and couldn't use his magic he was finally genuine in wanting to repair what he had done and that's what won Bae over. That's just my take on it.
I have to hand it to the writers that this is one thing they've done right this year is show so many facets to this one character. He does wrong things but he is endlessly fascinating, to me anyway.
Yes, definitely agree with this. Rumple's story and his internal struggles have been shown so well this season. We barely saw that last season because Gold was a very reserved character. I've loved his story this season.
I think Lacey might start to make a turn for good, just like we saw other people in Storybrooke in season 1 make a turn for good. Like when Archie stood up Regina or when Hansel and Gretel's father went from not wanting to be attached to anyone to taking in his children or when Ruby found her confidence and repaired her relationship with Granny or when Mary Margaret finally found her strength and started acting like Snow again before the curse broke. The list goes on and on. So I think Lacey might experience or see something that makes her realize that she has a purpose other than dressing trashy and flirting with guys. I don't think Lacey will get her Belle memories back at the end of the season, but I do think she will start to exhibit Belle qualities and try to help Rumple be a better man. I think the thing that might make her change is that she'll realize she genuinely cares for Rumple.
As for Gold being selfish. I don't mean selfish in terms of trying to hurt others, but selfish because he just wanted the easy way out of things. The scene with Belle and the cup in the hospital was desperate more than anything. He didn't cause her memories to be erased so it's not like he was trying to fix a bad thing he had done. With Bae, Rumple cause his pain. He chose power over his son and his solution was to turn back the clock and erase everything that had been done. It would save him from having to earn his son's trust back or dealing with the fact that he left his son experienced so much pain alone. So yeah, I think that was selfish, but when he was dying and couldn't use his magic he was finally genuine in wanting to repair what he had done and that's what won Bae over. That's just my take on it.
Yes, definitely agree with this. Rumple's story and his internal struggles have been shown so well this season. We barely saw that last season because Gold was a very reserved character. I've loved his story this season.
I agree .
TFTNT
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RumplestiltskinBelle. "Love only brought me pain. My walls were up. But you brought them down. You brought me home. You brought light into my life and chased away all the darkness" ~ Rumplestiltskin
Shouldn't that be Neal and Belle? They've really minimized Belle's importance She was supposedly the only woman who ever really loved him and could love him but now Cora apparently loved him too so they're kind of taking away what was special about her, which I don't understand at all.
I feel like you read TMD all wrong. It's quite the opposite. Rumple told Belle in the phone call that she's the only one who's ever made him want to go back to who he used to be.
Now we're going to see what not having Belle in his life does to him when she's not there to bring out the light in him. That shows just how special she is to him.
True love is rooted in positivity. Cora and Rumple kept kissing with no curse-breaking(unlike with Belle in SD) because their love was all about reveling in darkness(& because Cora chose power & to marry another man over him). They brought out the absolute worst in each other.
Belle makes him want to go back to the real Rumple, the man he was before the Dark One took over. Much like Henry makes Regina want to go back to who she used to be before she became evil.
Ever since news broke that creators Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis were working on a spinoff, Once Upon a Time fans have been waiting with bated breath for news.
And guess what? We’ve finally got some major scoop to share about the new characters viewers will be meeting in the Wonderland-centric project, including Alice!
“We do have an idea that may or may not take place in Wonderland that will definitely have some new characters,” Kitsis told us at PaleyFest. “But at this point, it’s just kind of us tinkering in the laboratory, so we’re kind of trying to keep it secret before we unleash it.”
The pilot presentation, which is set to shoot in early April in Vancouver (where Once Upon a Time films), is currently casting three series regular roles.
Alice, a British twentysomething, is young but has already had a hard life and carries some emotional scars. Though she tries to hide it, she has a generous heart.
Next up: Amahl, who is Middle Eastern, attractive and soulful. Though he’s optimistic, which gives him a Zen dreaminess, he has an inner fire.
Finally there’s the sardonic adventurer The Knave, who is a loner and a heartbreaker. This man of action is loyal and possesses a strong moral center, despite his swagger. In the original book by Lewis Carroll, the Knave is on trial for tart burglary and Alice comes to his defense.
No word yet on the Mad Hatter role, which was portrayed by fan favorite Sebastian Stan on OUAT, but Kitsis said, “We don’t have plans to recast anyone.”
“This will be kind of its own thing,” Horowitz said of the spinoff in relation to Once Upon a Time, adding that the ABC hit will not be returning to Wonderland again this season.
Rupert hardly speaks. You're lucky to get anything out of him these days, he just has a wicked sense of humor and he's very eccentric and very unique in the way that he does things. He's like a big kid. I feel like he'll never grow up, which I love.
Hmm. When Adam & Eddy talked about the spinoff at Paley, they made it sound like they were only in the process of throwing ideas around, and that it would be a long while until it came to fruition(if it even did). I guess they were lying about that.
I feel like you read TMD all wrong. It's quite the opposite. Rumple told Belle in the phone call that she's the only one who's ever made him want to go back to who he used to be.
Now we're going to see what not having Belle in his life does to him when she's not there to bring out the light in him. That shows just how special she is to him.
True love is rooted in positivity. Cora and Rumple kept kissing with no curse-breaking(unlike with Belle in SD) because their love was all about reveling in darkness(& because Cora chose power & to marry another man over him). They brought out the absolute worst in each other.
Belle makes him want to go back to the real Rumple, the man he was before the Dark One took over. Much like Henry makes Regina want to go back to who she used to be before she became evil.
IA. I've always said that Belle is his light and goodness and we're about to find out just how much she is both of these things. He told her in 2x11 that he would be lost without her and that's undoubtedly true.
Do these two really need a new show that steals time and attention from ONCE, it's not like the show is a doing stellar and gaining audience members up and down. WTF are these two thinking i wonder.
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Rupert hardly speaks. You're lucky to get anything out of him these days, he just has a wicked sense of humor and he's very eccentric and very unique in the way that he does things. He's like a big kid. I feel like he'll never grow up, which I love.
Belle. "Love only brought me pain. My walls were up. But you brought them down. You brought me home. You brought light into my life and chased away all the darkness" ~ Rumplestiltskin 
IA. I've always said that Belle is his light and goodness and we're about to find out just how much she is both of these things. He told her in 2x11 that he would be lost without her and that's undoubtedly true.
