‘Little House on the Prairie’ actor says Netflix adaptation aims for family

A fresh adaptation of “Little House on the Prairie” is headed to Netflix on July 9 that hopes to bring Laura Ingalls Wilder’s classic 19th-century frontier novels to life for a new generation.

When actor Warren Christie signed on for the role of John Edwards, he knew he was stepping into a project that carried big expectations.

“You see the name, ‘Little House on the Prairie,’ and it obviously carries a certain history to it, a certain cachet,” Christie told Fox News Digital. “I was fortunate enough to read the first couple of episodes and was just floored by the writing, the scope — you could see what it was going to be, and then also kind of fell in love with the character of Edwards.”

Christie plays John Edwards, a character known in the books simply as Mr. Edwards, who becomes a close family friend of the Ingalls family. Edwards is a Civil War veteran from Tennessee whom Netflix describes as a “gregarious and mysterious man who catches the eye of every single woman in the county.” In the classic 1970s television series, the character was famously played by Victor French.

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Netflix says the series is a fresh “reimagining” of Wilder’s books rather than a reboot of the original television series.

Christie admitted that when he was first approached for the role, he wasn’t deeply familiar with the books, but he was impressed by the script and his character.

“When we meet John Edwards, he’s not in the greatest of spots,” Christie said. “He’s lost his family, he is a veteran, he has got some other problems he is dealing with and then happens to meet this family who I think… reminds him that there is hope, reminds him of what things can be, and they bring him into the fold, and it starts to help him to live again really. He sees the joy in what they have, and I think he sees potential and hope and community.”

Christie said fans of the books will appreciate the new series, saying that showrunner Rebecca Sonneshine grew up loving these stories and approached the project with immense respect for the novels while still establishing her own vision.

“If you’re a true fan of a book, we did everything we could to make sure that that storytelling was told in the right way,” Christie explained. “I think it was never lost on any of us how special it was to be a part of this world and this universe. It’s huge, and it means a lot to people. And so we’re very proud of the show.”

Alice Halsey plays Laura Ingalls in Netflix’s “Little House on the Prairie.” (Courtesy of Netflix)

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Netflix said the series is part of its “wholesome” and “heartwarming” lineup offered on the streaming platform, alongside series like “Virgin River” and “Sweet Magnolias.”

Christie said while the show is “beautifully shot,” he believes it will ultimately be one that families can watch together.

“[W]hat I hope it offers is multi-generational viewing,” he told Fox News Digital.

“A transformed adaptation of Wilder’s semi-autobiographical books, the new Little House on the Prairie is part family drama, part epic survival tale, and part origin story of the American West,” Netflix says. (Courtesy of Netflix)

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“I hope at the end of the day what we’ve done is created a really exciting world that multiple generations can share and enjoy together. And it’s the underlying thing of the whole show, which is community,” he continued.