Once Upon a Time
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In the world where fairy tales and the modern-day are about to collide, nothing will be the same again. A 10-year-old boy, Henry, found his mother Emma Swan, who abandoned him when he was a baby, and believes that she comes from an alternate world. According to his book, the epic battle for the future of both worlds is beginning and they need her help.
- Names for many characters in Storybrooke are often coordinated with their fairy tale counterpart. For example: - Mary Margaret Blanchard (Snow White): Blanchard derives from the French word "blanc" or "blanche" for white. The name "Mary Margaret" is from a real-life woman believed to be the inspiration of the Snow White character named "Maria Sophia Margaretha Catharina Freifräulein Von Erthal" (born on June 15, 1729 in Germany). - Regina Mills (Evil Queen): Regina is a Late Latin and Modern Italian feminine noun and name meaning "queen". Regina's grandfather was a Miller so that is a connection to her last name. - David Nolan (Prince Charming): The masculine name David means "darling" or "beloved." In Biblical text, it is also the name of the shepherd who became King David after defeating the Goliath the giant. Nolan is a Gaelic name meaning "noble," "fighter," or "champion." - Mr. Gold (Rumpelstiltskin): Rumpelstiltskin spun straw into gold in his story. - Ruby (Red Riding Hood): A ruby is a pink to blood-red colored gemstone. - Ashley Boyd (Cinderella): Cinders precede ashes in the burning process. Boyd derives from the Gaelic word "buidhe" meaning yellow-haired. - Sidney Glass (Mirror): Because another word for mirror is glass or looking glass. Also, his newspaper is called "The Mirror." Sidney's character as the Queen's minion trapped in a mirror parallels a genie trapped in a bottle/lamp as a master's servant. The name Sidney refers to Sidney Sheldon, the creator of I Dream of Jeannie. - Archie Hopper (Jiminy Cricket): Crickets often hop to get around. Also, crickets are sometimes called hoppers. - Jefferson (The Mad Hatter): The group Jefferson Airplane has a song called "White Rabbit" which uses lyrics derived from the "Alice in Wonderland" tales. - Paige (Grace): In the real world, the Hatter's daughter is named Paige but in the fairy tale land, her name is Grace. Grace Slick was a member of Jefferson Airplane and writer of their song "White Rabbit." - Dr. Whale (Dr. Frankenstein): In his black and white fairy tale world, he is Dr. Victor Frankenstein. James Whale was the director of the original Universal Frankenstein and its sequel Bride of Frankenstein. - Cora (The Queen of Hearts): Derived from the Latin word "cor" meaning heart. - Zelena (The Wicked Witch): Zelena means "green" in various Slavic languages. - Neal Cassidy: named after Neal Cassady an infamous thief who served 11 months in prison for stolen goods; the same time Emma Swan was given when he let her take the fall for his crime. - August W. Booth (Pinnochio): W. Booth references to Wayne C. Booth, who coined the term the "unreliable narrator" i.e. a blatant liar who misleads the audience. August's fairy tale counterpart is known for lying.
- Katee Sackhoff auditioned five times for the role of Emma Swan.
- Paula Marshall was cast as Maleficent but was replaced by Kristin Bauer van Straten after producers decided to go in a different direction with the character.
- Ginnifer Goodwin (Snow White) and Josh Dallas (Prince Charming) met on the set of this show, fell in love, are married (as of 4/12/14) and have a son together, Oliver Finlay (May 29, 2014).
- The creators formally offered the part of the Blue Fairy/Mother Superior to singer Lady Gaga. However, according to Edward Kitsis, they never heard back from her management staff. The part then went to Keegan Connor Tracy.
- SPOILER: The storyline of Snow White and Prince Charming's second baby was written to accommodate Ginnifer Goodwin's real life pregnancy.
- There are multiple cameos of Apollo candy bars, like from the TV show Lost. There was also a TV in one episode playing a show called Exposé, also from (or similar to) Lost.
- SPOILER: Lana Parrilla specifically requested for the writers to change the abusive relationship between Regina and Henry. She is also responsible for the introduction of Regina's Season 3 love interest Robin Hood.
- Many actors from Lost have appeared in the series, including Lana Parrilla, Emilie de Ravin, Jorge Garcia, Alan Dale, Rebecca Mader, Naveen Andrews, Patrick Fischler, Daniel Dae Kim and Elizabeth Mitchell.
- SPOILER: The farmhouse where Mr. Gold is held captive by the Wicked Witch of the West in season 3 is the same farmhouse where DG resides in the miniseries Tin Man.
- At the 2014 Oz Comic Con, Jennifer Morrison confirmed that one of her favorite scenes was when Hook quoted the infamous "as you wish" to Emma, saying that it was her own 'Buttercup moment.'
- SPOILER: Due to her starring role on the short lived TV series Intelligence, Meghan Ory was absent from several episodes of season 2 and was subsequently demoted to recurring status.
- Michael Raymond-James, Sonequa Martin-Green,Brighton Sharbino and Ethan Embry have all appeared in The Walking Dead.
- Michael Socha previously played Will Scarlet in the spin-off series Once Upon a Time in Wonderland.
- SPOILER: Yvette Nicole Brown played Ursula in season 3 but the role was recast to get Merrin Dungey for season 4. However, later in the show, it was hinted that there are two Ursulas: Ursula the Sea Witch and Ursula the Sea Goddess - the latter being voiced by Yvette Nicole Brown and the Sea Witch being played by Merrin Dungey.
- Kristin Bauer van Straten briefly appeared in season 1 but she was unable to return due to her role in True Blood. However, once the show concluded its run in 2014, she returned in season 4.
- Elizabeth Lail's debut in a TV series.
- Elizabeth Mitchell found it hard to wear high heels in the woods for her role as the Snow Queen and suggested that she be bare footed instead.
- SPOILER: Giancarlo Esposito was unavailable for filming due to his commitments to the TV series Revolution hence his limited appearances in seasons 2-3.
- Sarah Bolger (Aurora/Sleeping Beauty) once said in an interview that her first on-screen kiss was with 'Colin ODonoghue (Hook/Killian), when they co-starred alongside each other in The Tudors.
- During one of the episodes, Prince Charming mentions to Snow about falling through a portal to Asgard, a reference to Marvel's Thor. Josh Dallas played Fandral in Thor.
- There is a Mickey Mouse toy at Mr. Gold's shop.
- The fairy tales are set during the Medieval times but some of the characters have Revolutionary war era clothes and some modern day fancy dresses in the enchanted forest.
- Sunny Mabrey and Ethan Embry who play Glinda and Greg Mendell respectively were married for 7 years until 2012. However, in 2015, they have rekindled their romance, and are engaged to be married once more.
- David Anders and Rose McIver both star in the TV series iZombie.
- Most of the storybook's characters, especially Queen Regina, are wearing Indian Jewellery. Princes' and kings' attires are indian as well.
- The wardrobe that Emma was sent through when she's born is a nod to Narnia.
- Singer Christina Perri dedicated her song "The Words" to the show's main couple, Emma Swan and Captain Hook. 'Colin ODonoghue (Captain Hook) is in the song's music video.
- Cruella De Vil's car is a Zimmer Golden Spirit.
- The friendship between Snow-White and Little Red Riding Hood is a nod to "Snow-White and Rose-Red", another German fairy-tale collected by the Brothers Grimm.
