Once Upon a Time Season 1 cast and character guide: Who plays whom in the American fantasy drama? 

Once Upon a Time began in October 2011 and quickly established a two-world premise that drives Season 1. Fairy-tale figures live under a modern curse in the Maine town of Storybrooke, and one outsider holds the key to breaking that curse.

Emma Swan, a bail bonds agent played by Jennifer Morrison, is brought to Storybrooke by a boy named Henry who insists she is his mother and the “Savior.” In the pilot, Emma refuses at first, but the episode ends with a clear shift: she stays long enough to notice odd coincidences that match Henry’s book and to meet people who behave like fairy-tale versions of themselves.

This article aims to help readers quickly identify actors and their dual roles, like Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White and Lana Parrilla as the Evil Queen, and to highlight where these characters appear in early scenes.

Main cast of Once Upon a Time and their dual roles

Ginnifer Goodwin plays Snow White, who lives as Mary Margaret Blanchard, a high school teacher in Storybrooke. In the first episodes, she feels confused about why she has strong feelings for a man she doesn't remember.

Jennifer Morrison is Emma Swan, the woman Henry finds in Boston; in the pilot, she initially rejects then reconsiders Henry’s claim that Storybrooke’s residents are cursed. Lana Parrilla is Regina Mills, the town’s mayor and the Evil Queen in flashbacks.

Episode 3 shows Regina using Storybrooke’s rules to keep control over her adopted son, Henry. Josh Dallas plays Prince Charming, who appears in the present as David Nolan. An early scene depicts David struggling to remember his true self.

Important supporting roles and early plot examples in Once Upon a Time

Robert Carlyle plays Rumplestiltskin, who is Mr. Gold in Storybrooke. In Season 1, he makes a decision in Episode 6 that shows how far he will go to protect his own goals. Jared S. Gilmore is Henry, whose insistence that Emma is the savior drives the season’s events.

Raphael Sbarge appears as Jiminy Cricket and his Storybrooke counterpart, Dr. Archie Hopper, who must decide whether to trust Henry’s version of events. Jamie Dornan’s Sheriff Graham (the Huntsman in flashbacks) is shown in a key scene where his loyalty is tested in both worlds.

Recurring players and memorable guest appearances in Once Upon a Time

Meghan Ory plays Ruby, who is later revealed as Red Riding Hood. Lee Arenberg and the dwarf actors portray the miners, who are the Seven Dwarves in flashbacks and town workers in Storybrooke.

Sebastian Stan appears as Jefferson, the Mad Hatter, whose first major scene in Season 1 shows his troubled relationship with both worlds. Tony Amendola, Giancarlo Esposito, and others add depth as figures who have clear fairy-tale counterparts and practical roles in Storybrooke jobs.

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How does Season 1 set up later seasons?

Season 1 uses its 22 episodes to explore characters' dual identities and showcase key turning points, such as the pilot’s arrival, midseason revelations about who cast the curse, and the finale’s decision that pushes Emma toward embracing her role. The Once Upon a Time Season 1 cast and character guide highlights the most prominent characters and the scenes where their double lives matter on screen.

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