“Once Upon A Time” Star Lana Parrilla About Co-star Exits, Optimistic About Evil Queen Character In Season 7

Ahead of the show’s Season 6 hiatus, “Once Upon A Time” has shocked fans when several of its major cast members are reportedly leaving the series for good. Jennifer Morrison, Ginnifer Goodwin, Josh Dallas, Jared Gilmore, Rebecca Mader and Emilie de Ravin will not be returning as series regulars, with Morrison saying she’ll be doing one more episode for the show’s Season 7. This leaves Lana Parrilla, Robert Carlyle and Colin O’Donoghue to carry on Season 7, and as the producers have said, with a whole new storyline.

Parilla echoes this in several of her interviews, TVLine noted. In this video, she confirms what ABC entertainment president Channing Dungey has said at the network’s Upfronts presentation last week that her character the Evil Queen, Hook and Rumplestiltskin are to “return but with new identities in a new city, facing a new curse.”

Although she expressed her sadness in no longer working with her former castmates, she added that she is nonetheless will be looking forward to Season 7, Moviepilot notes. She added, “I’m looking forward to that, and I’m hoping in Season 7 we’re gonna get a taste of Regina’s happiness and hopefully sustain it for some time. I am excited to see what the next chapter is for Regina and who this new Henry is. If he’s older, does that mean I’m aging? I don’t know!

Digital Spy said ABC has ordered 22 episodes for “Once Upon A Time” Season 7. Although there has been no confirmation as to when the show will return to ABC, it is expected that it will be part of the network’s 2017-18 autumn schedule, which means later this year. “Once Upon A Time” has also been moved to Friday nights.