"Once and Again" was noted for the quality of its cast, particularly that of its younger cast members, who were noted for the sensitivity of their performances; the show featured them, giving them plot lines and screen time commensurate with those of the adult leads.Whelan, Meredith Deane, Shane West, and Evan Rachel Wood played the children of Ward and Campbell, respectively; Mischa Barton joined the show in its final season as Evan Rachel Wood's girlfriend.