Other characters expected to re-appear in the next episode of “Once Upon a Time” include Prince Henry, played by Tony Perez, Peter Pan, played by Robbie Kay, The Blind Witch, played by Emma Caulfield, Cruella de Vil, played by Victoria Smurfit, and Prince Charming’s twin brother, who is also played by Josh Dallas.
Eventually, showrunners Adam Horowitz and Eddy Kitsis revealed recently that the surprise character is going to be Neal Cassidy, played by Michael Raymond-James.
Reports have it that Raymond-James travelled with a group to Vancouver to shoot some scenes for Season 5B of “Once Upon a Time” and he came incognito. He did not check in at one of the usual hotels where guest actors passing through town are often seen but decided to stay in a place outside of the city.
Just to ensure the secrecy, the scenes of Raymond-James as Neal Cassidy were filmed indoors on a soundstage, and away from the paparazzi who are known to spoil many outdoor shoots of the TV series.
However, despite the secrecy, the media was still able to get wind of his return to the hit TV series. In fact, one cast member reportedly posted a photo of Raymond-James on Instagram and immediately deleted thereafter.
Incidentally, “Once Upon a Time” will mark an important milestone during its midseason premiere on March 6. The 12th episode of Season 5 will actually mark the show’s 100th episode, which is quite an accomplishment for the TV series.