Over the course of seven seasons and more than one-hundred and fifty episodes, Once Upon A Time had no shortage of memorable and beloved characters. Some of them were staples of the show from the pilot episode to the series finale. Others were introduced later on and only became series regulars over time, while some series regulars mostly stepped away after season 6 and only returned in guest-starring roles for the final season.
By the end of the series, it is intriguing to see which characters appeared in the most episodes. Episodes where an actor has credit only -meaning they were credited as a series regular but did not appear in the episode - are not included in this list. The total number of episodes is based on the number of episodes that the character physically appeared in, along with the rare episode where only the character's voice was used.
Grumpy - 60 Episodes
Despite never being a series regular, Lee Arenberg played Grumpy/Leroy in all 7 seasons of Once Upon A Time. He was a recurring actor in seasons 1-6 and returned as a guest star for the series finale in season 7.
Grump always had the most screentime and development of the seven dwarves. The fourteenth episode of season 1 was even a centric episode for him as it showed his transformation from Dreamy into Grumpy through flashbacks and how this influenced his present-day storyline in Storybrooke.
Granny - 60 Episodes
Once Upon A Time's version of Granny makes more appearances than the show's version of Red Riding Hood. Beverley Elliott was a recurring actor in seasons 1-6 and reprised the role for two episodes in the final season, including the series finale.
Granny's Diner was one of the most significant locations in Once Upon a Time. Not only did characters stop there quickly for a bite to eat or for information, but it was also where some of the show's most important celebrations, drama, and emotional moments occurred. It was Storybrooke's most common meeting place, which largely contributed to Granny's many appearances.
Belle - 87 Episodes
Belle first appeared in the Rumplestiltskin-centric season 1 episode "Skin Deep," which is still considered one of Once Upon a Time's best episodes. In seasons 2-6, Emilie de Ravin was a series regular. A real-life pregnancy and some story-driven decisions meant that she was credited, but did not appear in several episodes throughout these seasons, yet she always remained a prominent character.
As a guest star, de Ravin returned to play Belle for the beautiful, yet heartbreaking episode "Beauty" in season 7 and again in the series finale where she and Rumplestiltskin reunited in the afterlife.
Hook - 126 Episodes
Colin O'Donoghue debuted as Hook in season 2 of Once Upon A Time. He was originally a guest star before being promoted as a series regular in season 2, episode 14 "Manhattan." After that episode, he remained a series regular for the rest of the show, although in season 7 he primarily played the Wish Realm version of Hook.
Hook was a fan-favorite who went from being a revenge-driven "bad boy" to being part of some of Once Upon A Time's biggest and best romantic gestures. It speaks volumes about Hook's popularity that even when the show underwent a soft reboot after season 6, Colin O'Donoghue remained a series regular and a different version of Hook continued to be vital to the story.
Prince Charming - 128 Episodes
Josh Dallas was a series regular all the way from the pilot episode to the season 6 finale. Prince Charming was the first character audiences saw in the show, riding on a horse as he searched for Snow White. With Prince Charming being an integral character throughout the entirety of seasons 1-6, it was only right that Dallas played the role once more as a guest star in the series finale.
While Dallas primarily played the noble and heroic version of Prince Charming/David Nolan that fans loved, he also played the character's evil twin brother Prince James a couple of times, along with the Wish Realm version of Charming.
Snow White - 130 Episodes
Ginnifer Goodwin brought a refreshing version of Snow White to life. She was not a damsel in distress. She was a courageous, bold, and independent woman who was also deeply compassionate and inspiring.
As a character who perfectly captured the spirit and themes of the show, Snow White was in all but four episodes throughout the entirety of seasons 1-6. Her absence was definitely felt in season 7, but it was fitting to have her return in the series finale to culminate the show's exploration of forgiveness, hope, and redemption.
Emma Swan - 135 Episodes
While Once Upon A Time had many series regulars, Jennifer Morrison's Emma Swan was arguably the show's foremost main character in seasons 1-6. Other than the season 2 episode "The Crocodile" and the season 5 episode "The Bear King," Emma appeared in every single episode during the show's first 6 seasons.
Morrison mostly stepped away in season 7, but this did not hurt the show as Emma's arc felt complete by that point. Her season 7 appearances explained what happened to her character after season 6, why she wasn't around while Henry still was, and it felt right that in the series finale she got to see the culmination of Regina's rewarding character development.
Rumplestiltskin - 137 Episodes
Robert Carlyle is one of the only actors who was a series regular in all 7 seasons. No matter what name his character went by, he was always Rumplestiltskin, a character fans felt bad for and hated in different moments. Even though he was a series regular from beginning to end, there were several episodes that did not feature Carlyle's scene-stealing character.
His overall longevity in the show did ensure that Rumplestiltskin had one of the best character arcs. As a character who had been around for hundreds of years, Rumplestiltskin had a hand in practically every facet of the story. Whether he was the Dark One at his most diabolical, or a man trying to find redemption, he was always a captivating character to watch.
Henry Mills - 147 Episodes
Both Jared Gilmore and Andrew J. West played the character of Henry Mills. At least one or both of them appeared in one-hundred and forty-seven of the show's one-hundred and fifty-six episodes. As a series regular, Gilmore played Henry in seasons 1-6 and also played the character during a couple episodes in season 7.
West debuted as a guest star during the season 6 finale, playing an older version of the character to set up the soft reboot for season 7 and was a series regular in the final season. Through the craziness of Once Upon A Time's magic and various realms, Gilmore and West were able to interact in season 7 as they played different versions of Henry.
Regina Mills - 150 Episodes
Even though she began as a villain, Regina ultimately became a sympathetic character who was the heart of the show. By the end, she was Once Upon A Time's best character and had the richest development.
Her journey embodied the show's exploration of redemption, hope, and whether happiness is possible after tremendous adversity and tragedy. Without her, it is likely that the soft reboot for season 7 would not have worked, and it is only fitting that she appeared in more episodes than any other character.