Ruth Jones, Richard E. Grant, Indira Varma, Richard Coyle and more of the U.K.’s finest are set to take on iconic Jane Austen characters in the BBC and Britbox adaptation of “The Other Bennet Sister.”
Based on Janice Hadlow’s novel of the same name, the 10-part series “explores and expands the world of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ through the often-overlooked perspective of Mary Bennet,” according to its plot description.
Grant and Jones will star as Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Varma and Coyle will portray Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, Mary’s worldly aunt and uncle who take her under their wing as governess to their three children, introducing her to a social circle that includes Mr. Ryder, played by Laurie Davidson (“A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story”); Mr. Hayward, played by Dónal Finn (“The Wheel of Time”); and Ann Baxter, played by “Doctor Who” star Varada Sethu. “Call the Midwife” and “Bridgerton” actor Ella Bruccoleri was previously announced to star as Mary Bennet.
Baxter is one of two new characters “The Other Bennet Sister” introduces to the “Pride and Prejudice” universe, with the other being John Sparrow, played by Aaron Gill (“Smothered”). The iconic Bennet sisters will also be featured in the series. Maddie Close (“Sunflower Child”) is Jane, Poppy Gilbert (“My Oxford Year”) is Lizzie, Molly Wright (“The A Word”) is Kitty and Grace Hogg-Robinson (“The Coroner”) is Lydia.
Other familiar Austen characters include Caroline Bingley, played by Tanya Reynolds (“The Decameron”); Charlotte Lucas, played by Anna Fenton-Garvey (“The Nevers”); and Mr. Collins, played by Ryan Sampson (“Mr. Bigstuff”).
“The Other Bennet Sister” is produced by Bad Wolf (“His Dark Materials,” “Industry”) for BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the U.K. and Britbox International in the U.S. and Canada. Sarah Quintrell (“The Power,” “Ella”) penned nine out of 10 episodes, with Maddie Dai (“We Were Dangerous”) writing one. Filming has now started in Wales, with series directors including Jennifer Sheridan (“Extraordinary”) and Asim Abbasi (“Cake”).
“It’s a joy to see cameras rolling on our vibrant, witty and clever new take on Jane Austen’s beloved world,” BBC drama director Lindsay Salt, who commissioned the series, said in a statement. “With a pitch perfect cast led by Ella, Ruth and Richard, ‘The Other Bennet Sister’ will be an irresistible treat for viewers when it launches on the BBC next year.”
Added Jane Tranter of Bad Wolf: “We have been working behind the scenes on ‘The Other Bennet Sister’ for many years now, and Janice’s brilliantly observed characters have lived and grown in our imaginations throughout that time as Sarah has been working on the scripts. So our actors had a lot to live up to — and I can honestly say that this is the ensemble cast of our dreams. Each one brings something new and exciting to the world of Austen. And all of us at Bad Wolf are delighted to be making a drama that brings such joy.”
Executive producers are Kate Crowther, Becca Kinder and Tranter for Bad Wolf; Rebecca Ferguson for the BBC; Jess O’Riordan, Robert Schildhouse and Stephen Nye for BritBox; Quintrell and Hadlow. The series was developed and overseen by Bad Wolf’s director of content Dan McCulloch and chief creative officer Ryan Rasmussen.
