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Stories
Jane Austen’s literary works have inspired many successful film and television adaptations, including the 2005 iteration of Pride & Prejudice.
Pride & Prejudice closely follows Austen’s 1818 novel of the same name, where bookish Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) faces her dear mother’s mounting pressures to marry her — and her four sisters — off to wealthy gentlemen in town. Her elder sister Jane (Rosamund Pike), to their mother’s delight, found an instant connection with Charles Bingley (Simon Woods). However, Bingley’s pursuit of Jane meant that Elizabeth would be spending more time with the uptight Fitzwilliam Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), who finds her “barely tolerable” to be around.
The 2005 adaptation, penned by Deborah Moggach and Emma Thompson, was directed by Joe Wright.
“Pride & Prejudice was so amazing because I’d been so obsessed with it since I was about 8,” Knightley gushed during a January 2019 interview with BBC Radio 1. “So, like, doing that, and also it was the first time I worked or been around a load of people around my own age, who were all interested in the same thing because I’d left school early [to pursue acting].”
The Love Actually star added: “So, I think that was really fun because it was this group of girls that were all together and that was amazing!”
2005’s iteration was hardly the first time an adaptation of Pride & Prejudice had been mounted. Sir Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson were the first stars to portray Darcy and Elizabeth, respectively, in the 1940 movie. The BBC later adapted Pride & Prejudice for television in 1995, starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth as the eventual couple. Wright, who directed the 2005 production, was intrigued to remake Austen’s classic again, decades later.
“There hadn’t been a film version of Pride and Prejudice for about 65 years. So it felt like it was time to be made again,” the Atonement filmmaker told IndieWire in November 2005. “Also, I don’t really make work in the context of what’s been made before. Certain ideas just get their hooks in me.”
He continued at the time: “It was just a good script. Like myself, actors are drawn to the quality of the script. Initially, I thought Keira was probably too beautiful for the role. And when I met her I discovered this scruffy kind of little tomboy character and discovered she had incredible wit and intelligence and a very strong personality, those qualities made me think that she doesn’t fit into the kind of preconceived ideas of what a girl should be, [which] made me think she’d be perfect for Elizabeth.”
Since the film’s release, it has remained a pinnacle for regency romances with devoted fans often cooing over Darcy’s now-infamous “hand flex,” in which Macfadyen’s hand gently grazes Knightley’s in passing during one scene.
“It’s credit to Joe [Wright] because he’s — I think, he doesn’t miss a trick, and he’s so alive to things, and he saw me do it in a rehearsal take and I remember him just going, ‘Get that!’ So they just did an extra shot on the hand,” the Succession star told NPR in June 2022, noting how intimidated he felt to portray the iconic leading man. “I didn’t feel I was dishy enough and sort of brooding enough. … It was a brilliant adaptation. Joe was great [and] Keira was great. It was a lovely thing to be a part of.”
Scroll below to see what the Pride and Prejudice cast has been up to years after their time in Meryton:
Credit: Alex Bailey/Working Title/Kobal/Shutterstock
Jane Austen’s literary works have inspired many successful film and television adaptations, including the 2005 iteration of Pride & Prejudice.
Pride & Prejudice closely follows Austen’s 1818 novel of the same name, where bookish Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) faces her dear mother’s mounting pressures to marry her — and her four sisters — off to wealthy gentlemen in town. Her elder sister Jane (Rosamund Pike), to their mother’s delight, found an instant connection with Charles Bingley (Simon Woods). However, Bingley’s pursuit of Jane meant that Elizabeth would be spending more time with the uptight Fitzwilliam Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), who finds her “barely tolerable” to be around.
The 2005 adaptation, penned by Deborah Moggach and Emma Thompson, was directed by Joe Wright.
“Pride & Prejudice was so amazing because I’d been so obsessed with it since I was about 8,” Knightley gushed during a January 2019 interview with BBC Radio 1. “So, like, doing that, and also it was the first time I worked or been around a load of people around my own age, who were all interested in the same thing because I’d left school early [to pursue acting].”
The Love Actually star added: “So, I think that was really fun because it was this group of girls that were all together and that was amazing!”
2005’s iteration was hardly the first time an adaptation of Pride & Prejudice had been mounted. Sir Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson were the first stars to portray Darcy and Elizabeth, respectively, in the 1940 movie. The BBC later adapted Pride & Prejudice for television in 1995, starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth as the eventual couple. Wright, who directed the 2005 production, was intrigued to remake Austen’s classic again, decades later.
“There hadn’t been a film version of Pride and Prejudice for about 65 years. So it felt like it was time to be made again,” the Atonement filmmaker told IndieWire in November 2005. “Also, I don’t really make work in the context of what’s been made before. Certain ideas just get their hooks in me.”
He continued at the time: “It was just a good script. Like myself, actors are drawn to the quality of the script. Initially, I thought Keira was probably too beautiful for the role. And when I met her I discovered this scruffy kind of little tomboy character and discovered she had incredible wit and intelligence and a very strong personality, those qualities made me think that she doesn’t fit into the kind of preconceived ideas of what a girl should be, [which] made me think she’d be perfect for Elizabeth.”
Since the film’s release, it has remained a pinnacle for regency romances with devoted fans often cooing over Darcy’s now-infamous “hand flex,” in which Macfadyen’s hand gently grazes Knightley’s in passing during one scene.
“It’s credit to Joe [Wright] because he’s — I think, he doesn’t miss a trick, and he’s so alive to things, and he saw me do it in a rehearsal take and I remember him just going, ‘Get that!’ So they just did an extra shot on the hand,” the Succession star told NPR in June 2022, noting how intimidated he felt to portray the iconic leading man. “I didn’t feel I was dishy enough and sort of brooding enough. … It was a brilliant adaptation. Joe was great [and] Keira was great. It was a lovely thing to be a part of.”
Scroll below to see what the Pride and Prejudice cast has been up to years after their time in Meryton:
Credit: Shutterstock (2)
The England native starred as Elizabeth Bennet, the family’s second daughter. Before becoming one of Austen’s leading ladies on the big screen, Knightley rose to fame with roles in Bend It Like Beckham, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Love Actually and The Jacket. Following Pride and Prejudice, she has continued acting, starring in the likes of Atonement, The Duchess, Anna Karenina, Begin Again and The Nutcracker and the Four Realms.
The Imitation Game actress has been married to James Righton since 2013, with whom she shares daughters Edie and Delilah.
Credit: Shutterstock (2)
The Emmy Award winner portrayed leading man Fitzwilliam Darcy. Macfadyen’s acting credits also include The Reckoning, Frost/Nixon, The Three Musketeers, Anna Karenina, Ripper Street, The Assistant and Operation Mincemeat. He has starred as Tom Wambsgans on HBO’s Succession since 2018.
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms actor married Keeley Hawes in 2004, and the couple shares two children. Macfadyen is also stepfather to Hawes’ son from a previous relationship.
Credit: Shutterstock (2)
Sutherland had a featured role as the Bennet sisters’ father. The Canada native has also acted in The Undoing, Ad Astra, the Hunger Games franchise, Horrible Bosses and Dirty Sexy Money.
The Commander in Chief alum has been married three times. He wed Lois Hardwick in 1959 before their 1966 divorce. He later was married to Shirley Douglas, with whom he shares twins Kiefer Sutherland and Rachel Sutherland, from 1966 to 1970. Following their split, he tied the knot with Francine Racette in 1972. Donald and Racette share three sons: Rossif Sutherland, Angus Sutherland and Roeg Sutherland.
Credit: Shutterstock (2)
The Secrets & Lies actress played matriarch Mrs. Bennet in the 2005 adaptation. Blethyn got her start acting in Death of an Expert Witness, Chance in a Million, The Witches, Little Voice and more. The Mixed Fancies author also starred in On a Clear Day, Atonement, London River, Dead Man Running and Kate & Koji.
Blethyn was previously married to Alan James Blethyn from 1964 to 1973. She later wed Michael Mayhew in 2010.
Credit: Shutterstock (2)
Pike brought eldest sister Jane Bennet to life in Pride and Prejudice. The Gone Girl star’s acting credits also include Die Another Day, Promised Land, An Education, Jack Reacher, Beirut, A Private War, I Care A Lot and The Wheel of Time.
The Oscar nominee and longtime partner Robie Uniacke welcomed children Solo and Atom in 2012 and 2014, respectively.
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Middle daughter Mary Bennet was played by Riley. In addition to her role as the budding pianist, Riley has appeared in St. Trinian’s, Nearly Famous, The Knot, Thor: The Dark World, The Last Witness, Westworld, Father Christmas Is Back and FX’s Pistol.
Riley married businessman Elon Musk in 2010 before divorcing nearly two years later. The pair reconciled in 2013 and remarried ahead of their 2016 split. Riley has since moved on with Thomas Brodie-Sangster, whom she met on the set of Pistol in March 2021.
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The Oscar nominee made her acting debut as Kitty Bennet in the 2005 film. Mulligan has since starred in The Greatest, An Education, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, Drive, The Great Gatsby, Suffragette, Promising Young Woman and The Dig.
The Walker alum married musician Marcus Mumford in April 2012, with whom she shares two children.
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Malone rounded out the Bennet brood with her role as youngest daughter Lydia. The Nevada native’s acting credits also include Stepmom, Donnie Darko, Saved!, Hatfields & McCoys, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Inherent Vice and Nocturnal Animals.
The Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice actress shares son Ode Mountain with ex-fiancé Ethan Delorenzo, from whom she split in 2019. Malone — who came out as pansexual in August 2022 — has since been linked to musician Alex Ebert.
Credit: Shutterstock (2)
Woods was dashing as Mr. Charles Bingley in Pride and Prejudice. The England native went on to play Edward Vanderman in 2006’s Penelope and Tyler in 2008’s A Previous Engagement. His acting credits also include Cranford, Rome, Angel and The Queen’s Sister.
Woods married fashion designer Christopher Bailey in 2012 after several years together. They share two daughters: Iris and Nell.
Credit: Shutterstock (2)
The Obi-Wan Kenobi actor portrayed Mr. Jasper Wickham in the film. Friend’s notable acting credits also include The Libertine, Outlaw, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The Young Victoria, Hitman: Age 47, Homeland and Anatomy of a Scandal.
The A Simple Favor actor has been married to Aimee Mullins since May 2016.
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