It’s a truth universally acknowledged that each generation deserves its own adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic Pride and Prejudice. Bestselling author and screenwriter Dolly Alderton and director Euros Lyn (Heartstopper) helm a new six-part series that will premiere Dec. 3. Yearn for Emma Corrin and Jack Lowden in character as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in the teaser above.
At Longbourn, you’ll also find Olivia Colman, Rufus Sewell, Freya Mavor, Jamie Demetriou, Daryl McCormack, Rhea Norwood, Siena Kelly, and Louis Partridge. Keep reading to get a first look at the Bennet sisters and their gentleman callers and to learn which character each actor is playing.
When wealthy bachelors arrive in their neighborhood, the five Bennet sisters must navigate love, family, and society’s expectations to secure their futures. Jane (Freya Mavor) falls for the charming Mr. Bingley (Daryl McCormack), while Elizabeth (Corrin) clashes with Bingley’s proud friend Mr. Darcy (Lowden). Unexpected encounters and family scandals force Elizabeth to reconsider her feelings and discover the true nature of love.
Get acquainted with the residents of Hertfordshire.
Alderton gave a first look at the characters at the Jane Austen Festival in Bath, England, where she also announced the release date of the series.
Call on Pride and Prejudice on Dec. 3. In the meantime, stay tuned to Tudum for updates.
Alderton and Lyn executive produce the series alongside Laura Lankester, Will Johnston, and Louise Mutter for Lookout Point, with Corrin earning their first executive producer credit as well. Lisa Osborne (Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light) produces.
“We are delighted to be sharing this beloved British classic with our global audience. Pride and Prejudice is the ultimate romantic comedy,” Netflix executive Mona Qureshi said when the project was first announced. “Dolly’s fierce intelligence and enormous heart, twinned with her genuine love of the Austen novel, mean she is able to bring new insights, whilst celebrating all that the generations of fans hold so dear. The caliber of a cast led by Emma, Jack, and Olivia is a testament to this precious story being in the best possible hands with Euros Lyn and the team at Lookout Point at the helm.”
Austen’s novels have captivated readers for more than two centuries, but Pride and Prejudice endures as the most widely read, remaining ever-relevant and entertaining in the zeitgeist. With its incisive social commentary and indelible love story, it’s not only inspired multiple adaptations but has also defined the romance genre.
“Once in a generation, a group of people get to retell this wonderful story, and I feel very lucky that I get to be a part of it,” Alderton, who won the National Book Award for her debut Everything I Know About Love in 2018, tells Netflix. “Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is the blueprint for romantic comedy — it has been a joy to delve back into its pages to find both familiar and fresh ways of bringing this beloved book to life. The book is a gift to adapt — packed with drama and depth as well as comedy and charm. In it lies the opportunity to examine the complexities of love, family, friendship, and society, while aspiring to Austen’s delightfully observational voice. With Euros Lyn directing our stellar cast, I’m so excited to reintroduce these hilarious and complicated characters to those who count Pride and Prejudice as their favorite book — and those who are yet to meet their Lizzie and Mr. Darcy.”
“Playing Elizabeth Bennet is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” says Corrin, who starred in a dreamy adaptation of D.H. Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover in 2022. “To be able to bring this iconic character to life, alongside Olivia and Jack, with Dolly’s phenomenal scripts, is truly the greatest honor. I can’t wait for a new generation to fall in love with this story all over again.”
