The Other Bennet Sister Cast Announced as Filming Begins
BritBox and the BBC have announced the full cast for the ten-episode series The Other Bennet Sister, produced by Bad Wolf (His Dark Materials, Industry) for BritBox in a co-production with BBC iPlayer and BBC One. The series is now shooting in Wales.
Ruth Jones (Gavin & Stacey, Stella) and Richard E. Grant (Withnail & I, Can You Ever Forgive Me?) will co-star as Mary’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Indira Varma (Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Night Manager) and Richard Coyle (Heads of State, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) will play Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, Mary’s worldly aunt and uncle.
Laurie Davidson (A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, The Girlfriend) and Dónal Finn (The Wheel of Time, SAS Rogue Heroes) also join the stellar ensemble as Mr. Ryder and Mr. Hayward, respectively, in this adaptation by screenwriter Sarah Quintrell (The Power, Ella).
The new cast members will star alongside the previously announced Ella Bruccoleri (Call the Midwife, Bridgerton) as Mary Bennet.
The Gardiners take Mary under their wing as governess to their three children—Marianne (Roisin Bhalla), George (Reggie Absolom), and Rebecca (Jasmine Sharp)—introducing her to an exciting new social world that includes Mr. Hayward, Mr. Ryder, and Ann Clarke.
Based on Janice Hadlow’s acclaimed novel The Other Bennet Sister, the series introduces new characters to the world of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, including Varada Sethu (Doctor Who, Andor) as Ann Baxter and Aaron Gill (Smothered, Piglets) as John Sparrow.
Viewers will return to Longbourn House to meet the iconic Bennet sisters, including Maddie Close (Sunflower Child) as Jane Bennet, Poppy Gilbert (My Oxford Year, Chloe) as Lizzie Bennet, Molly Wright (The A Word, Apostasy) as Kitty Bennet, and Grace Hogg-Robinson (The Coroner, Cobra) as Lydia Bennet.
Other familiar Austen characters include Tanya Reynolds (The Decameron, Sex Education) as Caroline Bingley, Anna Fenton-Garvey (The Nevers) as Charlotte Lucas, and Ryan Sampson (Mr Bigstuff, Brassic) as Mr. Collins.
Robert Schildhouse, President, BritBox North America and General Manager, BritBox International, sayid: “We’re very happy to unveil this extraordinary cast for The Other Bennet Sister. This impeccable ensemble brings together great talent, with performances that honor Jane Austen’s beloved characters while introducing compelling new ones.
“This is the perfect series for BritBox and fans of Austen, a beautifully crafted period drama offering the delightful, character-driven, and bold British storytelling our audiences know and love.”
Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, added: “It’s a joy to see cameras rolling on our vibrant, witty and clever new take on Jane Austen’s beloved world. 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.”
Jane Tranter said: “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 making a drama that brings such joy.”
Sarah Quintrell will write nine of the ten half-hour episodes, with Maddie Dai (We Were Dangerous) writing one episode. The series will be directed by Jennifer Sheridan (Extraordinary) and Asim Abbasi (Cake).
Bruccoleri will take on the role of one of Jane Austen’s most unassuming characters: Mary Bennet, the seemingly unremarkable and overlooked middle sister in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. The series takes as its premise that – when it comes to the Bennet sisters – while we dream of being Lizzy, in reality most of us are more like Mary…
The series follows Mary as she steps out of her sisters’ shadows in search of her own identity and purpose, finding herself in the middle of an epic love story along the way. Her journey will see her leave her family home in Meryton for the soirees of Regency London and the peaks and vales of the Lake District, all in search of independence, self-love, and reinvention.
This year marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen, one of English literature’s most celebrated authors. Renowned for her keen social observations and unforgettable characters, Austen’s legacy endures through beloved novels like Pride and Prejudice.
The Other Bennet Sister, a novel by Janice Hadlow, was released in 2020 and reimagines Austen’s world by focusing on Mary Bennet – honoring Austen’s enduring influence while offering a fresh perspective on a classic tale.
The Other Bennet Sister was co-commissioned by Robert Schildhouse, Jess O’Riordan, and Stephen Nye on behalf of BritBox, and Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama, for BBC iPlayer and BBC One.
Kate Crowther, Becca Kinder, and Jane Tranter executive produce for Bad Wolf, with Rebecca Ferguson serving as executive producer for the BBC, alongside Sarah Quintrell and Janice Hadlow. The series has been developed and overseen by Bad Wolf’s Director of Content, Dan McCulloch, and Chief Creative Officer, Ryan Rasmussen.
The series will stream on BritBox in North America and on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK. The Welsh Government supports Bad Wolf via Creative Wales. Sony Pictures Television will distribute The Other Bennet Sister internationally.
