According to a press release, Gavin & Stacey‘s Ruth Jones will play Grant’s wife, the meddling Mrs. Bennet. Maddie Close (Sunflower Child) will play Jane, Poppy Gilbert (My Oxford Year, Chloe) will play P&P protagonist Lizzie, Molly Wright (The A Word, APOSTASY) will play Kitty, and Grace Hogg-Robinson (The Coroner, COBRA) will play Lydia Bennet. Other classic Austen characters in this imaginative tale include Tanya Reynolds (The Decameron, Sex Education) as the antagonistic Caroline Bingley, Anna Fenton-Garvey (The Nevers) as Lizzie’s friend Charlotte Lucas, and Ryan Sampson (Mr Bigstuff, Brassic) as her husband (and Lizzie’s would-be suitor) Mr. Collins.
In this tale, which is adapted from Janice Hadlow’s novel of the same name, Mary is taken under the wing of the Gardiners, here played by Indira Varma (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Richard Coyle (Heads Of State). (P&P diehards will remember the Gardiners as the relatives with whom Lizzie does some traveling in Austen’s novel.) Mary serves as governess for their three children Marianne (Roisin Bhalla), George (Reggie Absolom), and Rebecca (Jasmine Sharp). Through them, she’s introduced to Mr. Ryder, played by Laurie Davidson (A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story) and Mr. Hayward, played by Dónal Finn (The Wheel of Time). Additional new characters include Varada Sethu (Doctor Who, Andor) as Ann Baxter and Aaron Gill (Smothered, Piglets) as John Sparrow.
In a statement, Robert Schildhouse (president of BritBox North America, and general manager of BritBox International) said, “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.”
