6 surprising facts about the BBC’s Pride and Prejudice miniseries
There have been countless of film and TV adaptations of Jane Austen’s beloved 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice, but undoubtedly the most popular (and in our opinion, best) version was the BBC’s 1995 miniseries. Starring Colin Firth as the brooding Mr Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennett, the program has become almost as classic as the book itself. Here are six things you might not have known about this acclaimed series.
1. No one was confident about Colin Firth – Neither the BBC nor Firth himself saw the 35-year-old actor in the role of Mr Darcy. In fact, Firth almost turned the role down. “I couldn’t see there was anything to play because the character doesn’t speak most of the time,” he told the Telegraph. “I thought this is just a guy who stands around for hours driving people to despair.”
2. The series’ most famous scene was an afterthought – Who could forget the scene by the lake when Darcy, still clothed in his white shirt, took a dip into the lake, emerging dripping wet? According to screenwriter Andrew Davies, the scene wasn’t intended to be suggestive. “I never thought it was supposed to be a sexy scene in any way,” he told the BBC.
3. Jane’s mother also played Jane – Susannah Harker, who played Jane Bennett, was the second generation of her family to play the role – her mother, Polly Adams, played Jane back in the BBC’s 1967 adaptation. Harker described it as an “amazing coincidence,” explaining she chose not to watch her mother’s performance and instead play it for herself.
4. Lizzie and Darcy fell in love off-screen – Firth and Ehle not only played a couple, but became one in real life. However, their romance created some unique challenges on-set. “I actually find that if you’re involved with an actress that you’re having to tell a love story with, it’s more difficult,” Firth told the Independent. “I think it stands in the way, to be honest.”
5. It was a huge success – Each episode was seen by around 10 to 11 million people in the UK alone, but no one could have foreseen the audience for the finale – 40 per cent of the country’s population tuned in to see the series’ final instalment.
6. Firth’s role as Darcy almost made him pass up Bridget Jones’ Diary – In 2001, Firth admitted to NOW magazine he was hesitant to take on the role of Mr. Darcy in the hit adaptation of Helen Fielding’s novel, Bridget Jones’ Diary. “If I spent 20 years training to be an astronaut, the headlines would still say ‘Darcy Lands on Mars!’ [...] Pride and Prejudice wasn’t the most rigorous or challenging thing I’ve done.”
What’s your favourite film or TV adaptation of Jane Austen’s books? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.