Casting is one of the most vital parts of making a movie work as the actors are the ones bringing the script to life. If the cast doesn’t have good chemistry or isn’t the right fit, the movie can end up underwhelming. An example of a perfect casting is Keira Knightley in Pride & Prejudice. Knightley gave a fantastic performance as Elizabeth Bennet, doing justice to the brilliant vision of Jane Austen. The movie is one of the best Austen adaptations to date and it’s a movie you can visit repeatedly without ever getting bored. But would you believe that there was a chance that Knightley wasn’t going to be Elizabeth? And the reason had to do with her being “too pretty.”
‘Pride & Prejudice’ Follows the Lives of the Bennet Family
2005’s Pride & Prejudice is not the first adaptation of this Austen classic. The first one was released back in 1940 and many have followed since. The most beloved is the 1995 BBC miniseries starring Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet and Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy. Apart from having classic takes, there are also looser adaptations set in modern times, such as Bridget Jones’s Diary, featuring Firth as a current-day Darcy. However, the 2005 film adaptation has a special place in the hearts of modern audiences. It received multiple nominations across different awarding bodies, including four at the Academy Awards — one of which was a Best Actress nod for Knightley.
Directed by Joe Wright, Pride & Prejudice follows Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet, a bold and sharp young lady who holds her own. Elizabeth isn’t easily impressed by people, especially rich and snobby men like Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfayden), who she believes is narcissistic and looks down on the poor. The movie also features the rest of the Bennet sisters, who each have different personalities and ambitions. Lydia (Jena Malone), for instance, is talkative and animated. Meanwhile, Jane (Rosamund Pike) often keeps to herself and is a romantic. For Elizabeth, who loves her family and would do anything to protect them, love and marriage aren’t her priority.
Joe Wright Wasn’t Initially Set on Keira Knightley Starring in ‘Pride & Prejudice’
The casting decisions for Pride & Prejudice are perfect. Donald Sutherland gave a nuanced performance as Mr. Bennet — a father who loves his children despite having trouble expressing his emotions often. Then there’s Keira Knightley. This is the first film in which she worked with Wright, kickstarting a long working relationship with subsequent collaborations in 2007 for Atonement (2007) and 2012 on Anna Karenina. However, for Pride & Prejudice, Wright was not initially set on giving the lead role to Knightley. Why? Because he deemed her “too pretty” to be taking on this role.
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Knightley was already an established actress before she collaborated with Wright in this period romance film, with hit 2003 projects such as Love Actually and Pirates of the Caribbean already in her filmography. She has also always been considered one of the most beautiful women in the world. But funnily enough, this recognition is the reason why Wright didn’t want her to play Elizabeth. Knightley confesses this during an interview with Graham Norton. She reveals that she had heard that Wright didn’t want her for Elizabeth Bennet but when he met her he said “Oh no. You’re fine!” This wasn’t taken with bitterness for Knightley — she tells the story while laughing as the entire studio breaks into laughter as well.
To think that there was a chance that Elizabeth in Pride & Prejudice could have been played by another actress is hard to imagine. Knightley is perfect for that role, she steals the spotlight thanks to her natural charisma and chemistry with her co-stars, especially Macfadyen and Pike. It worked out for everyone that Wright was able to see the light, as it started one of British cinema’s best actor-director duos.
‘Pride & Prejudice’ Remains One of the Best Austen Adaptations
Pride & Prejudice achieved an excellent balance between comedy, romance, and drama. Aside from Knightley’s alluring and subtle performance as Elizabeth, the rest of the cast added color and meaning to the Austen classic. Her chemistry with Macfadyen and Mr. Darcy is just as enticing, especially with how they were set up to dislike each other before slowly falling in love. And while there are a lot of amazing movie and TV adaptations of this novel, Wright’s take on it is simply unforgettable.
Pride & Prejudice is available to watch on Peacock.
Pride & Prejudice (2005)
- Release Date
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November 23, 2005
- Director
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joe wright
- Main Genre
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Drama
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