She’s the oddball in ‘Pride and Prejudice.’ But in ‘The Other Bennet Sister,’ Mary’s the star

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Today is the day of the Netherfield Ball, and Ella Bruccoleri is feeling quite anxious. We’re filming “The Other Bennet Sister,” a 10-part series based on Janice Hadlow’s popular novel, and Bruccoleri is getting ready to sing as Mary Bennet. The production has transformed Dyffryn Gardens, a beautiful National Trust property near Cardiff, Wales, for this sunny July shoot. The entry hall is bustling with crew members as they prepare to film a key scene in one of the estate’s impressive rooms.

This limits Bruccoleri to rehearsing in a tent on her front lawn. Dressed as Mary in a simple beige dress and glasses, she feels the stress of a specific scene from Episode 2 – the moment Mary decides to sing and play the piano in an attempt to impress Mr. Collins.

Bruccoleri plays in a band, but admits she’s not a perfect singer. She explains that even with practice, performing live can be nerve-wracking and things often don’t go as planned. She also mentions that Mary has reimagined an upbeat song, turning it into something slower and more melancholic.

Television

Gill Hornby, the author, and Christine Langan, the executive producer, discussed how they brought Hornby’s book to the screen and explored the lasting appeal of Jane Austen’s stories for both book lovers and TV viewers.

The famous scene in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” is usually seen through Elizabeth Bennet’s eyes, where she asks their father to stop Mary from performing another song. However, the new BritBox series “The Other Bennet Sister,” starting May 6th with three episodes, tells the story from Mary’s point of view.

Jennifer Sheridan, the director of Episode 2, explains that the story revolves around Mary. The series aims to show a more complex Mary than the proud character often seen in ‘Pride and Prejudice.’ While she sometimes acts indifferent, the show reveals her deep sensitivity and the ways societal expectations have affected her.

The idea for Hadlow’s novel came about after noticing Mary Bennet’s awkwardness at the Netherfield Ball. While Mary appears in “Pride and Prejudice,” readers rarely connect with or feel sorry for her, and Hadlow wanted to explore her side of the story.

“I suddenly thought, ‘What must have that have been like to be Mary and to have been publicly humiliated in that way?’” says Hadlow over a video call. “That made me think more about what the whole novel looked like from her point of view. Austen tells you quite clearly that Mary has become this bookish, studious, rather priggish young woman because it’s made clear to her by the family that she can never compete with any of her sisters in any other way.”

Hadlow’s novel attracted television interest even before it was published in 2020. Producer Jane Tranter then hired Sarah Quintrell to turn the book into a TV series. Quintrell explains in a video interview that adapting a story set within the world of Jane Austen was daunting. However, she felt a strong personal connection to the story’s core theme – a young person’s journey of self-discovery and feeling like an outsider.

Quintrell remained faithful to the original novel, but had to condense the story to fit its new, short-episode format. The show features a few new characters, such as Ann Baxter played by Varada Sethu, and includes some scenes created specifically for the adaptation. The author, Hadlow, provided feedback and support throughout the entire process.

Quintrell credits Janice with being very open to a faithful adaptation. He explains that he was such a big fan of the book—he almost bowed when they first met—so Janice understood his questions about changes were always motivated by a deep appreciation and respect for the source material.

Hadlow explains she really wanted to maintain a particular writing style in the book, aiming for a feel similar to Jane Austen’s – especially the way characters interact and the formal social customs of the time. She was careful to avoid simply imitating Austen, and believes Sarah has perfectly achieved that balance.

Bruccoleri found Hadlow’s novel incredibly helpful, especially since she’s in almost every scene of the show. Just like her character, she deeply researched “Pride and Prejudice,” Jane Austen, and the historical period. She marked up the book with highlights and detailed notes.

As a film nerd, I was really impressed with the depth of research that went into playing Mary. The source material was huge and packed with details, so I practically treated it like a script – a guide to figuring out exactly what Mary was thinking and feeling in every scene. Usually, with smaller parts, you get a couple weeks to prepare, and it’s a bit chaotic. But I had a full nine weeks, which honestly felt like the kind of prep time Robert De Niro gets for his roles – it was amazing!

To prepare for the role, she took lessons in calligraphy, horseback riding, piano, and Regency dancing. Before filming began, she even visited Merthyr Mawr House, which was used as the exterior for the Bennet family’s home, Longbourn. She requested a day to spend in the character Mary’s bedroom, simply relaxing and reading to get into character. She says this was a new and valuable experience for her as an actress.

Although Hadlow and Bruccoleri never discussed Mary, the author believes Bruccoleri’s acting reveals their understanding of the character.

Hadlow observed that the actress deeply understands Mary’s character. She believes the actress could accurately predict how Mary would react in any given situation, demonstrating a complete immersion into the role and a grasp of Mary’s internal struggles.

The series features established actors like Ruth Jones as Mrs. Bennet, Richard E. Grant as Mr. Bennet, and Indira Varma as Mrs. Gardiner, alongside rising stars such as Bruccoleri. Dónal Finn, known from “Young Sherlock,” plays Tom Hayward, a possible romantic partner for Mary, while Laurie Davidson portrays the charming William Ryder, who also attracts her attention. Tanya Reynolds delivers a more nuanced portrayal of Caroline Bingley, a character frequently dismissive of Mary.

Reynolds believes this character is often unfairly judged. While she’s presented as the villain in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and often acts cruelly and sarcastically, Reynolds suggests this behavior stems from a deep-seated insecurity and the difficult circumstances of the time period she lives in. She’s not simply a villain, but also a product of her environment and inner struggles.

I’m so excited about “The Other Bennet Sister”! Like “Pride and Prejudice,” it takes place in a time when things were really tough for women – marriage was pretty much their only option. The story centers around the Bennet family and their mother’s desperate attempt to find good husbands for her five daughters – Elizabeth, Jane, Lydia, Kitty, and Mary – because there’s no son to inherit their home, Longbourn. It’s a really compelling setup!

This photo shows Sarah Bruccoleri on the set of “The Other Bennet Sister,” practicing the scene where her character, Mary, sings and plays the piano badly. (James Pardon / BritBox)

Mary (Bruccoleri) with Charlotte Lucas, played by Anna Fenton-Garvey. (James Pardon / BritBox)

“She’s really worried,” Jones explained. “These women will be left with nothing when their estate passes to a male heir. It’s terrible, and the five daughters face being without a home unless they find husbands.”

Jones realized Mrs. Bennet was like a property owner eager to sell – four of her properties were likely to sell quickly – but her daughter Mary wasn’t going anywhere. “She’s lowered the price, but still can’t sell the house, and it’s become a burden for her.”

The first two episodes retell the story of “Pride and Prejudice,” but through the eyes of Mary Bennet. While we get glimpses of Jane and Mr. Bingley’s romance, and Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy’s developing relationship, the focus remains on Mary. The rest of the series follows Mary as she travels to London with the Gardiners and experiences life beyond her family. We also see how things progress for the Bennet sisters and how their relationships with each other change.

Gilbert explains that it’s fascinating to portray Elizabeth as a homeowner, a role she never envisioned for herself. Elizabeth approaches this new position with seriousness and dignity. As a fan of ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ Gilbert wanted to ensure Elizabeth remained sympathetic, but this version of the story, told from Mary’s perspective, reveals a more complex truth – that Elizabeth wasn’t always as principled as people remember.

I’ve always loved how Mrs. Bennet is portrayed in ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ and in this adaptation, it’s fascinating to see her through Mary’s eyes. The writer really built this version of the character from the ground up, starting with the script itself, rather than relying on how she’s been played before. It feels fresh and unique, and I think that’s brilliant.

“The Other Bennet Sister” is incredibly easy to connect with. According to Gilbert, viewers will likely identify with Mary rather than Elizabeth by the show’s end, and feel grateful to be like her. The production team had many discussions about portraying Mary as a realistic and admirable character, keeping her relatable. This is reflected in details like her wearing glasses even during romantic moments and confidently expressing her individual style.

Quintrell describes the main character as very different from typical Regency heroines. She’s clumsy in social situations, struggles with everyday skills like riding, and generally doesn’t excel naturally at anything. This is unusual for period dramas, which rarely focus on women with these traits. Importantly, the story doesn’t try to ‘fix’ her; she gains confidence and self-assurance through her own journey.

Bruccoleri portrays Mary as a realistic and down-to-earth character. She explains, “You often see the trope in films where a woman removes her glasses and is suddenly considered attractive. We really wanted to avoid that cliché and challenge that expectation as much as we could.”

She explains that people connect with Mary when she’s genuine and true to herself. What she once thought were weaknesses actually become the qualities others adore.

Today isn’t going well for Mary. She was called into Dyffryn Gardens, where a room had been decorated to look like a Regency ballroom. While rehearsing with the other actors, she started to struggle. “I’m sorry,” she admitted, “the pressure got to me.”

The director, Sheridan, asked everyone to reset for the next take, and Bruccoleri quickly delivered a great performance. A crew member offered Ella some encouragement, saying, “Don’t panic!” but Sheridan gently corrected her, “Just remember to panic in the scene.”

On the monitors, we see Bruccoleri flawlessly pretend to play the piano along with a recording, and sing badly in a gloomy way. Meanwhile, Gilbert, playing Elizabeth, quietly speaks to Grant, who is Mr. Bennet. He then walks over to Mary at the piano and says, echoing a famous line from Austen, “You have delighted us long enough.”

Bruccoleri later said he was sorry for letting me see such a difficult day. However, that upsetting scene was necessary for Mary’s story to progress. It’s her transformation that really makes the show interesting. The Netherfield Ball is a definite low point, but things eventually improve.

Bruccoleri explains that the show focuses on celebrating everyday achievements as the character develops. It’s a grounded story about a young woman figuring out her path, and that relatable quality is what makes it special.

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2026-04-30 13:32