Sunday, May 6, 2012

A fun tidbit about Jane Austen movie actors

Period drama fans such as myself always take delight in spotting actors in one movie as being such-and-such character in another. Here are a few fun connections I discovered a while back, where two actors who are in the  cast of one period drama both play the same character in two different Jane Austen adaptations. That probably won't make any sense; it's hard to explain, but not once I show you. Read on.

First, we have Mrs. Weston from Emma
She was played by Jodhi May in the 2009 mini-series and by Greta Scacchi in the 1996 Miramax version, and both those actresses were in...

Daniel Deronda (2002) as Mirah Lapidoth and Lydia Glasher. 


Then, there is Captain Wentworth from Persuasion
Ciaran Hinds played Captain Wentworth in the 1995 film, and Rupert Penry-Jones portrayed him in 2007. Well, they both acted in...

Jane Eyre (1997) as Mr. Rochester and St. John Rivers.


The other one I noticed was Edmund Bertram from Mansfield Park (though I have seen neither of the adaptations about to be mentioned).
Jonny Lee Miller was Edmund in the 1999 slaughtering version, and Blake Ritson played him in the 2007 misrepresentation movie.

Well, they were both in Emma (2009), playing [their correct Jane Austen characters] Mr. Knightley and Mr. Elton.


I'm sure there are other such coincidences, but these are just the ones I noticed for the actors in Jane Austen adaptations. Which are my specialty, as it were.

The latter one is especially interesting I think, as both the actors had portrayed Edmund Bertram before being cast in Emma. I wonder if they talked about it on set...

Have you ever noticed any of those, or any other fun actor-double coincidences? 

11 comments:

Unknown said...

How delightful! I have NEVER seen that Mansfield Park and I never intend to. :)

Miss Dashwood said...

Ooh, I just voted on your poll. You can guess what I voted. :D Now to actually comment. (Yes, I scrolled down, hit "post a comment" right away and then scrolled back up to actually read the post.

Hmmm, Jodhi May was really purty in Daniel Deronda.
Hahahahahahaha, I'm giggling immaturely over Captain Wentworth's enormous collar from Persuasion 95. Heehee. Ack, Ciaran Hinds and Rupert P-J (why am I now thinking of peanut butter and jelly?) were both in JE 97? Now I want to see it! I knew Captain Wentworth played Mr. Rochester, but I didn't know the othah Captain played St. John. (Sinjohn, heh heh heh.)

*giggles helplessly* The 1999 slaughtering and the 2007 misrepresentation... my goodness, Tween, I'm suffering a great attack of the Giggles That Only You Can Give. Jane Austen Adaptation Snobs forevah.... :P

Melody said...

Abilaine,
Thank you! And haha, that's nice to know. ;-)

Mousie,
Ooh! Good! Haha, I could guess very easily as there was only one vote when you commented. ;-) But I would have guessed anyways.

Haha, that is what I do with most of your posts, to. It's the natural order of things. :P With your blog the comment link should go on the top. Heehee.

Daniel Deronda has some gorgeous hair and costumes. If only it didn't have the content. :-/

"Rupert P-J" made *me* think of pajamas. :P Ugh, but that Jane Eyre's pretty bad. I mean, not bad as in objectionable scenes, but bad as in I-watched-this-after-reading-the-book-and-it-M-cubed. :P Spotting all the actors is very fun, though. If you're watching it with someone to whom you can go "that was so-and-so in such-and-such!"

Hehe. I thought YOU would appreciate that, if no one else would. :D JA Adaptation Snobs Forevuh? Indubitably! Shall we form a new club? Heeheehee.

Jessica said...

Very interesting, my dear.

Anonymous said...

And wierdly Jonny Lee Miller was also one of Fanny Price's younger brothers in the 1983 Mansfield Park - in my opinion the only decent version! It's all very interesting!! :)

Alexandra said...

I don't know how I missed this, but I did. Anyway.

LOVE doing this with actors. So much fun!!!

Sooooo of the two Mansfield Parks, which would you say is the lesser of two evils? Have to say I detested the 1999 one...haven't seen the 2007 one, but the fact that Blake is Edmund and Billie Piper (whom I shall forever associate with Doctor Who, NOT with Jane Austen!) is Fanny...is enough to make me shiver all ready. :-P

Melody said...

Sarah White,
Oh yes! There are so many fun little coincidences! Also, Amanda Root (who played Anne Elliot with Ciaran Hinds' Captain Wentworth in Persuasion 1995) was in the a different version of Jane Eyre... heehee.
I agree, the 1983 version is the only decent one.

Alexandra,
The lesser of two evils? Must you ask me such a thing? We can't just leave it at that they're both evil? ;)
Um, I would have to say 2007. I would watch that one much sooner than the 1999 version, because of the content. MP99 is rated PG-13 and that Just Should Not Happen With A Jane Austen Movie. (After all, most people don't watch it with Clear Play. ;) ) And, they just totally messed up the story anyways, from what I hear, and that Fanny was completely wrong.
Not that Billie Piper's Fanny wasn't completely wrong--because I think she definitely is. I've seen only the beginning of that one, but it was enough to tell that she was Not Fanny. Ugh. She just acted like a bratty sourpuss. (And she always wore her hair down, grrrr!) Not every Janeite I know shares this opinion... but a lot of them do. ;D
Mansfield Park 1983 can be boring if you're not a firm Janeite, but it's definitely closer to the book, and Fanny is portrayed very well. *sigh of relief*

Melanie said...

That's neat! The only one I was familiar with is JLM and Blake Ritson. I agree they were best in Emma, but I have to say, I kind of liked the 199- version of Mansfield Park. I think it's because it's my least favorite Austen, so I liked the changes they made.

Miss Elizabeth Bennet said...

I've awarded you the Kreativ Blogger Award! http://elegance-of-fashion.blogspot.com/2012/05/won-couple-of-awards.html

Eva said...

I've nominated you for the Helpful Blogger Award!

http://elinorandemma.blogspot.ca/2012/05/helpful-blogger-award.html

Margaret Hale said...

That's interesting! It's hard to imagine Mr. Elton playing Edmund Bertram.

Would you rather hear the story...

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