“Her best series since Broadchurch”: Inside Olivia Colman’s “personal” new role in Pride and Prejudice reboot

There aren’t many performances that can top Olivia Colman’s BAFTA-winning turn as DS Ellie Miller in Broadchurch, but it seems she’s been hard at work on one that might just do it. The 52-year-old actress (pictured above in The Lost Daughter) is taking on a rather personal new role in Netflix’s upcoming Pride and Prejudice reboot and, if you ask us, it’s going to be her best series since Broadchurch.

Why is it personal, you ask? Well, believe it or not, it will mark the first time Olivia has starred in a Jane Austen adaptation, which is an exciting milestone for her. Olivia will also play the matriarch of the Bennet family, Mrs Bennet, and with a daughter and two sons herself, we have a feeling she’ll be bringing some familiar maternal instincts to the role.

While we wait for Pride and Prejudice to arrive on Netflix later this year, here’s everything you need to know about the upcoming series, including the plot, cast and how to watch it.

What is Netflix’s Pride and Prejudice series about?

Ludovic Robert

Written by Dolly Alderton, the six-part series will bring Jane Austen’s 1913 novel to life in both a fresh and familiar way. Euros Lyn (Heartstopper) is serving as the show’s director and, according to Netflix, their take on it hews closely to the original text, reuniting fans with the timeless novel, while also introducing a new generation to Austen.

For those unfamiliar with the story, it revolves around the Bennet family and the complex relationship between Elizabeth Bennet (played by Emma Corrin) and Mr Darcy (Jack Lowden). We’ll also meet the all-important Mrs Bennet (Olivia Colman), Mr Bennet (Rufus Sewell) and Jane Bennet (Freya Mavor), among others.

Photographer://BBC

Netflix executive, Mona Qureshi, says of the series: “Dolly’s fierce intelligence and enormous heart, twinned with her genuine love of the Austen novel, mean she is able to bring new insights, whilst celebrating all that the generations of fans hold so dear. The calibre of a cast led by Emma, Jack, and Olivia is a testament to this precious story being in the best possible hands with Euros Lyn and the team at Lookout Point at the helm.”

Emma Corrin has also teased what’s in store, telling Netflix: “Playing Elizabeth Bennet is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. To be able to bring this iconic character to life, alongside Olivia and Jack, with Dolly’s phenomenal scripts, is truly the greatest honour. I can’t wait for a new generation to fall in love with this story all over again.”

Grant Lamos IV

For Dolly Alderton, being given the opportunity to retell the story was a “gift”. She explained: ”Once in a generation, a group of people get to retell this wonderful story and I feel very lucky that I get to be a part of it. Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is the blueprint for romantic comedy – it has been a joy to delve back into its pages to find both familiar and fresh ways of bringing this beloved book to life.

“The book is a gift to adapt – packed with drama and depth as well as comedy and charm. In it lies the opportunity to examine the complexities of love, family, friendship, and society, while aspiring to Austen’s delightfully observational voice. With Euros Lyn directing our stellar cast, I am so excited to reintroduce these hilarious and complicated characters to those who count Pride and Prejudice as their favourite book, and those who are yet to meet their Lizzie and Mr Darcy.”

What is Olivia Colman’s role in Netflix’s Pride and Prejudice?

Chris Baker/Netflix

As we briefly mentioned, Olivia Colman will play the iconic Mrs Bennet who Austen describes as “a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper”. Her primary focus is seeing her daughters married, but her pursuit of love matches for them tends to backfire.

Interestingly, the role has previously been played by Brenda Blethyn in the 2005 film, but Brenda didn’t play her as the cartoony figure she can sometimes be portrayed as. She brought genuine heart and warmth to the role and, while we expect Olivia’s portrayal to give her a humorous edge, our guess is that she’ll tap into her maternal side to bring us a version that might even be slightly relatable.

The series will mark a milestone moment for Olivia, as it will be the first time she’s starred in a Jane Austen adaptation. While she’s no stranger to period dramas, having starred in the likes of Great Expectations and Wicked Little Letters, we’re yet to see her take on one of Austen’s characters, which makes her casting all the more exciting.

Who else is in the cast of Netflix’s Pride and Prejudice?

Kate Green

The full cast of Pride and Prejudice includes:

Olivia Colman (Broadchurch) as Mrs Bennet Rufus Sewell (The Diplomat, Scoop) as Mr Bennet Emma Corrin (Nosferatu, Black Mirror) as Elizabth Bennet Jack Lowden (Slow Horses, Benediction) as Mr Darcy Freya Mavor (Industry, La Dame Dans L’Auto) as Jane Bennet Jamie Demetriou (Stath Lets Flats, Barbie) as Mr Collins Daryl McCormack (Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery; Good Luck to You, Leo Grande) as Mr Bingley Louis Partridge (House of Guinness, Disclaimer) as Mr Wickham Rhea Norwood (Heartstopper, Cabaret) will be Lydia Bennet Siena Kelly (Black Mirror, Domino Day) will be Caroline Bingley Fiona Shaw (Killing Eve) as Lady Catherine de Bourg Hopey Parish as Mary Bennet Hollie Avery as Kitty Bennet Anjana Vasan (We Are Lady Parts, A Streetcar Named Desire) as Mrs Gardiner Sebastian Armesto (Gangs of London, A Small Light) will be Mr Gardiner Rosie Cavaliero (KAOS, Bookish) as Lady Lucas Saffron Coomber (Three Little Birds and Die Zweiflers) as Mrs Hurst James Dryden (Deadpool, Time Bandits) as Mr Hurst Justin Edwards (The Thick of It, The Franchise) as Sir William Lucas Eloise Webb (The Queen’s Gambit, Sanditon) will be Harriet Forster James Northcote (Fool Me Once) as Colonel Forster Isabella Sermon (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Jurassic World: Dominion) as Georgiana DarcyIs there a trailer for Netflix’s Pride and Prejudice?

Yes – but it’s pretty short and sweet. You can watch the teaser for Pride and Prejudice below.

How can I watch Netflix’s new Pride and Prejudice series?

Pride and Prejudice will arrive on Netflix at some point this winter. As soon as we have a confirmed date, we’ll share it here.

What other Olivia Colman dramas can I watch now?

Sean Gleason/Lionsgate

For a poignant performance from Olivia, we’d recommend The Father. At the centre of the film is Anthony Hopkins as 80-year-old Anthony, a father with dementia who’s confused, paranoid and determined not to accept help. And when his daughter, Anne (Olivia), introduces a series of carers for him, he’s having absolutely none of it. You can watch The Father now on Lionsgate+ via Prime Video. For something a little more uplifting, we’d suggest Joyride. Mully (Charlie Reid) is a 12-year-old boy who steals a taxi without realising that Joy (Olivia Colman) and her newborn baby are in the back. And with both seeking refuge from seemingly helpless situations, the pair embark on quite the road trip together. Joyride is available to watch on Netflix.