Focus Features has found the Marianne to Daisy Edgar-Jones‘s Elinor. Georgia Oakley‘s remake of the Jane Austen classic Sense and Sensibility has landed Esmé Creed-Miles to star as the second Dashwood daughter and the embodiment of the second half of the title. She takes on a storied role that was most notably embodied by Kate Winslet in a star-making performance from the 1995 adaptation by Ang Lee. The announcement was made over Instagram, placing the two leads’ scripts together at the table and showing the actress diving headfirst into the 1811 debut romance novel of the legendary author.
Creed-Miles has big shoes to fill coming into the feature. Famously, Winslet was never meant to be Marianne. Having only previously appeared in Peter Jackson‘s Heavenly Creatures, she was originally slated to play a supporting role until she showed up prepared to audition for the co-lead opposite Emma Thompson‘s Elinor. It turned out to be a happy accident when Lee was immediately impressed by her vibe and gave her the part in what proved to be a pivotal moment in the future Academy Award winner’s career. For Creed-Miles, this, too, may prove to be the role that sends her into the stratosphere after a gradual ascent into stardom that has included the Peter Dinklage-led The Thicket, the lead role in Prime Video‘s coming-of-age epic Hanna, and, most recently, a turn as Delirium in Season 2 of The Sandman.
Originally published by Austen under the anonymous byline “By a lady,” Sense and Sensibility follows the three Dashwood sisters, who are forced to leave their Sussex estate with their mother following the death of their father. With their finances gone, they move in with a relative in Devon, opening up a new world of romance to the eldest sisters, Elinor and Marianne. The story follows their trials in love, heartbreak, constraint, and passion, all against the backdrop of the societal expectations of 18th-century England. It’ll be just the second theatrical feature for Oakley, who previously directed the BAFTA-nominated Blue Jean in 2022, and will see her direct from a screenplay penned by acclaimed Love & Virtue and Seeing Other People author Diana Reid.
Focus Features Returns to Jane Austen With ‘Sense and Sensibility’
It’s a great time to be a fan of Austen‘s work, with multiple adaptations currently underway. Among the most notable is Netflix‘s Pride and Prejudice series, which has lined up a star-studded cast including Emma Corrin, Jack Lowden, and Olivia Colman. For a more unique spin, there’s also The Other Bennet Sister in the works, a BBC series starring Ella Bruccoleri and based on Janice Hadlow’s novel, told from the point of view of the under-explored Mary Bennet. For Focus Features, this will be their first take on Austen since 2020, when they brought to life the Autumn de Wilde-directed Emma starring Anya Taylor-Joy. Their latest looks to continue a string of success for the banner after last year saw them deliver hit after hit with Conclave and Nosferatu getting a lot of love, especially.
Sense and Sensibility is still in its early stages.
via Collider