‘The Americans’ star Matthew Rhys joins BBC’s ‘Death Comes to Pemberley’ three-part serial
Matthew Rhys, star of the new FX his show The Americans, has joined the BBC’s planned show Death Comes to Pemberley.
Deadline confirmed the news in a May 27 article that Rhys will play Fitzwilliam Darcy, Anna Maxwell Martin (who played Cassandra Austen in Becoming Jane) is Elizabeth and Matthew Goode is Wickham.
The novel begins in October, 1803, six years after the events in Pride and Prejudice which resulted in the marriage of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Miss.Elizabeth Bennet. The Prologue and Book One introduce the main characters, summarize the histories of the Bennet and Darcy families, and introduce a murder. The remainder of the novel is about the mystery and its solution.
2013 marks the 200th anniversary of the publication and BBC’s serial is set for three parts.
Although Laurence Olivier once played Mr. Darcy, Colin Firth has recently become more closely associated with the role for his portrayal in the BBC’s 1995 adaptation of Pride And Prejudice as well as his Bridget Jones character Mark Darcy who is based on Austen’s original.
Rhys said, “Exciting as it is, one of the challenges of a part such as Darcy are the comparisons that will be drawn to those who’ve institutionalized him in the past. The beauty of Pemberly is that it is an entirely new and different Darcy 6 years on.”
Rhys added, “And also, I don’t have to appear from a lake in a white shirt and breeches,” referring to what’s been called one of the most unforgettable moments in British TV history when Firth’s Darcy went for a swim in Pride And Prejudice.
Juliette Towhidi (Calendar Girls) did the adaptation which will be directed by Daniel Percival (Crossing Lines) with filming set to begin next month.
