Focus Features has found the Marianne toDaisy Edgar-Jones’s Elinor.Georgia Oakley’s remake of theJane AustenclassicSense and Sensibilityhas landedEsmé Creed-Milesto 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 byKate Winsletin a star-making performancefrom the 1995 adaptation byAng 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 inPeter Jackson’sHeavenly Creatures, she was originally slated to play a supporting role until she showed up prepared to audition for the co-lead oppositeEmma 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 thePeter Dinklage-ledThe Thicket, the lead role in Prime Video’s coming-of-age epicHanna, and, most recently,a turn as Delirium in Season 2 ofThe Sandman.
Originally published by Austen under the anonymous byline “By a lady,“Sense and Sensibilityfollows 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 theirtrials in love, heartbreak, constraint, and passion, all against the backdrop of thesocietal expectations of 18th-century England. It’ll be just the second theatrical feature for Oakley, who previously directed the BAFTA-nominatedBlue Jeanin 2022, and will see her direct from a screenplay penned by acclaimedLove & VirtueandSeeing Other PeopleauthorDiana 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’sPride and Prejudiceseries, which has lined up a star-studded castincludingEmma Corrin,Jack Lowden, andOlivia Colman. For a more unique spin, there’s alsoThe Other Bennet Sisterin the works, a BBC series starringElla Bruccoleriand based onJanice 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 theAutumn de Wilde-directedEmmastarringAnya Taylor-Joy. Their latest looks to continue a string of success for the banner after last year saw them deliver hit after hit withConclaveandNosferatugetting a lot of love, especially.
Sense and Sensibilityis still in its early stages. Stay tuned here at Collider for more on the film as it continues to fill out its cast.
Sense and Sensibility
