Ruth Jones sees Mrs Bennet in new Pride and Prejudice spin-off as ‘estate agent’ selling off her daughters
Opening up about her latest TV role, actress Ruth Jones said she approached the part of Mrs Bennet in a new adaptation of the world of Pride and Prejudice as if the character were “like an 18th-century estate agent” attempting to marry off her daughters.
Ruth Jones approached Mrs Bennet in a new television adaptation of the world of Pride and Prejudice as if the character were “like an 18th-century estate agent” attempting to marry off her daughters.
The Welsh actress, 59, best known for playing Nessa in Gavin and Stacey, portrays Mrs Bennet in The Other Bennet Sister, produced by Bad Wolf – a drama centring on Mary Bennet, the often overlooked middle sister from Jane Austen’s novel which will premiere in the UK on the BBC.
Discussing her role during a question and answer session at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, ahead of the programme’s British debut, Ruth said: “I said, ‘(Mrs Bennet is) like an 18th-century estate agent’ – five properties to sell and one of them just will not shift, no matter how much she reduces the price!
“So that’s what we kind of saw in this quite monstrous mother, but she did have her reasons for behaving the way she did, and that’s what really appealed to me.”
Ruth also said she was aware of earlier portrayals of the character, including performances by Alison Steadman, in the BBC’s 1995 television adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Brenda Blethyn in Pride and Prejudice.
She added: “We are seeing Mrs. Bennet with all her surface removed, and we’re seeing a different side to her.
“I think what I love about Mrs. Bennet’s relationship with Mary... her intentions were good, right? She wanted the best for her daughters because she knew how tough it was for women, and that if they did not marry well, they would not survive.”
Ruth also discussed a visual element she felt defined the character.
She said: “I think Mrs Bennet relies very heavily on a heaving bosom. It’s almost like her engine. I think she very rarely gets seen without it. That’s her secret weapon.”
Ruth appears in the show opposite Richard E Grant, who plays Mr Bennet, with Ella Bruccoleri starring as Mary Bennet. Other cast members include Maddie Close as Jane, Poppy Gilbert as Lizzie, Molly Wright as Kitty and Grace Hogg-Robinson as Lydia.
The adaptation explores Mary Bennet’s life beyond the events of Austen’s original story and places her at the centre of the narrative.
The cast also includes Dónal Finn, who appears as Mr Hayward, and Laurie Davidson, who plays another potential suitor for Mary.
The Other Bennet Sister will debut on the BBC in the UK on Sunday, 15 March, and will later be available to US audiences on BritBox.
