This new series is written by Dolly Alderton and directed by Euros Lyn
BY NIAMH LENEGHAN, IMAGE BY NETFLIX
There’s a little more pride coming to Pride and Prejudice. Emma Corrin is stepping into the shoes of one of literature’s most beloved characters as Netflix unveils its new adaptation, premiering 3 December.
The six-part series is written by Dolly Alderton and directed by Euros Lyn, best known for directing the queer coming-of-age series Heartstopper.
The story follows the five Bennet sisters as they navigate love and social expectations, including Elizabeth’s complicated relationship with Mr Darcy.
“Like most people, I fell in love with Elizabeth when I first read Pride and Prejudice in my teens, and have spent the years since navigating situations wondering… well, what would Lizzy do?” Emma wrote on Netflix UK’s Substack.
Emma has previously spoken about their relationship with gender, telling the BBC that being non-binary is “not a rejection of femininity” but “an embrace of that.”
“I still want to play women, my experience on this earth has been a female one, and now it’s sort of a very fluid one,” they continued.
Dolly has spoken about exploring the intimacy of female relationships, saying she “really drew on the richness” of Jane Austen’s close relationship with her own sister, Cassandra.
“I read everything there is left of Jane’s letters and I tried to include any moments of that into Lizzy’s dialogue that I felt aligned with Lizzy,” Dolly said.
Many other adaptations of the classic Austen novel have featured queer actors or explicitly queer themes. Andrew Ahn’s 2022 film Fire Island, written by and starring Joel Kim Booster, gave Pride And Prejudice an explicitly queer makeover – and was met with widespread critical acclaim. Set in the queer community of Fire Island, the film reimagines Austen’s characters through the lives of a group of gay men, exploring class, chosen family and romance.
Elizabeth Bennet may not be getting a queer makeover this time around, but with Emma in the role, queer audiences have another reason to see Austen’s beloved heroine in a new light.
Dolly Alderton’s Pride And Prejudice will premiere on 3 December on Netflix.
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