Don’t yassify Mr. Darcy

Matthew Macfadyen, an actor powerful enough to make women tremble by simply flexing his hand, once mused that he was “miscast” as Mr. Darcy, the brooding love interest of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Macfadyen probably felt that he had big shoes to fill. He starred in Joe Wright’s 2005 adaptation of the novel, which arrived 10 years after the premiere of the BBC’s wildly popular miniseries adaptation. Perhaps Macfadyen was haunted by the scene of Colin Firth headily emerging from a lake, drenched, in nothing but a clingy cotton shirt and moleskin breeches. As Macfadyen told CBS Morning News in 2024: “I’m not dishy enough.”

Au contraire, my friend! Whether you’ve pitched your tent in Camp 2005 or Camp 1995, there is one thing that all Austenites can surely agree on: Mr. Darcy doesn’t have to be dishy to be Mr. Darcy.

Or, rather, the essence of dishiness doesn’t come from mere looks or the inches a man has over six feet (though it should be noted that Macfadyen and Firth happen to check both of those boxes). It comes from a purer source—one that most modern, protein-powder-pilled boys can’t easily replicate. Firth doused his Darcy in a dark broodiness, while Macfadyen injected into his a gentle vulnerability. Above all, both actors made Darcy’s undiluted and fervent longing for the story’s heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, crystal clear.

Future Mr. Darcys should take heed. I am, of course, talking about Netflix’s upcoming Pride and Prejudice miniseries, which will see Emma Corrin and Jack Lowden take up the coveted mantle of our beloved Lizzy and Fitzwilliam. The streaming giant, which has hopefully learned from the sins of its Persuasion-tainted past, has promised fans “a faithful, classic adaptation of the novel.”

So far, the casting news hasn’t provoked the same level of controversy that was incited by, say, Emerald Fennell’s veneer-filled adaption of Wuthering Heights. But with a book as cherished as Pride and Prejudice, it’s inevitable that some would express their doubts—unfairly, in my opinion—about Lowden. The Scottish actor is most well-known for his performances in acclaimed films like Dunkirk and the Apple TV+ series Slow Horses, the latter of which earned him Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. He’s also a redhead—a stark difference from the brunette Mr. Darcys of onscreen yore.

Jack Lowden is the next actor who will portray Mr. Darcy onscreen, in Netflix’s forthcoming miniseries adaptation of Pride and Prejudice

On the whole, however, most fans seem to be delighted with the newly crowned Mr. Darcy. Lowden is a tried-and-true pro when it comes to period pieces (his role in the BBC’s 2016 War & Peace miniseries is proof of that), and any commitment to faithful adaptions is always welcome in an era inundated with Bridgerton-esque anachronisms. Something about his general vibe, too, just makes me wholeheartedly believe in his ability to deliver. He looks like the kind of guy who’d look as good riding on horseback as he would chasing down deceitful rakes. (Now, who Netflix casts as Mr. Wickham, I cannot wait to see.)

In the 1813 book, Austen refrained from physically illustrating most of the principal characters, save for the occasional descriptor like tall or handsome. Unlike some so-called purists, I think she would agree that a person doesn’t necessarily need to have dark hair to channel an innate darkness within.

Anyway, we’re overdue for a ginger Darcy. So long as they keep him un-yassified and yearning, Lowden already has everything he needs to make us fall in love with the character all over again.

Lead image: Getty, IMDB

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