Pride and prejudice: Why Olivia Colman gets Jane Austen’s famous first line

Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is bringing a long-awaited literary moment to television with Olivia Colman’s Mrs Bennet delivering Jane Austen’s celebrated opening line in the newly released trailer.

Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of Pride and Prejudice is bringing a long-awaited literary moment to television with Olivia Colman’s Mrs Bennet delivering Jane Austen’s celebrated opening line in the newly released trailer.

The famous sentence introduces Austen’s 1813 novel and reflects its central theme of marriage wealth and social expectations. Although the story has inspired several film and television adaptations the line has not previously been spoken on screen making its inclusion a notable feature of Netflix’s new series.

Screenwriter Dolly Alderton decided to give the words to Mrs Bennet the mother of five daughters whose future marriages dominate her thoughts. Alderton explained that the character’s constant concern about securing suitable husbands made her the natural choice to deliver the opening statement.

For Mrs Bennet finding wealthy and eligible partners for her daughters represents more than a social ambition. It is also connected to her hopes of securing their future and protecting the family’s position in society.

The trailer introduces Emma Corrin as Elizabeth Bennet and Jack Lowden as Mr Darcy. Corrin portrays the intelligent and independent heroine while Lowden takes on the role of Darcy whose reserved personality creates tension in his relationship with Elizabeth.

Jamie Demetriou also appears as Mr Collins, the clergyman who hopes to marry Elizabeth. In one humorous moment he confidently claims to know how to impress a young woman before accidentally knocking over a table of glasses.

The six-part adaptation follows the Bennet sisters as they navigate romance, family relationships and the strict expectations of Regency-era England. The arrival of wealthy bachelors brings new possibilities for the family with Jane Bennet developing feelings for the charming Mr Bingley while Elizabeth finds herself at odds with his proud friend Darcy.

The supporting cast includes Rufus Sewell as Mr Bennet, Freya Mavor as Jane Bennet, Daryl McCormack as Mr Bingley, Louis Partridge as Mr Wickham and Siena Kelly as Caroline Bingley.

Alderton admitted that adapting such a beloved literary work initially felt daunting. However, she eventually viewed the opportunity as an honour explaining that Austen’s story continues to connect with readers because its emotional themes remain recognisable.

The screenwriter highlighted the novel’s exploration of family embarrassment uncertainty about the future fears of being left behind and the mistakes people make when judging others.

Netflix’s version will be the latest major screen adaptation of Austen’s classic following Joe Wright’s 2005 film starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen and the acclaimed 1995 BBC miniseries featuring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.

The six-episode series is scheduled to premiere on December 3, 2026.