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Then vs. Now: The ‘Pride & Prejudice’ 2005 Cast’s Surprising Journeys

  • April 21, 2025
  • 8 minute read
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When Jane Austen’s timeless romance bloomed on silver screens in 2005, audiences worldwide fell head over heels for the enchanting ensemble that brought Regency England to life. Fast forward nearly two decades, and this talented troupe has waltzed from empire-waist gowns into modern Hollywood royalty. Their post-Pemberley paths have zigzagged through Oscar ceremonies, prestige television, and career-defining performances that would make even Lady Catherine de Bourgh raise an impressed eyebrow. 

While Pride & Prejudice

perfectly paired character with actor, their Hollywood journeys since have been even more thrilling. Here is how their lives have evolved over the past two decades.

Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet

From spirited Lizzy Bennet to Hollywood heavyweight, Keira Knightley’s career trajectory has soared higher than a carriage bound for Pemberley. Her portrayal of the quick-witted Elizabeth earned her an Academy Award nod

, transforming the Pirates of the Caribbean

starlet into serious dramatic territory. Since trading Regency gowns for modern scripts, Knightley has dazzled in Atonement

,

cracked Nazi codes in The Imitation Game

, and championed feminist ideals in Colette

. Hollywood’s sharp-cheeked chameleon continues balancing prestigious projects with motherhood, cementing her status as acting royalty.

As Keira Knightley embraced an evolving career, her contemporaries also experienced impressive transformations in their craft, none more surprising than the shift Matthew Macfadyen

made from brooding Mr. Darcy to comedic brilliance.

Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy

While his rain-soaked declaration of love left audiences swooning, Matthew Macfadyen’s post-Darcy evolution proves even more intoxicating than his brooding stares across misty English meadows. The British actor, previously known for UK television, shed Regency tailcoats for power suits in HBO’s Succession

, where his portrayal of the deliciously awkward Tom Wambsgans snagged him an Emmy

. Macfadyen’s transformation from romantic hero to cringe-comedy genius showcases a versatility that would leave even the prideful Mr. Darcy thoroughly impressed.

While Matthew Macfadyen embraced modern complexity, Rosamund Pike also swapped her demure Pride & Prejudice

character for darker, more intense roles that shocked audiences.

Rosamund Pike as Jane Bennet

The actress who embodied the gentle-hearted beauty Jane Bennet has proven herself anything but demure in her post-Austen endeavors. Rosamund Pike traded sweet smiles and tasteful ringlets for bone-chilling intensity in Gone Girl

, earning an Oscar nomination

for her portrayal of the ultimate unreliable narrator. Her Golden Globe-winning turn as a calculating legal guardian in I Care a Lot

further solidified her acting prowess. Pike’s journey from Longbourn’s most eligible daughter to Hollywood’s queen of complexity stands as thrilling as a scandal in Meryton.

As Rosamund Pike navigated Hollywood’s darker roles, Donald Sutherland’s career continued to soar, securing legendary status in both modern and classic films.

Donald Sutherland as Mr. Bennet

The venerable Donald Sutherland brought wizened charm and deadpan wit to Mr. Bennet’s library, creating a performance as comforting as a well-worn leather armchair. Already a cinematic legend before donning Regency attire, Sutherland’s career has continued its impressive march through Hollywood’s elite circles. From philosophical musings in Ad Astra

to suspenseful intrigue in HBO’s The Undoing

and gritty determination in Lawmen: Bass Reeves

,

the silver-maned maestro continues collecting accolades like Mr. Bennet collects first editions.

While Donald Sutherland aged like fine port in Hollywood’s cellar, Brenda Blethyn uncorked her own vintage charm, swapping lace bonnets for trench coats and a knack for nosy meddling.

Brenda Blethyn as Mrs. Bennet

The nervous energy and matrimonial machinations of Mrs. Bennet found perfect expression through Brenda Blethyn’s comedic genius and emotional depth. Already acclaimed for her work in Secrets & Lies

and Little Voice

before fretting about five unwed daughters, Blethyn traded period hysteria for modern detective work in the wildly successful British series Vera

.

As the no-nonsense DCI Vera Stanhope, Blethyn’s award-winning performances have made her as beloved as a rumor about eligible bachelors moving to Netherfield.

While Brenda Blethyn embraced the role of a tenacious detective, Dame Judi Dench continued her reign as a Hollywood legend with a legacy as grand as Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s.

Judi Dench as Lady Catherine de Bourgh

Dame Judi Dench required mere minutes of screen time to transform Lady Catherine de Bourgh into an unforgettable force of aristocratic intimidation. The theatrical titan, already adorned with an Oscar for Shakespeare in Love

 

and beloved for verbally eviscerating James Bond

,

continued her reign of excellence post-Pride & Prejudice

. Her performances in Belfast

, Cats

, and numerous acclaimed productions further burnished her legendary status. Dench remains Hollywood royalty, commanding respect that would make even her imperious Jane Austen counterpart bow in deference.

As Dame Judi Dench wielded regal gravitas with a mere arch of the brow

, Tom Hollander took the baton, bowing, babbling, and brilliantly redefining the art of secondhand embarrassment.

Tom Hollander as Mr. Collins

Tom Hollander’s deliciously cringe-worthy Mr. Collins, with his obsequious bowing and horrifically awkward proposals, transformed a literary annoyance into comic gold. Before making audiences squirm through Collins’ company, Hollander had built a solid reputation in British entertainment. His career subsequently blossomed with scene-stealing roles in The Night Manager

, The White Lotus

, and Feud: Capote vs. The Swans

.

Hollander’s chameleon-like ability to shift between pompous buffoonery and drama proves more impressive than Mr. Collins’ connections to Lady Catherine.

From misty meadows and grand ballrooms to red carpets and Emmy stages, the Pride & Prejudice

(2005) cast has ventured far beyond Jane Austen’s world. Each actor has carved a unique path, whether dominating blockbusters, stealing scenes in prestige TV, or redefining their legacies in unexpected roles. For those who have not seen it, fans can stream it on Netflix.

Read More: 10 Best Thriller Movies on Netflix That Are Sure to Leave You Stunned

What do you think of the characters’ glow-up and their real-life evolution? Whose journey surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments below.

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