Mansfield Park 2007 casting news
Alert Janeite Helen B sent us a link to an article with some cast names for Mansfield Park 2007–unfortunately not all of them match up with roles!
The main one we do know is that Michelle Ryan, formerly of EastEnders, will play Maria Bertram, providing further evidence that Hayley Atwell will play Mary Crawford. There is a fansite for Michelle with a gallery of photos–she certainly is pretty enough to play Maria.
According to the article, the cast also includes:
Joseph Morgan, who starred with Hayley Atwell in The Line of Beauty and also played the unfortunate William Warley in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. We think he has a look of Henry Crawford about him, though of course he could play Edmund or Tom Bertram.
Douglas Hodge, who was Pitt Crawley in the 2004 adaptation of Vanity Fair. We’re thinking Sir Thomas Bertram.
Jemma Redgrave (Six Degrees of Jane Austen connection: she is the daughter of Corin Redgrave, who played Sir Walter Elliot in Persuasion 1995), best known for her work in the series Bramwell. Here is a small fansite. She is likely to play either Lady Bertram or perhaps Mrs. Norris. (She would be fabulous as Mrs. Norris in our opinion.)
Maggie O’Neill, best known from the British television series Peak Practice and Shameless. There is a fansite for her Peak Practice character with a photo gallery. She also is a possibility for Lady Bertram, Mrs. Norris, or Mrs. Price. (We are leaning toward Lady Bertram.)
We stress that the roles are all speculation on our part. The only roles we know for sure are Billie Piper as Fanny Price and Michelle Ryan as Maria Bertram.
September 8th, 2006 at 1:43 pm
There’s going to be a new Mansfield Park, a new Northanger Abbey and the (made-up) Becoming Jane thingy all in the same year?! Goodness!
How many of these projects have been born because of P&P 2005, I wonder?
September 8th, 2006 at 2:35 pm
Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility are also going to be made in that same year.
September 8th, 2006 at 3:35 pm
Hurrah! What excellent news and I’ve been anxiously awaiting for some from Mansfield Park quarters. I’d venture for Jemma Redgrave as Mrs Norris,while Maggie O’Neill has more of that delicate faded beauty I associate with Lady Bertram. I’d also say Joseph Morgan has a touch of the Henry Crawford about him; he has the benefit of slightly looking like Hayley Atwell too who I presume is to play Mary, though I do hope he is not above five foot nine!
September 8th, 2006 at 3:58 pm
the (made-up) Becoming Jane thingy
*giggles madly*
I’m going to three JA-related stage plays this autumn also. It’s a Janeful life right now.
September 8th, 2006 at 4:00 pm
It’s a Janeful life right now.
Indeed!
September 8th, 2006 at 5:46 pm
do we know yet how long this is going to be? i think that mansfield park is a fantastic story, and would love to see it unfold in a [well made! and perhaps sticking a bit more to the book this time] film. it will be interesting……………. also, is it a sure fact that masterpiece theatre will be airing it sometime in 2007?
September 8th, 2006 at 6:06 pm
Totally girls!! Woo hoo! News on our new films weekly, it’s so FUN!
Great news about MP3. Wow, Joseph Morgan! Good to know we’ve got some eye candy! LOL. I like Michelle Ryan’s looks too- when she’s not in EastEnders costume.
September 8th, 2006 at 6:09 pm
Does anyone know if there are plans to put these ITV films on DVD or broadcast in the US?
September 8th, 2006 at 7:40 pm
Sarah, they will be broadcast in the U.S. on PBS as part of Masterpiece Theatre starting November 2007, along with the new S&S adaptation from the BBC. No Emma, as that belongs to A&E over here, but of course it’s available on DVD.
September 8th, 2006 at 7:43 pm
Sarah,
The new films of Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park, Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion are scheduled to air on Masterpiece Theatre in November 2007 as part of a “Jane Austen Festival”.
I don’t know if/when they will be released on DVD, but hopefully, like the recent Bleak House series on MT, they’ll be available for purchase soon after they appear on television. But that’s just wishful thinking on my part, nothing more.
September 8th, 2006 at 7:44 pm
Ha! Jinx! Feel free to delete my repetition
September 8th, 2006 at 11:58 pm
I have seen Michelle Ryan as Rose Waters in ‘Miss Marple: By the Pricking of My Thumbs’ and she was rather pretty and will be perfect as Maria!
I’ve seen Jemma Redgrave in ‘Diana: Her True Story’ I think she played a character named Carolyn Bartholomew, but truely my eyes where upon actress Elizabeth Garvie who was Elizabeth Bennet in P&P1. Jemma was also in ‘Howard’s End’ as Evie Wilcox but truley I don’t remember her!
Of course I know her father very well as the ultimate Sir Walter.
Joseph Morgan as Tom would be good or I guess as Henry though HC should be “black and plain”. I have always thought of the Mr. Bertrams as rather fair, at least Tom. And Edmund as more stately than handsome.
I think they will all fit into MP3 just fine, can’t wait for more news!
September 9th, 2006 at 12:10 am
Hmmm? Let us not forget Mrs. Grant as one of these actresses could be her. Joseph Morgan could also be Mr. Yates. Gemma may be too young for Mrs Norris.
September 9th, 2006 at 1:27 am
True, but Mrs. Grant and Mr. Yates are kind of minor characters to be mentioned as “stars,” don’t you think?
I suspect Joseph Morgan is Edmund but in that one photo he just has such a Henry Crawford look about him, don’t you know. He has already played Hayley Atwell’s boyfriend in another movie so perhaps it was thought they would have chemistry.
September 10th, 2006 at 7:15 pm
Joseph Morgan looks more like he could be Tom Bertram to me. He has that very mischievous look about him that would be perfect as Tom. I always pictured Henry Crawford as a very elegant, well dressed man with understated good looks (and not an obvious ‘bad boy’). Plus Hayley Atwell (if she is indeed Mary Crawford) is a brunette and Joseph is so very ‘blonde.’ We’ll see.
I think Jemma Redgrave is too young to be Mrs. Norris and Maggie O’Neill would be better suited physically to play Lady Bertram than Mrs. Norris. I always pictured Mrs. Norris to be in her late 40’s through mid-50’s.
So now all eyes will be on who will be cast as Edmund Bertram. I hope the announcement comes soon.
September 16th, 2006 at 7:11 am
Hayley Atwell’s resume at PFD’s website is now confirming that she is to play Mary.
http://www.pfd.co.uk/clients/atwellh/a-act.html