Who else can’t wait for the season of yearning to begin?
I am, of course, referring to the imminent release of Netflix’s adaptation of Pride and Prejudice this autumn. More than 20 years after Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen bewitched us, body and soul, the streamer is bringing a new spin to Jane Austen’s romance, helmed by author Dolly Alderton.
This week is the Edinburgh TV Festival, an annual event celebrating its 50th anniversary where several of the biggest companies in television reveal the biggest projects that they have in the pipeline.
On Wednesday, Metro attended as Netflix gave a sneak peek at its six-episode Pride and Prejudice, revealing more footage of Emma Corrin as Elizabeth Bennet and Jack Lowden as Mr Darcy, as well as a first glimpse of Jamie Demetriou as the infamous Mr Collins.
I have no qualms with saying that Stath Lets Flats actor Jamie could end up being the secret standout star of this entire series.
He had big shoes to fill when he first took on the role of the Bennets’ dreaded cousin, who’s set to inherit everything when Mr Bennet dies, hence Mrs Bennet’s even greater desperation to find wealthy husbands for her daughters.
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The most recent Pride and Prejudice adaptation that often comes to mind (aside from other spin-offs like Austenland and the Bridget Jones franchise) is the 2005 movie.
The film was steeped in romanticism, wistful looks, gentle hand grazes, and a declaration of love so powerful it still pops up regularly when I’m scrolling through Instagram reels. But the leads, Keira and Matthew, weren’t the only ones who gave scene-stealing performances.
There are many actors in the stellar ensemble who deserve shoutouts, but no one could have been as infuriating, as boring, as inadvertently hilarious as Tom Hollander was playing Mr Collins in the 2005 movie. His admiration for the Bennets’ boiled potatoes has become a cult classic quote, and you can find it embossed on T-shirts, cards and tote bags on Etsy.
So who could follow in Tom’s footsteps, to make audiences cringe with secondhand embarrassment as Mr Collins demonstrates his complete lack of social awareness? Enter comedy icon Jamie.
Without giving away spoilers before the trailer is widely released, the snippet that we saw of the Fleabag actor as the Bennet family’s cousin made my toes curl up with discomfort. So yes, it seems that he’s nailed Mr Collins’ mortifying manners spot on.
There will be so much attention placed on the leads Emma, as Elizabeth, and Jack, as Mr Darcy, particularly given the latter is being touted as a frontrunner to play James Bond. But I hope that Jamie receives the adulation that he deserves if his entire performance is as awkwardly amusing as the clip we were given the opportunity to watch early.
Earlier this year, the 38-year-old admitted how ‘surprised’ he was when he was cast as Mr Collins in the series, but relished taking on a role different to ones he’d done in the past.
‘There’s so many ways to skin that character. And that challenge freaked me out. I was really, really, genuinely surprised when I got the part,’ he told NME.
‘I really do feel like I’ve taken part in something that doesn’t resemble anything I’ve done before.’
Fans celebrated his casting, with one called Past-Ad-2282 writing on Reddit: ‘Jamie is perfect for Mr Collins. PERFECT.’
‘Straight up made me want to watch this now, I love the Demetriou siblings!’ vensie remarked, while another added: ‘Oh my god I am such a big fan of his and I KNOW he will do it right.’
Pride and Prejudice is due to premiere on Netflix this year.