Daisy Edgar-Jones sees a little of herself in Elinor Dashwood, the emotionally restrained elder sister she portrays in the latest adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility.
The actor, 28, said she naturally relies on reason and tends to suppress her feelings, much like Elinor in Austen’s novel. Playing the character, however, also gave her an opportunity to explore a more emotionally open side of herself.
“I lead a lot with my head and try and push aside, bury my emotion,” Edgar-Jones told the BBC.
She said she particularly enjoyed Elinor’s gradual shift towards embracing her feelings.
“And I feel like I learnt to do that too,” she said.
Directed by Georgia Oakley, the new film revisits the story of sisters Elinor and Marianne Dashwood after the death of their father leaves them facing emotional and social pressures. The adaptation retains Austen’s period setting while offering a fresh cinematic treatment of the familiar story.
Edgar-Jones shares the screen with Esmé Creed-Miles, who plays Marianne. Their familiarity helped shape their relationship as sisters on screen. The pair first worked together as teenagers on the 2018 film Pond Life.
Creed-Miles recalled enjoying their time together on that production, including sleepovers and watching Love Island. Edgar-Jones, despite growing up without siblings, said the film made her appreciate the emotional power of sisterhood.
“I’ve heard a lot of people say that after watching the film, it either makes them want a sister or to ring up their sister and say, ‘Hey, I love you,’ and I think that’s really special,” she said.
The latest adaptation follows several previous versions of Austen’s novel, including Ang Lee’s 1995 film starring Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet. Edgar-Jones said she remains fond of that version but believes Austen’s writing continues to offer filmmakers new ways to explore the female experience.
“She has an incredible way of articulating the female experience,” she said, referring to Austen’s treatment of romance, family and social relationships.
For Edgar-Jones, the enduring appeal also lies in the emotions at the heart of the story. She believes audiences can still recognise themselves in Austen’s characters despite the passage of two centuries.
“We still have the same human heart as we did 200 years ago,” she said.
Creed-Miles similarly said the characters could reassure viewers that they are not alone in dealing with difficult experiences.
Edgar-Jones was also asked about reports linking her former Normal People co-star Paul Mescal with the James Bond role. She did not confirm whether he was being considered but praised his range.
“I don’t know, but I think there’s nothing Paul can’t do,” she said.
