Emma Corrin on Netflix's 'Pride & Prejudice': Why the 'Crown' Star Found Playing Elizabeth Bennet 'Daunting'

📷 Image: Gage Skidmore (CC BY-SA 3.0) — via Wikimedia Commons

Few actors have pulled off the kind of career trajectory Emma Corrin has managed in just six years. From an unknown drama school graduate to playing Princess Diana in The Crown, then a Marvel supervillain in Deadpool & Wolverine, and now — the role that may define their next chapter — Elizabeth Bennet in Netflix's new adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. And yet, in a new cover story for Variety's Power of Women issue, Corrin admits the Austen heroine has been the most intimidating challenge yet.

"It was a scary thing when [the cover offer] first came in," Corrin told Variety, speaking about being named the publication's first nonbinary Power of Women honoree — a landmark moment in itself. But the conversation quickly turned to the project that's generating the most buzz: stepping into the bonnet of literature's most beloved heroine for Netflix.

From Diana to Darcy: Corrin's Unlikely Path to Austen

When Corrin burst onto the scene as a young Diana Spencer in the fourth season of The Crown, the performance earned them a Golden Globe, a Critics' Choice Award, and an Emmy nomination. It was the kind of breakout that launches a thousand franchise offers — and Corrin took one of them, playing the telepathic villain Cassandra Nova opposite Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in Deadpool & Wolverine, the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time.

But Regency England is a different battlefield entirely. Where Diana required Corrin to embody a real woman whose every mannerism has been scrutinized for decades, Elizabeth Bennet comes with a different kind of weight: two centuries of literary devotion and a string of iconic screen portrayals that have set an almost impossibly high bar.

The Shadow of Colin Firth's Wet Shirt

Anyone taking on Pride and Prejudice inherits a legacy that few literary adaptations can match. The 1995 BBC miniseries starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth didn't just define Austen on screen — it created a cultural phenomenon. Firth emerging from that lake in a wet white shirt became one of the most replayed moments in British television history. Then came Joe Wright's lush 2005 feature film, which earned Keira Knightley an Oscar nomination and introduced a new generation to the Bennet sisters.

"I felt daunted," Corrin admitted, using a word that feels almost quintessentially Austen-esque in its understatement. The actor acknowledged the pressure of following such beloved interpretations while finding something new to bring to a character that audiences feel they already know intimately.

What We Know About Netflix's 'Pride & Prejudice' Series

Details about the new adaptation remain closely guarded, but here's what has been confirmed: the series is being produced for Netflix as a multi-episode limited series — a format that, fans will note, mirrors the 1995 BBC approach rather than the compressed two-hour film treatment. This suggests room to breathe, to explore subplots and secondary characters that film adaptations inevitably trim.

The choice of a series format is a smart one from Netflix. Austen's novel is dense with character development, razor-sharp social commentary, and the kind of slow-burn romantic tension that benefits from episodic storytelling. A limited series can give us more of the Wickham subplot, more of the Caroline Bingley machinations, and more of the gradual, almost imperceptible shift in Darcy's demeanor that makes the eventual proposal so satisfying.

At 30, Corrin is slightly older than Austen's "not one-and-tweth" Elizabeth — but so was Jennifer Ehle (who was 26 during filming), and maturity arguably serves the character's wit and self-possession well. What Corrin brings that no previous Elizabeth has is a particular kind of modern edge: an actor whose own public journey with gender identity has been marked by thoughtful candor, and whose performances — from Diana's vulnerability to Cassandra Nova's gleeful menace — demonstrate a remarkable range.

The Period Drama Renaissance on Streaming

The timing of Netflix's Pride and Prejudice is no accident. Period dramas are experiencing a genuine renaissance on streaming platforms. Netflix itself has invested heavily in the genre, from the juggernaut success of Bridgerton (which reimagined Regency romance for a modern audience) to The Crown's six-season reign as one of the platform's most decorated originals. Apple TV+ has found critical success with Pachinko and The Buccaneers. HBO continues to mine historical drama with The Gilded Age and the upcoming Dune: Prophecy.

But Pride and Prejudice occupies a unique space. It's both comfort viewing and serious literature — the kind of IP that attracts prestige talent while promising the broad audience appeal that streamers crave. In an era where Netflix faces increasing competition from Disney+, Max, and Prime Video, a universally recognized title with a star of Corrin's caliber is precisely the kind of flagship project the platform needs.

According to Variety, Corrin's casting has generated significant industry attention, with many seeing it as a statement of intent from Netflix about the scale and seriousness of the production. The streaming giant hasn't just hired a capable actor — they've secured someone whose name alone now carries awards-season weight.

What Makes This Elizabeth Bennet Different

Every generation gets the Elizabeth Bennet it deserves. The 1995 version gave us a fiercely intelligent heroine whose "fine eyes" saw through the absurdities of her society with a raised eyebrow and a barely suppressed smile. The 2005 film gave us a more overtly romantic Elizabeth, stumbling across misty moors and standing on cliff edges — an interpretation that some Austen purists grumbled about but that undeniably worked for the cinema screen.

What will Corrin's Elizabeth look like? If their previous work is any guide, expect something sharp and emotionally precise. Corrin's Diana was a study in psychological unraveling — all nervous glances and trembling smiles that never quite reached the eyes. Their Cassandra Nova was pure, unhinged id, suggesting a performer unafraid to go big when the material demands it. Somewhere between those extremes lies an Elizabeth Bennet who could be both the sharpest wit in the room and the most emotionally vulnerable person in it.

One thing is certain: the role will almost certainly earn Corrin their next round of awards attention. The track record of prestige Austen adaptations at the Emmys and Golden Globes is strong, and a Netflix-backed limited series with this level of pedigree enters the conversation with the wind at its back.

A Star at the Center of the Conversation

Beyond Pride and Prejudice, Corrin's Variety Power of Women cover appearance marks a significant cultural milestone. As the magazine's first nonbinary honoree, Corrin occupies a position in Hollywood that simply didn't exist a generation ago — a leading actor whose identity defies easy categorization, and whose casting in one of literature's most famously heterosexual romances challenges assumptions about who gets to tell which stories.

"It's f—ing awesome," Corrin said of the honor, with characteristic directness. The comment captures something essential about the actor's appeal: a refusal to perform the kind of polished, anodyne celebrity that awards seasons typically reward. Corrin seems genuinely themselves — and in an industry built on artifice, that's its own kind of radical act.

For mywatchseries.lol readers who want to catch up on Corrin's work before the new series arrives, both The Crown and Deadpool & Wolverine are available to stream. The 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice — still the gold standard for many Austen fans — is also worth revisiting to understand the legacy that Corrin is stepping into.

Related Articles

• The Crown — The series that launched Emma Corrin to stardom with their Golden Globe-winning portrayal of Princess Diana
• Pride and Prejudice (1995) — The iconic BBC adaptation starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth, still the definitive version for many
• Deadpool & Wolverine — Corrin's Marvel debut as the terrifying Cassandra Nova alongside Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman
• Browse All TV Series — Discover more acclaimed dramas and period pieces streaming now

What's your favorite Pride and Prejudice adaptation — and are you excited to see Emma Corrin take on Elizabeth Bennet? Let us know in the comments.