Los Angeles: “Normal People” star Daisy Edgar-Jones will essay the lead character of Elinor Dashwood in a fresh cinematic take on the classic Jane Austen novel “Sense and Sensibility”.
The project, which will be directed by Georgia Oakley from a script by bestselling author Diana Reid, comes from Focus Features and Working Title Films. It will be produced by Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner alongside India Flint and Jo Wallett, a press release said.
One of the greats of English literature, Austen’s “Sense and Sensibility” was published anonymously in 1811 under the byline “By A Lady”.
The story follows the Dashwood sisters, Elinor and Marianne, as they navigate love and societal pressures in 18th-century England.
The novel has inspired numerous film adaptations, most notably Ang Lee’s 1995 film, starring Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet.
Edgar-Jones, whose recent credits include the global hit “Twisters” and the web series “Where the Crawdads Sing”, has emerged as one of the most sought-after young actors in the West today.
With the new “Sense and Sensibility” film, Focus Features and Working Title are returning to Austen’s stories.
The two studios collaborated earlier for the 2005 adaptation of “Pride & Prejudice”, starring Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Rosamund Pike and Tom Hollander.
