As one of the most beloved writers around the world, there have been countless adaptations of Jane Austen's novels on both the big and small screens. The earliest of which was of Pride and Prejudice in 1938 as a TV movie, though there are no copies of this available anymore. However, most of the adaptations that we know and love are from the 1990s onward as this is when they became such a frequent fixture of the box office. Now, it seems we get a new adaptation every few years, whether it be a true-to-Austen period drama or a modernized version (or a mix of both).
With six novels and other short or incomplete stories and more successful adaptations than failures, there’s much to consider when discussing the best performances in these movies. Interestingly, despite the vast quantity of these movie adaptations, of which many are critically acclaimed, no one has yet won an Oscar for their performance in one. Austen adaptations are an excellent vehicle for demonstrating acting abilities as they require both emotional depth and comedic ability, though obviously, this varies from character to character. Here are the 12 best acting performances in a movie version of a Jane Austen story.
12 Sophie Thompson — Emma (1996)
In the 1996 adaptation of Emma, starring Gwyneth Paltrow in the central role, Sophie Thompson plays the character of Miss Bates. She is one of those people who are very sweet but unfortunately also very irritating, which inspires complex feelings of annoyance but also sympathy. It’s not easy to walk the line between conveying sufficient frustrating behavior without losing the audience’s support. The movie’s emotional arc hinges on this combination of feelings as it is what triggers Emma’s emotional epiphany. Thompson manages to fill the role expertly, never leaning too far in either direction.
11 Felicity Jones — Northanger Abbey (2007)
Northanger Abbey is one of Austen’s lesser-known and adapted novels, although it’s also arguably her funniest work. The story satirizes the Gothic horror genre, with its protagonist, Catherine Morland, having an overactive imagination and expecting ghosts and ghouls around every corner. Felicity Jones plays Catherine in an underrated adaptation from 2007. Catherine isn’t the easiest protagonist to play because although many of the events are comedic, it’s important that she takes it all completely seriously, or else there is no tension to be released as humor. Jones does a great job in this role, combining humor and heart perfectly.
10 Morfydd Clark — Love & Friendship (2016)
Morfydd Clark’s role in Whit Stillman’s adaptation of the novella Lady Susan, titled Love & Friendship, is small but no less impactful. She plays Frederica Vernon, Lady Susan’s daughter who is desperately trying to escape her mother’s meddling hands. Lady Susan is keen for Frederica to make an advantageous marriage at any cost to aid her own social and financial standing. In a cast that features some big names — Chloë Sevigny, Kate Beckinsale, and Stephen Fry, for example — Clark holds her own. She played the role of a slightly petulant teenager well, stealing some of the few scenes she had.
9 Johnny Flynn — Emma (2020)
In a more recent adaptation of Emma, from 2020, Johnny Flynn plays Emma’s long-time family friend and eventual love interest, Mr. Knightley. He is another essential component of the story as he is the only person in Emma’s life who is willing to argue with her. This makes for an excellent dynamic between the two of them, creating tension while also demonstrating that he has real care for her. Flynn has a perfect level of bemusement for this role in an adaptation that hams up the comedy to just the right degree. He is also responsible for one of the greatest moments of romantic frustration in an overdramatic flop to the ground.
8 Tom Hollander — Pride & Prejudice (2005)
The Pride & Prejudice adaptation from 2005 has become the most famous of them all, so it’s not surprising that it’s filled with great performances. One of the reasons that it’s such a joy to watch is that its entire ensemble is excellent. In the role of Mr. Collins, Tom Hollander is able to capture exactly what makes the character so funny. Contrasting with Miss Bates in Emma, Mr. Collins is comedic because he is irredeemably annoying. It’s clear that Hollander understands the source material as he is able to play into the humor in a way that translates it well to a modern audience without neglecting its original form.
7 Anya Taylor-Joy — Emma (2020)
Before Anya Taylor-Joy’s fame skyrocketed after her role in The Queen’s Gambit, she played Emma Woodhouse in (surprise, surprise) Emma. This character requires a strong actor because she is not the most easily likable of Jane Austen protagonists. Emma is charming, but she is also spoiled and thinks she knows best in all situations. With audiences having trouble empathizing and caring for female characters at the best of times, it could be easy for that to be the case with Emma. However, Taylor-Joy’s performance is measured and careful in a way that makes sure to display her vulnerabilities to those who are paying attention, and this is the key to rounding out the character of Emma.
6 Donald Sutherland — Pride & Prejudice (2005)
Returning to Pride & Prejudice, the great Donald Sutherland plays Mr. Bennett, Lizzie’s father. While he’s not part of any of the central romances, Mr. Bennett is still an essential piece of the Pride & Prejudice plot. He stands out among the rest of the mannered and regimented society, and because of this, it’s easy to see where Lizzie’s free spirit comes from. In a very funny and hectic story, Mr. Bennett is a grounding presence and a voice of reason. While it’s not much of a stretch for Sutherland to achieve this, he has a sense of gravity that just works so well in the role.
5 Mia Goth — Emma (2020)
Another smaller, but no less important, character to mention is Mia Goth as Harriett in 2020’s Emma. In recent years, Goth has proven herself to be an impressive actor mostly with horror-genre projects such as the horror series X and Pearl or Infinity Pool. So, this makes her performance in the pastel-colored, humorous Emma even more delightful to watch. She plays the hapless and naive Harriett pitch-perfectly, with no trace of cynicism or dark undercurrent that might be expected from someone so focused on horror movies. Goth as Harriett adds a lovely angle to Emma, and for that, we must be grateful.
4 Gwyneth Paltrow — Emma (1996)
From one Emma to another, Gwyneth Paltrow’s performance in the titular role is wonderful. She conveys Emma’s sharp mind with ease. In Roger Ebert’s review of the movie, he discussed the performance, saying, “Paltrow sparkles in the title role,” continuing with, “You can see her eyes working the room, speculating on whose lives she can improve.” Both Taylor-Joy and Paltrow are excellent in the role, just in different ways. The movies take a different approach and this version allows Paltrow to emphasize Emma’s intelligence in a way that is exciting and enjoyable to watch.
3 Alan Rickman — Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Alan Rickman’s character in Sense and Sensibility, the shy Colonel Brandon, makes up one-third of a love triangle. He competes for Marianne’s attention alongside rival John Willoughby, and he is the most demure of the set. Rickamn’s subtle acting is perfectly suited for this restrained character among a group of energetic people. It’s not news that his acting abilities are impeccable, but Sense and Sensibility is the perfect vehicle for displaying his understated but impactful talents. It’s easy to praise the showier performances but it’s roles like this that hold the Austenian world together.
2 Sally Hawkins — Persuasion (2007)
Persuasion is Austen’s most sober work; it has its humorous moments, but on the whole, its tone is more serious than the rest. This makes Sally Hawkins the perfect actor to play Anne Elliot, a mature and introspective protagonist. The style of this adaptation involves a lot of writing in diaries and contemplation, meaning we are relying on Hawkins’ physical actions and facial expressions to do a lot of the talking. As a brilliant actor, this is no issue for her, and she is the soul of this movie.
1 Emma Thompson — Sense and Sensibility (1995)
Finally, the best performance in a Jane Austen movie adaptation goes to Emma Thompson in Sense and Sensibility. She plays Elinor Dashwood, the more serious of the two eldest sisters, on top of having written the movie’s screenplay. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, she discusses how relevant Austen’s writing remains in the present day, saying, “It's also clear that people really haven't changed all that much. That's why Sense and Sensibility seems so brand new and sharp as a pin, still. She seems to me more contemporary than many later writers.”
The way she is able to connect past and present with her adaptation of an old text shows an understanding of the material and this led to an incredible (Oscar-winning) screenplay which, in turn, informed her beautiful performance.
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