Ella Bruccoleri, who plays Mary in the BBC drama The Other Bennet Sister, has revealed that filming a particular scene became quite stressful. The period drama, adapted from Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, follows the overlooked middle sister Mary on her journey of self-discovery as she leaves home for London and attracts two suitors.
Filming Challenges on the Lake
In a scene that paid homage to Colin Firth's wet shirt moment from the 1995 Pride and Prejudice series, Mary finds herself in a boat on a lake while her suitors Tom Hayward (Donal Finn) and Charles Ryder (Laurie Davidson) pull her back to shore. Speaking to The Independent, Bruccoleri admitted: "It became quite stressful because the crew were supposed to shoot it on a different lake where they could anchor the boats to the bottom of it."
She added: "And then at the last minute, they tested the water and couldn’t use it, so then we had to use a different one. Our lads were in the water for quite a long time, so there were big concerns about their health and safety."
Honouring Jane Austen's Legacy
Bruccoleri previously spoke about how the series honours Austen's legacy while offering a new perspective. She told the BBC: "When I read Jane Austen, I’m always struck by how it is so witty, with humour in every line. Sarah Quintrell really brings that into the scripts, and Janice Hadlow’s book does the same. The novel is very different in style from Austen, but it feels like a genuine extension of Pride and Prejudice."
She continued: "Sarah’s scripts tread the line between comedy and drama better than anything I’ve ever read. It feels like a tragicomedy - it doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s also not afraid to delve into emotionally weighty material. That feels very true to Jane Austen."
The Other Bennet Sister is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
