Daisy Edgar-Jones & George MacKay talk Sense and Sensibility, Yearning, and Jane Austen
October 14, 2026 · 27 min
Why listen
Two actors talk about falling into Jane Austen's world and why her 200-year-old story still hits hard.
Enjoy the episode?
Subscribe to Seen on the Screen with Jacqueline Coley
In this episode
- How the cast and director made a classic novel feel urgent and modern
- What earlier roles like 1917 and Normal People taught them about source material
- Why director Georgia Oakley's previous film won them over before they said yes
- The films that first made them want to act: Romeo + Juliet and Gladiator
About this episode
Daisy Edgar-Jones and George MacKay instantly clicked on the set of Sense and Sensibility. For Daisy, a lifelong Jane Austen fan known for her portrayals of literary heroines (Normal People, Where the Crawdads Sing), stepping into the role of Elinor Dashwood was a dream come true. For George, playing Elinor’s love interest Edward Ferrars was an experience unlike any other in his already wide-ranging body of work (1917, Pride, Captain Fantastic), but he felt “immediately safe” with Daisy as soon as they started running lines together. Their chemistry comes alive onscreen in director Georgia Oakley’s fresh take on the classic novel — a tactile, deeply romantic adaptation that makes Austen’s 200-year-old observations about love and society feel as relevant as ever.
In this episode, Daisy and George join Jacqueline Coley to discuss stepping into the canon of Sense and Sensibility, the connection they felt with their characters, and why Georgia Oakley’s _Blue Jean_convinced them she was the perfect filmmaker to reimagine Austen’s world. Both look back on their breakthrough roles: George on the months of rehearsal and production that made 1917 such a singular experience, and Daisy on how Normal People taught her to honor the source material while also letting go of it. They also pay homage to the beloved 1995 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, reflect on the real shared history between Daisy and Esmé Creed-Miles that grounds the Dashwood sisters’ relationship in the new film, and reveal the films that first inspired them to act: Romeo + Juliet and Gladiator.
To watch the movies discussed in this episode and more, head to https://athome.fandango.com/?cmp=SOTS~Fandango~general
About Seen on the Screen with Jacqueline Coley
A podcast series hosted by Jacqueline Coley, Awards Editor at Rotten Tomatoes. Claim your ticket to witness the personal narratives happening behind the scenes of film and entertainment. Each episode invites you into intimate conversations with filmmakers, actors and industry insiders.
See all episodes →
