‘The Other Bennet Sister’: Ella Bruccoleri on Acting With Lucy Briers, the 1995 Mary Bennet

Lucy Briers played Mary Bennet in PBS’s Pride and Prejudice in 1995. Now, she plays Mary Bennet’s confidante, Mrs. Hill, in BritBox’s The Other Bennet Sister. The charming spinoff of Jane Austen’s iconic novel debuted with three episodes on May 6, revealing Briers’ scenes with Ella Bruccoleri’s Mary. TV Insider exclusively announced Briers’ casting in the series and got her take on acting with Bruccoleri. Ahead of The Other Bennet Sister‘s premiere, we asked Bruccoleri for her perspective, as well as the show’s creator. They say that Briers passed the Mary Bennet baton to Bruccoleri one day on set. Warning: Spoilers for The Other Bennet Sister ahead!

Mrs. Hill is an employee of the Bennet family. She gives Mary some love and care in the first episodes to counteract the unfairly harsh treatment and emotional neglect Mary gets from her mother, Mrs. Bennet (Ruth Jones), and at times, the rest of her family. Hill is Mary’s one true confidante before she leaves Longborne and moves to London.

Bruccoleri tells TV Insider that “it was so special” acting with Briers. “When we did the read-through, Lucy came over to me and said she was passing on the baton. It just felt like she was really there and ready to help nurture my version of Mary. And so, what Hill provides for Mary in the show, I sort of felt like Lucy provided that for me in real life as well. I know that’s a bit cheesy, but she just looked after me.”

“I didn’t have a huge amount of scenes with her, but when I was filming with her, I felt so cared for by her,” Bruccoleri continues. “And they were quite early on. I felt daunted by the prospect of what lied ahead of me and what I was doing, and she just took me and held me, I guess. It felt really symbolic and really beautiful.”

Sarah Quintrell, executive producer and writer, says that “Lucy was wonderful to have on set,” revealing that she always pictured Briers in the role.

“When I was writing it, I really did have her performance as Mary Bennet in my head, because actually, in Jane Austen’s original novel, Mary isn’t that present if you’re reading it, whereas in the [PBS] adaptation, she’s onscreen a lot, so you’re watching her respond,” Quintrell explains. “So, I really had her in my head, and I thought her performance was beautiful, funny, and wonderful, and so when I finished writing it, [the casting department] did an incredible job, but I did put my hand up and say, ‘Could we speak to Lucy Briers about coming on board?'”

Everett Collection

She has another lovely, sentimental reason for wanting Briers in the role.

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“In my brain, the idea that 1995 Mary knows that 2026 Mary is OK really meant the world to me,” Quintrell shares. “I didn’t get to talk to [Lucy] about Mary during the writing, but she was a joy to have on set. She is just one of the loveliest actors and kindest human beings.”

Quintrell was there when Briers metaphorically passed the baton to Bruccoleri.

“The first scene on the first day was the optician’s [in Episode 1], and I was welling up,” Quintrell says, adding, “She kind of did an official passing on of the baton to Ella in between scenes. When she hugs her and says goodbye and sends her to London, when Mrs. Bennet can’t come downstairs in Episode 3, I never got through that scene without tears.”

Quintrell recalls what the actors said to each other during this symbolic moment.

“Ella said, ‘I can’t believe you’re here. You’re such a wonderful Mary,'” says Quintrell. “And she was like, ‘As are you, and I’m really proud to have passed the baton on to you.'”

Briers previously told us what it was like to give advice to the character she once played.

“It was actually a really emotional experience, because time travels faster and faster the older one gets, and it was so lovely being able to give Mary the advice I wish someone had given her in Pride and Prejudice!” Briers said. “I’d always felt very protective of Mary Bennet when I was playing her, and proud that she was authentically herself even if it didn’t always serve her well.”

The Other Bennet Sister, Wednesdays, BritBox