The “sensational” co-star who blew Keira Knightley’s mind: “It just worked”
When you reach the level of fame that Keira Knightley has, you can pretty much work with whoever you want. In recent years, she’s appeared in films with names ranging from the likes of David Dastmalchian, Lily-Rose Depp, and Jim Broadbent, and that goes without mentioning all the famous elbows she’s rubbed in franchises like Star Wars and Pirates of the Caribbean.
In addition to being a talented actor herself, Knightley has had the privilege of watching some of the finest thespians hone their craft in front of her. While she’s undoubtedly been starstruck numerous times throughout her career, one actor who left her speechless within seconds of meeting was one of her co-stars in Pride & Prejudice.
When speaking to Chud in a past interview to promote the film, the actor was asked about the rumours that Matthew Macfayden had won her over mere seconds into his audition for the role of Mr Darcy. “It was amazing. He’s absolutely a sensational actor,” she confirmed. “I saw him on stage, and he was mind-blowing.”
Despite her appreciation for Macfayden’s talents, which Knightley then saw again in the TV show Spooks, she admitted that she initially struggled to see him as her love interest. “I met him, and he was lovely, and I still couldn’t imagine it,” she confessed. “We read the famous proposal scene in the rain, and it just worked.”
In fairness, Knightley’s hesitation wasn’t necessarily directed at Macfadyen himself. Any actor stepping into the role of Mr Darcy in the early 2000s was inevitably going to be measured against Colin Firth’s beloved performance in the BBC adaptation, a portrayal that had become deeply ingrained in the public imagination long before Wright’s film entered production.
That meant chemistry mattered far more than familiarity. Rather than searching for someone to imitate what had already worked, Wright needed an actor who could build an entirely different relationship with Elizabeth Bennet, allowing Austen’s romance to feel fresh instead of simply revisiting a version audiences already adored.
Director Joe Wright was the one who convinced Knightley to stay the course and give Macfayden a chance. She was struggling to get Colin Firth’s iconic portrayal of the character out of her head, which is why she didn’t think this new guy would be a good fit. Eventually, though, she came to her senses. “We did a lot of auditions with different Darcys, and they were all fantastic, but there was that one thing or another that hadn’t quite clicked.” Knightley further outlined the chemistry between her and Macfayden, claiming that “it wasn’t in the script or anything like that. It’s just what naturally happened when we were playing the scene in the room.”
Their strong relationship translated perfectly to the screen. Pride & Prejudice was an absolute smash, winning over viewers of all ages and raking in huge profits at the box office. Knightley picked up her first Oscar nomination aged just 20, and Macfadyen, who was only famous in the UK, became an international star. Even now, it is still one of the most famous adaptations of Jane Austen’s classic novel.
The film also marked the beginning of a fruitful working relationship between Knightley and Wright. The Bend it Like Beckham actor was cast in Wright’s next film, Atonement, and then later in his take on Leo Tolstory’s Anna Karenina, where she once again played the lead.
As for Macfayden, his career took the opposite turn, as he suffered a dip in popularity a few years after the film’s release. However, in recent years, he’s made a return to the public eye, notably through his portrayal of Shiv Roy’s husband, Tom, in the hit TV show Succession. As for his film roles, he recently joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Mr. Paradox in the billion-dollar-grossing Deadpool & Wolverine.
