The New 'Sense and Sensibility' Adaptation Introduces a Black Dashwood Family
it's a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen is the gold standard of romance. From Lizzie and Darcy to Emma and Knightley, her love stories have made us all swoon for two hundred years. Given all this, it's honestly surprising that we haven't seen a Hallmark adaptation of an Austen story before now. Yes, The Hallmark Channel is not usually a place to find a tremendous amount of content of interest to Anglophiles. (Though the cozy Christmas movies where harried big city girls are reminded of the simple joys of small-town living and attractive former high school boyfriends are likely comfort viewing for a lot of us during the holidays.) But given the network's obsession with romance, their new adaptation of Austen's classic Sense and Sensibility feels like a natural fit.
Presented under the network's Mahogany umbrella, this particular adaptation is notable for another reason: The bulk of its main cast is Black. It seems surprising to say that, in the year of our Lord 2024, this hasn't actually happened before now, but here we are. The film itself is a remarkably faithful adaptation, complete with a Regency period setting and sumptuous costumes. But while it isn't a particularly race-conscious version of the story, the representation inherent in allowing Black Austen fans a chance to see themselves in a story they love really can't be overstated.
Sense and Sensibility stars Deborah Ayorinde (Them) as Elinor Dashwood and Bethany Antonia (House of the Dragon) as Marianne Dashwood, alongside Dan Jeannotte (Star Trek: Strange New Worlds) as Edward Ferrars, Akil Largie (The Sandman) as Colonel Brandon, and Victor Hugo (Riches) as John Willoughby.
