Sense and Sensibility premieres in London as MacKay reveals he skipped the classic
George MacKay played Edward Ferrars without reading the book or watching the famous film. He did it on purpose. His new Sense and Sensibility held its world premiere at London's Leicester Square on Tuesday night, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
A world premiere is the first public screening. This one launched Georgia Oakley's new screen version of Jane Austen's novel. Oakley, a BAFTA Award nominee, directs from a script by Diana Reid.
Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esmé Creed-Miles, Herbert Nordrum, Frank Dillane, Bodhi Rae Breathnach and Fiona Shaw walked the carpet with MacKay. Edgar-Jones stars as Elinor Dashwood. MacKay stars opposite her as Ferrars.
MacKay told the Reporter he had not read Sense and Sensibility before joining the project. He also chose not to watch Ang Lee's 1995 adaptation while he was working. The rule he set for himself was strict. No book first. No film either.
He said he wanted to avoid putting pressure on himself. He preferred to let Reid's script lead his interpretation. That script, rather than an earlier performance, shaped his choices.
Lee's 1995 film starred Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman. Thompson won the Oscar for best adapted screenplay, the Academy Award for the best script based on existing material, for that film. It is the version many audiences still remember.
MacKay confirmed he will watch it now. The premiere is done. The pressure is off.
The new film comes from Focus Features and Working Title Films. It is set for release in theatres on Sept. 25 in the U.K. and Oct. 16 in the U.S. The U.S. date follows a change from an earlier plan for Sept. 11, 2026, according to TV Insider.
What makes this stand out is the route MacKay took to the role. Most actors raid the archive. He closed it. For fans, this means a performance built from the new script first, with the earlier triumph waiting as a postscript rather than a template.
