The Sense and Sensibility characters are very different ages in the book to the film’s cast

The cast of the new Sense and Sensibility film are very different ages to their characters in the actual Jane Austen book. So, here’s a closer look at how old the characters actually are in the novel Sense and Sensibility, compared with the ages of the film’s cast.

Elinor Dashwood

Daisy Edgar-Jones’s version of Elinor

Daisy Edgar-Jones is starring as Elinor in this version of Sense and Sensibility. She’s only 19 in the actual book, although you’re forgiven if you’d assumed Elinor was older. In many other adaptations, Elinor has been portrayed by a much older actor. Emma Thompson was 35, and Hattie Morahan was 28 in the 2008 BBC show.

Daisy Edgar-Jones is 28 right now, but was 27 during filming.

Marianne Dashwood

Marianne having yet another existential crisis

She’s 16 at the start of the novel, and turns 17 part-way through. Esmé Creed-Miles is 26 years old now. So, even though she’s almost a decade older than her character, the age gap between the actors is nearly bang-on the age gap between Elinor and Marianne.

Edward Ferras

He looks great, but not 24

Chapter 49 of Sense and Sensibility says Edward has “all the philosophical dignity of 24”.  The actor in the film – George MacKay – is 34. He’s a decade older than his character.

Colonel Brandon

Finally, a Colonel Brandon in his 30s!

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Jane Austen describes him as being “on the wrong side of five and 30”. And yes, he’s interested in 16-year-old Marianne. Herbert Nordrum is 39. He’s actually much closer in age to Colonel Brandon than actors have been in other adaptations. In the 1995 film, Alan Rickman was 49 and Kate Winslet was 19. Really.

Mr Willoughby

Let’s hope this film doesn’t cause a resurgence in bucket hats

Willoughby is meant to be a decade younger than Colonel Brandon, and so seem to Jane Austen’s readers like the more age-appropriate option for Marianne (although readers in 2026 will still be disturbed that a 25-year-old tries to romance a 16-year-old). Chapter 10 goes: “For what could a silent man of five and 30 hope, when opposed by a very lively one of five and 20?”

In the new Sense and Sensibility film, Willoughby is played by Frank Dillane (aka young Voldemort in the Harry Potter films). Frank is now 35. That’s literally the age Colonel Brandon is meant to be, not Willoughby. Their difference in age is a key part of the novel’s plot, but isn’t so apparent in the 2026 film version, as the actors have just four years between them.

Mrs Dashwood

Multiple Dashwoods

In the actual book, Fanny Dashwood tells John Dashwood: “She is very stout and healthy, and hardly 40.” Caitríona Balfe is 46, and her version of Mrs Dashwood is much closer to the text than the 1995 film, in which Mrs Dashwood is made to look rather “matronly” and much older than 40.

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Featured images via YouTube / Universal Pictures