Knightley was well known in part from her role in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, while Macfadyen had no international name recognition. The filmmakers had to balance who they thought was best for each role with the studio's desire for stars.
Wright found casting difficult due to past performances of particular characters.
It was shot entirely on location in England on an 11-week schedule. Wright and Moggach set the film in an earlier period and avoided depicting a 'perfectly clean Regency world', presenting instead a 'muddy hem version' of the time. Wright encouraged greater deviation from the text, including changing the dynamics within the Bennet family. Screenwriter Deborah Moggach initially attempted to make her script as faithful to the novel as possible, writing from Elizabeth's perspective while preserving much of the original dialogue. Keira Knightley stars in the lead role of Elizabeth Bennet, while Matthew Macfadyen plays her romantic interest Mr Darcy. The film features five sisters from an English family of landed gentry as they deal with issues of marriage, morality and misconceptions. Pride & Prejudice is a 2005 romantic drama film directed by Joe Wright, in his feature directorial debut, and based on Jane Austen's 1813 novel of the same name.
