The Sanditon cast IN REAL LIFE: See Theo James, Rose Williams, Kris Marshall & MORE!

Sanditon is officially our new Sunday night obsession. Based on Jane Austen’s unfinished novel, the new ITV series depicts a developing Regency seaside town at the forefront of the great social and economic changes of the 19th century. Following Charlotte Heywood, who is introduced to the Parker Family following a carriage accident, it’s a classic period drama suitably laced with romance and scandal and, of course, has a sassy heroine and a hunky male lead. Meet the real-life cast below…

Charlotte Heywood played by Rose Williams

Rose Williams has been slated as one of the UK’s most up-and-coming actresses. Born in Ealing, London, in 1994, she was first introduced to acting through her mum who works as a costume designer. Sanditon marks her first major role but she has previously starred in the likes of Casualty, Reign, A Quiet Passion and opposite Seth Green and Macaulay Culkin in Changeland. Talking about what attracted her to the role of Charlotte, Rose said: “I love a love story, and this is gorgeous romance. All in all, it's an absolute dream role.” 

READ MORE: Who plays Sanditon's Charlotte Heywood? Everything you need to know about actress Rose Williams

Sidney Parker played by Theo James 

Actor, director, producer and model, 34-year-old Theo James isn’t just popular on British TV but he’s also a hit in Hollywood too. His breakthrough role came in 2014 when he was cast in the role of Tobias “Four” Eaton in Divergent opposite Shailene Woodley. Since, he’s become a Hugo Boss ambassador, starred alongside Richard Gere, Billy Bob Thornton and Amber Heard and recently made a film alongside Emily Ratajkowski. In August 2018, he married his long-term girlfriend, Ruth Kearney, in London. 

Edward Denham played by Jack Fox

Jack Fox, 33, comes from a well known acting family. His father is James Fox, who starred in Tim Burton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Doctor Who and Sherlock Holmes, and his cousin is Emilia Fox. His brother, Lawrence was also married to Billie Piper until 2016. Prior to playing the handsome but manipulative gold digger, Edward, in Sanditon, he starred in the likes of Riviera, Fresh Meat and the critically acclaimed stage production of Dear Lupin.  

READ MORE: Where is Sanditon filmed?

Miss Lambe played by Crystal Clarke

Crystal Clarke plays the wilful and headstrong heiress Miss Lambe perfectly. Born and raised in New Jersey, she moved to Scotland to study acting in Glasgow and her small screen debut came in 2018 with her role in the BBC’s adaptation of Agatha Christie’s Ordeal of Innocence. She also played a part in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Black Mirror.

Previously speaking to Grazia about diversity on screen, Crystal said: “There’s been this terrible habit of erasing black people from Britain’s history, which is just ridiculous. 
“I’m not sure the media understands how much power they have in teaching people what their history is: people might watch drama after drama and not see a black person and assume there were ‘no’ black people at that time, which is so not true.”

Mary Parker played by Kate Ashfield

Kate Ashfield, who plays Tom Parker’s supportive wife, Mary, is both a TV and film actress. She starred in 2004’s Shaun of the Dead and has had roles in Midsomer Murders and Poirot. Born in Birmingham, she lives in London today. 

Lady Denham played by Anne Reid 

Anne Reid, 84, plays the vastly wealthy Lady Denham who owns the staggering Sanditon House estate that many have their eye on. Known for her varied career in British television, Anne played the role of Valerie Barlow on Coronation Street for a decade until 1971 but is perhaps best known for her BAFTA-nominated role as Celia Dawson in Last Tango in Halifax. She is the mum of two children but she tends to keep her private life private.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about The Great British Bake Off 2019

Young Stringer played by Leo Suter  

Tom Parker’s right-hand man, 23-year-old Leo Suter plays the noble Young Stringer. The first major TV role for Leo, he’s got an impressive CV after graduating from Oxford University where he studied Human Sciences. We reckon we’ll be seeing a lot more from him.

Tom Parker played by Kris Marshall 

Kris Marshall has had so many amazing roles over the years. Since bursting onto screens in the early Noughties, the 46-year-old has played the charming but hopelessly silly Colin in Love Actually, the hilarious Nick in My Family, the lead detective Humprey in Death in Paradise and now the warm and generous, Tom Parker, who is the principal architect and financier for Sanditon as it develops into a seaside resort. The father of a son and daughter, today he lives with his wife, Hannah Dodkins, in Bath. 

Esther Denham played by Charlotte Spencer 

Born in 1991 in Essex, Charlotte Spencer previously said of her childhood: "I come from a working-class background; my dad’s a builder and my mum works in a school". Today a rising star before being cast as the straight-talking Esther, she had a small role in Les Misérables in 2011 and Dark Shadows with Johnny Depp in 2012. A passion for costume dramas, after starring as Charlotte Appelby in BBC1’s The Living and the Dead in 2016, she said: "since I was a child, I’ve always wanted to do a period drama".