Emilia Fox reflected on her first acting job, the BBC's 1995 TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, praising the kindness of its stars, Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.
The Silent Witness actress, 52, portrayed Georgiana, the younger sister of Colin's Mr Darcy, in the acclaimed series – a role she landed during her summer holiday from the University of Oxford.
© @olikearon"I went up and auditioned for Pride and Prejudice; that seemed like a much more appealing thing to do than waitressing, which I'd been doing since I was 14 in the holidays to earn money," she told HELLO! in an exclusive interview. "I went and did that and had a lovely time. I didn't know anything, really, about the business. In some ways, I was quite naive to it."
Reflecting on working with Colin and Jennifer Ehle (who portrayed Elizabeth Bennet), Emilia revealed that the Bridget Jones actor "was actually more interested in talking to me about what I was studying at university" while Jennifer "was immensely kind to me and sweet".
Jane Austen's beloved 1813 novel is getting the small-screen treatment once again later this year thanks to Netflix. "It's a classic," said Emilia. "It's going to get remade again and again, and quite rightly so. If it brings a whole new generation to Pride and Prejudice, then superb."
Emilia's latest TV role
The third season of Emilia's hit detective drama, Signora Volpe, returns this month with three new episodes. The Rebecca actress leads the cast as the British former spy Sylvia Fox as she's drawn into a series of investigations in Italy.
Speaking about her character, Emilia shared: "Having chosen this career that totally preoccupied her in the early part of her life – she lived and breathed it – it wasn't bringing her the greatest happiness, and she missed out on the positive things in life, like family life."
© Francesco Berardinelli/AcornTVShe continued: "In the second half of your life, your priorities change. You start thinking about the choices you made in your early years, and I really relate to that."
In season three, Sylvia, having recovered from her abduction at the end of season two, settles into her new life in Italy as her relationship with Carabinieri captain Giovanni Riva continues to grow. However, a mysterious death soon pulls her back into danger.
© Moris Puccio/AcornTV"I've been lucky enough to do three series, and I've always loved Italy anyway," said Emilia, who filmed series three in Rome and Umbria over three months. "Getting to work and live in Italy for three months at a time and feel a part of the Volpe family, with their attention to detail with costumes and the look of all the characters, is extraordinary."
Episode one of Signora Volpe season three is available to stream on Acorn TV, with new episodes airing Mondays.
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