Matthew Macfadyen reflects on 'Pride & Prejudice', admits he 'didn't really' enjoy playing Mr. Darcy

Before his acclaimed role as Tom Wambsgans in HBO’s “Succession,” Matthew Macfadyen was best known for his portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the 2005 adaptation of “Pride & Prejudice” opposite Keira Knightley. 

Despite fans adoring his depiction of the brooding love interest of Elizabeth Bennet, Macfadyen, 49, revealed he “didn’t really” enjoy playing the part during an interview on “CBS Mornings” Tuesday.

“I feel bad saying that,” he admitted. “There were moments I had a good time, but I wish I’d enjoyed it more. I wish I was less worried about it.” 

Macfadyen confessed that his stress surrounding the experience stemmed from feeling like he wasn’t fit for the role. 

“I just felt a bit miscast. I’m not dishy enough, or I’m not, you know,” he continued. “But it worked out.”

Despite his reservations about the role, the actor said, “The most flattering thing that happens to me now is people say, ‘Were you Mr. Darcy?’ It’s a good 20 years later. So I think, ‘I can’t be aging that badly.’”

Director Joe Wright revealed that casting Knightley, 39, as Elizabeth allowed him to cast Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy. 

“I think Matthew is obviously less of a star than Keira, and so if she hadn’t been playing Elizabeth, I’m not sure I’d been allowed to cast Matthew [as Darcy],” Wright, 51, said.

“So, it kind of worked like that. You try to balance it out as much as you can.”

In the same interview, Wright also mentioned that Macfadyen is “one of the best actors of his generation in England but, also, I knew he would approach the role like any good actor should, and that’s from the point of view of trying to understand the character.” 

He added, “He’s the least vain actor you’ve ever met in your life and he wasn’t coming onto this trying to portray an icon, he was coming on to play a character in the same way he would, had he been approaching Hamlet or any other great role.”

Knightley spoke highly of her experience working on the film. “ ‘Pride & Prejudice’ was so amazing because I’d been obsessed with it since I was about 8,” she said during a 2019 interview with BBC.

“I think that was really fun because it was this group of girls that were all together and that was amazing.”

Macfadyen’s recent role in “Succession” diverges from the brooding Mr. Darcy. 

He won two Emmy Awards for his portrayal of Wambsgans in the drama series. 

The actor appeared on “CBS Mornings” to promote his latest film, “Deadpool and Wolverine,” starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman. Macfadyen plays Mr. Paradox, the boss of Reynolds’ character.

“It’s a fun part,” he said. 

“Watching Ryan and Hugh Jackman team up on set was a hoot. I’ve got a bit of a man crush on those two, they’re just great.” 

Macfadyen added that Mr. Paradox displays similarities to his “Succession” character “in a sort of corporate douchebag way.”

“Deadpool and Wolverine” debuts in theaters July 26.