Producers of Netflix's forthcoming six-part adaptation of Pride and Prejudice revised their filming schedule after lead actor Jack Lowden missed time on set following the birth of his child, The Mail on Sunday reported Saturday.
According to the Mail on Sunday, Lowden — who is married to actor Saoirse Ronan — has been absent while Ronan and Lowden welcomed their first child, prompting the production to rearrange scenes and employ body doubles resembling Lowden for some late-stage filming involving Emma Corrin's character, Elizabeth Bennet.
The series, produced for Netflix, casts Emma Corrin as Elizabeth Bennet and features Olivia Colman in a supporting role. Insiders quoted by the Mail said the production accommodated Lowden's paternity leave but adjusted shooting plans to keep to the timetable.
A source on set told the newspaper: "It is such lovely news that Jack has become a father and nobody would ever have an issue with him taking paternity leave. But the show must go on," adding that the team had to "tear up" parts of the schedule and use lookalikes for some scenes.
Under UK employment law, eligible employees can take statutory paternity leave, a provision that applies to many actors and crew members on long-form television productions. Productions commonly balance cast availability, location bookings and broadcast commitments when a principal performer is temporarily unavailable.
Netflix and representatives for Lowden and Ronan did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The production has not announced a release date for the adaptation.
The latest Pride and Prejudice is one of several recent reworkings of Jane Austen's novels for television and streaming platforms. Casting choices and behind-the-scenes adjustments have drawn public attention as streaming services invest in period dramas with star ensembles. This production's reported schedule changes underscore the practical challenges of location shooting and the industry's efforts to accommodate family leave while meeting tight production calendars.