Something incredibly exciting has been brewing over the Summer, and it’s got all of us here at OSD reaching for smelling salts to help us handle our excitement.
Back in June, production officially got underway for The Other Bennet Sister, a new TV series based on Janice Hadlow’s acclaimed novel, and we’re bursting with pride to see THREE of our brilliant graduates among the cast.
Leading the series is Ella Bruccoleri as Mary Bennet — the quiet, bookish sister from Pride and Prejudice who’s finally getting her turn in the spotlight. Ella trained at the Oxford School of Drama on our One Year Course, graduating in 2017.
She’s joined by fellow OSD alumni Tanya Reynolds as the ever-glamorous Caroline Bingley, and Anna Fenton-Garvey as Charlotte Lucas, bringing a sharp mix of heart and humour to one of Austen’s best-loved characters.
Since her graduation, Ella has featured in numerous projects, including appearances on our TV screens for the BBC, Netflix, ITV, and Disney+, as well as in big-budget feature films produced by companies such as Universal and Lionsgate.
You may know her best for her beloved role as Sister Frances in Call the Midwife (BBC), a role she made her own across 36 episodes between 2018 and 2022. In 2023, she appeared alongside fellow OSD grad Ritu Arya in the feature film Polite Society as well as in the Disney+ series Extraordinary.
Other memorable roles include the police officer Ali Day in ITV’s Passenger, Miss Barragan in season 3 of Bridgerton (alongside OSD Foundation Course Grad Nicola Coughlan), and most recently in two episodes of the Mark Gatiss-led Bookish. She also features as a recurring character in the forthcoming AppleTV+ series Down Cemetery Road.
Now, she’s stepping into the lead role in a major new BBC series. We couldn’t be prouder!
Tanya Reynolds also graduated from the One Year Course in 2015. Since graduating, she has collected praise and nominations for her work on both stage and screen.
No stranger to Austen adaptations, she is perhaps best known for her role in the 2020 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma, as well as her dynamic turn in Netflix’s Sex Education (opposite Foundation Course grad Aimee Lou Wood).
On stage, she has performed at the Royal Court Theatre, The Barbican, The Almeida, and on the West End. In 2024, she received a Laurence Olivier Nomination for Best Supporting Actress in a Play for her work on A Mirror (The Almeida and West End) opposite Jonny Lee Miller and fellow OSD Grad (and audition panel member) Sara Houghton. She then returned to the Almeida Theatre in 2025 to star opposite fellow One Year Course graduate Angus Cooper in Ava Pickett’s play 1536.
We can’t wait to see Tanya’s take on Caroline Bingley, if her scene-stealing performance in Emma is anything to go by, Tanya is made for Austen adaptations!
Anna Fenton-Garvey graduated from the One Year Course in 2023. This will be her screen project since graduating, but before training with OSD she featured in season two of The Nevers (HBO). In November, she will be performing in Kaleidoscope at The Almedia Theatre, alongside fellow 2023 classmate Barney Doran.
Kaleidoscope is a collection of new work from queer-identifying artists. It’s being presented in response to the play The Line of Beauty, which is on at The Almeida from the 21st October to the 29th November.
We’re so thrilled for Anna to have booked such an exciting project so soon after graduating. We’ve no doubt that she will make a wonderful Charlotte Lucas!
Further Casting
Ella, Tanya and Anna will star alongside comedy legend Ruth Jones as Mrs Bennet and the brilliant Richard E. Grant as Mr Bennet – a dream cast, if ever there was one.
For us, it’s always a thrill to see our graduates thriving. From first-year scene study in the studio to leading roles on screen. The Other Bennet Sister is a perfect reminder of what can happen when talent, training, and opportunity come together.
Filming began in June, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on its journey to our screens. We can’t wait to see Ella, Tanya, and Anna bring Austen’s world to life, and we’ll be cheering them on every step of the way.
So if you’re thinking about applying to drama school and wondering where your training might take you…you never know, you might find yourself starring in the next great BBC drama!
Our One Year Course will be accepting applications in the New Year, so there’s a bit of a wait before you can begin making your dreams a reality. In the meantime, make sure you sign up for our newsletter so you don’t miss out on being notified when applications open!