Published May 5, 2026, 8:30 a.m. ET The most powerful moment in BritBox ‘s new Jane Austen -inspired series The Other Bennet Sister isn’t a swoon-worthy proposal or even a happy ending; it’s Mary Bennet ( Ella Bruccoleri ) bitterly explaining to her dazzling sister Lizzie (Poppy Gilbert) that they have not had the same chances in life. “For the rest of you, even in your worst moments growing up, you could look to me and think, ‘At least I’m not Mary,'” she says. Even as Lizzie tries to argue this isn’t true, fans of Austen’s Pride & Prejudice and its many, many adaptations know it is. Mary Bennet has long been held up as an object of ridicule thanks to her quirky taste and dorky aesthetic. Even Talulah Riley — the gorgeous British actress/model most famous for either being a hot bot in Westworld or one of Elon Musk’s many, many ex-wives —  couldn’t give Mary Bennet a sliver of luster in 2005’s Pride & Prejudice .…