Ruth Wilson on Jane Eyre and airing dates

Ruth Wilson talks about her role as Jane Eyre in the upcoming BBC series in the following interview given to BBC News. An important piece of information is revealed in the article: the approximate airing date of the series, late September in four 60-minute episodes. That is, days later from the screening at the British Film Institute.

I think only now is it starting to really hit what an amazing experience, and what a huge thing this might be," she says.

"During it and when I got the role, it was kind of, 'OK, get on with the job, another role. Let's do it.'

"It's suddenly hitting me now really, with all the publicity and everything like that. I am incredibly lucky to have landed this part." (...)

At the time she had just one professional credit, as seductive Jewel Diamond in the Five sitcom Suburban Shootout.

And because most of the parts she was being put up for were similarly glamorous, she approached the Jane Eyre audition considering herself barely suitable for the role of the dowdy governess from Charlotte Bronte's 19th Century novel.

"But then I read the script and the script was amazing... so honest, natural and real," she says. "It was kind of the first script that I felt really at ease with. When I was at the audition it just came so naturally to me."

She adds: "She's a complex, amazing character - it's a gift to be given really on your second job." (...)

Jane Eyre is written by Sandy Welch, who adapted the Bafta-winning version of Charles Dickens' Our Mutual Friend, and directed by Susanna White, who won for last year's Bleak House.

It was shot entirely on location in Derbyshire over 13 exhausting weeks, Wilson says.

The story is told from the point of view of the title character, meaning that apart from early sequences featuring Jane as a child, Wilson appears in every scene.

Wilson says she wants to pursue film and theatre work But the most nerve-wracking moment was when she first joined the rest of the cast and crew for the script read-through.

"It's everyone in this big room: BBC execs; casting directors; most of the crew; people who I've got no idea who they are. There's just 60, 70 people in a room. "

The worst thing was going round the room saying what you are doing - I just felt really humble saying, 'I'm Ruth Wilson, I'm playing Jane Eyre.'"

Just as she sensed that all eyes that day would be on the unknown actress in the starring role, Wilson is aware that critics' eyes will be too. "

They're not going to ignore me," she says. "

You wish for these roles, but you know that it's going to be judged on every level." With almost all her previous experience in the theatre, Wilson admits that she is still learning how to act for the screen. "

I really enjoyed the experience, I got so much out of it and I can only get better, I know I can.

"Whatever the critics say, they say - there's no point worrying too much about it."

Since completing filming in June, Wilson has immediately noticed the positive effect of the addition of Jane Eyre to her CV. "

I am going to better auditions," she says. (...)

Categories: Movies-DVD-TV, Jane_Eyre