First look at Emma Mackey as Emily Brontë

(Michael Wharley)

After several quiet days on the Brontë news front, we have this today: a first look at Emma Mackey as Emily Brontë. From Variety:

Flying high after two Academy Awards for “The Father,” which it produced and sold, London-based Embankment has unveiled a first look photo of “Sex Education” star Emma Mackey in “Emily,” as well as robust early pre-sales on the feature, an Emily Brontë origin story. [...]

News of first major territories sold, including much of Europe, comes as “Emily” begins principal photography. The film marks the writer-director feature debut of actor Frances O’Connor, a double Golden Globe nominee for her performances in “Madame Bovary” and “Missing.”

First major territory deals have been struck with significant distributors and also take in one multi-territory deal — both signs of the film’s perceived market potential.

Warner Bros., for instance, has closed the U.K. while Wild Bunch has clinched France, Germany and Switzerland, as well as Italy and Spain through its subsidiaries, BIM and Vertigo.

Portugal (Nos), Benelux (Cineart), Scandinavia (Scanbox), Greece (Spentzos), Israel (United King), the Middle East (Front Row), South Africa (Filmfinity), and Australia and New Zealand (Madman) have also been licensed.

Joining Mackey and Fionn Whitehead (“Dunkirk,” “Voyagers”) in what Embankment describes as a “cast of vibrant young British talent” are Oliver Jackson-Cohen (“The Invisible Man,” “The Haunting of Hill House”), Alexandra Dowling (“The Musketeers”), Amelia Gething (“The Spanish Princess”), as well as BAFTA nominee Gemma Jones (“Ammonite,” “Rocketman”) and Adrian Dunbar (“Line of Duty”).

The first look captures Mackey as Brontë, a young woman alert to life standing against a background which looks very much like a sweeping Yorkshire moor.

Describing Brontë’s “transformative, inspiring and exhilarating journey to womanhood,” Embankment said Wednesday, the film will “brim with energy — intimately capturing the emotional intensity and adrenalin of youth, with all its messy honesty, heartbreak, humor and fearlessness; matched by the scale of our stunning locations,” O’Connor added.

“Frances’ storytelling is a breath of fresh air – attracting highly dynamic actors; each performing highly engaging characters, each provocative and just a touch dangerous; certainly, modern and spirited,” said Embankment’s Tim Haslam. (John Hopewell)

Daily Mail describes the picture for us:

Sex Education's Emma Mackey looked worlds away from her edgy character Maeve Wiley as a first look at her titular role in Emily Brontë biopic has been revealed.

In a newly-released image, the actress, 25 - who scooped her first BAFTA nomination for her Netflix comedy on Wednesday - wore a Victorian-style dress and opted for minimal make-up as she stood in a field.

Marking Frances O'Connor's directorial debut, Emily - which is yet to have a release date - will follow the story of the famous author, best known for her iconic novel Wuthering Heights. (Rianne Addo)

The news has made it onto quite a few sites such as Deadline, Elle (Poland) or The Hollywood Reporter.

Onto more future projects as Leinster Express (Ireland) reports that local writer Pauline Clooney will be publishing a Brontë-related book.

Her debut novel, Charlotte and Arthur, reimagining Charlotte Brontë’s honeymoon in Ireland in 1854, will be published by Merdog Books, October 2021. 

The Christian Science Monitor reviews Helen Oyeyemi's new novel Peaces.

She infuses the tale with references to music, photography, and painting, and with cultural touch points as seemingly random as the Brontë Sisters, the Beach Boys, and Converse sneakers. (Joan Gaylord)

La Tercera (Chile) mentions a poet who read the Brontës when she was a teenager.

Por su lado, la poeta Victoria Ramírez Mansilla (29), señala que también fue una lectura influyente para ella: “La leí en la adolescencia y creo que en cierto sentido ha marcado a una generación. En mi caso fue una entrada para leer a otros poetas. Hubo un tiempo en el colegio donde leí a varios escritores argentinos como Sábato, Cortázar, Silvina Ocampo, y también mucho a las hermanas Brontë, y en esa línea más oscura llegué a Pizarnik”. (Pablo Retamal N.) (Translation)