Tom Hollander Keeps Hearing About These Boiled Potatoes

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Mr. Collins is arguably the worst suitor among all those who try to win the affection of Jane Austen’s heroines. He arrives at the Bennet family’s home, expecting one of the daughters to be pleased by his proposal, thanks to his position and the influence of Lady Catherine De Bourgh. He initially attempts to court Jane, then shifts his attention to Elizabeth, and finally proposes to the less fortunate Charlotte Lucas. In countless adaptations of Pride & Prejudice, Collins is typically portrayed as a frustratingly comical character. Tom Hollander’s portrayal in the 2005 film stands out as particularly funny and memorable. Hollander’s Collins consistently misses social cues – he arrives with an oversized hat, talks endlessly at dinner, and struggles to dance. However, his performance also evokes sympathy, suggesting a man who doesn’t understand dating norms and, as Hollander himself points out, is deeply insecure about not owning property.

The 2005 film Pride & Prejudice, featuring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen before his role in Succession, has remained surprisingly popular over the years, even surprising actor Tom Hollander. Hollander, a seasoned stage and screen performer with recent roles in The White Lotus and as Truman Capote, fondly remembers filming in the countryside. He never imagined that two decades later, people would still approach him to recite lines from his character about the perfect boiled potato.

You’ve now worked with director Joe Wright on three films, but ‘Pride & Prejudice’ was his first feature. Did you know him before you started filming?

No, I hadn’t met him before. This project was particularly meaningful for Joe, and he approached it very intuitively. The story’s focus on young love felt right for him at the time, and he created that atmosphere on set. It was a really fun, lighthearted, and romantic shoot – he was like a mischievous cupid, encouraging everyone to fall for each other, and it definitely worked!

Mr. Collins shows up at the Bennets with a very formal and serious demeanor. The scene where everyone is politely complimenting the potatoes while having pre-planned things to say was interesting to film. I remember feeling insecure while playing such an unappealing character and questioning my own appearance. Joe suggested I get a mullet, which oddly made me feel better – I thought maybe the character’s lack of appeal wasn’t me, but something Joe was creating with the haircut. I really embraced the character’s oddness after that.

I’ll never forget meeting him for the first time. I remember walking in and immediately wondering how I should act while wearing the hat. The hat’s brim actually came in handy – I could use it to subtly reveal my expressions or even quickly wipe my face, which was a little trick I picked up.

Looking at his story, it’s sad to realize how society measures a man’s worth by his possessions, and he doesn’t have any. This shows that traditional power structures don’t just harm women – they can also negatively affect men. However, he’s also just an unpleasant person. And honestly, I sometimes enjoy being unpleasant too – it can be strangely satisfying.

The film featured established actors like Brenda Blethyn and Donald Sutherland as the Bennet parents, alongside up-and-coming stars such as Keira Knightley, Rosamund Pike, and Carey Mulligan. Director Joe Wright fostered a powerful dynamic among the Bennet sisters, and I recall feeling genuinely embarrassed by their playful teasing. Surprisingly, even the legendary Donald Sutherland, bless his memory, was quite competitive on set, despite his immense talent and experience.

He was surprisingly competitive, doing something no one had ever tried with me before. After a take, when all eyes were on his performance, he asked me to glance at him. It was a subtle way to ensure the editor would cut to him, and it felt a little like he was trying to manipulate me into doing it! I realized he was trying to influence the editing to make himself look better, since he didn’t have any lines in that moment. I remember thinking I wouldn’t let him control the scene – I wanted to play my part authentically. But he’d already planted the idea, and I ended up giving him that look anyway.

I found the proposal scene with Collins and Lizzie particularly interesting – the way he brings her a flower and gets down on one knee, only to be turned down, is quite poignant. Even though we know they’re not a good match, it’s still difficult to watch. He seems completely out of place in his own life, doesn’t he? I remember discussing with Joe whether I could add the flower detail, and he encouraged me to do so. It’s clear Collins believes these gestures will change things, but they really won’t.

Honestly, I was completely caught off guard when I opened the door to a room full of giggling girls. I hadn’t expected them to be there at all, and it was incredibly embarrassing in the moment, especially since it didn’t feel like a private situation. But even through the humiliation, I remember being strangely aware of what he must have been thinking – something along the lines of, ‘Wow, am I falling for this woman? I barely know her!’ It was a bizarre mix of awkwardness and… anticipation, seeing it unfold.

The performance included moments of physical humor – like the scene with the flower and the exaggerated politeness towards Catherine de Bourgh – which felt almost like clowning. Joe handled these moments perfectly, knowing exactly when to use them for maximum effect and when to hold back.

It’s delightful watching Judi Dench play the commanding Lady Catherine and give orders throughout the film. I thoroughly enjoyed working with her again – I’d collaborated with her years earlier on a stage production of The Cherry Orchard. She played Ranevskaya, and I had a small role as a passerby.

I’ve always admired her open-mindedness – she’s a Quaker, and really doesn’t care for social hierarchies at all. She’s incredibly down-to-earth and treats everyone as equals. That’s why casting her as this rather commanding, powerful woman felt a little unexpected, honestly. But I think she relished the chance to play someone so regal, and I have to admit, I loved the dynamic of being around her and playing a character who had to show her respect – it felt very natural, mirroring how people behave around those in positions of power.

It’s fascinating how Mr. Collins is overly eager to please Elizabeth, yet there’s a moment at the dance where you actually feel sorry for him – he’s clearly awkward and struggles with the social expectations. He clumsily tries to navigate the dance while Elizabeth pointedly ignores him in favor of Mr. Darcy. Filming that sequence was a fantastic experience. It was one of the first times the director, Joe, experimented with those long, sweeping shots, which later became a trademark of his style, as seen in Atonement. He really played with the camera, moving it around the house and in and out of the dance, adding little comedic moments. It felt like staging a small play. I even suggested to Matthew Macfadyen that my character nearly get hit by Mr. Darcy’s elbow – he’s hilarious! I also did a gag where my character was made to look short, even though it wasn’t necessarily to my advantage, but I couldn’t resist the opportunity.

Matthew Goode first gained attention in the US as a serious, romantic leading man. It wasn’t until later, with his role in Succession, that audiences discovered his comedic talent. He likely felt a lot of pressure taking on this role, knowing it followed Colin Firth’s famous portrayal – that iconic wet shirt scene is hard to top! It seemed like a difficult role for him, a bit of a challenge. He doesn’t naturally play the ‘heartthrob’ type, and that probably made it intimidating. It makes you wonder how Jacob Elordi feels about being cast in similar roles – maybe he’s equally surprised to be considered attractive!

I recall the spot where that party took place – it was out on the lawn. I took many pictures that day. Kiera, Simon Woods, and a group of children all seemed to be on the cusp of something new in their lives. I managed to capture them all sitting on the grass one evening around six o’clock, during that beautiful golden light. They were just kids, and I was likely about ten years older than them.

Working with Claudie Blakley, who played Charlotte Lucas, was fantastic. She really nailed the scene where Charlotte explains her decision to marry Mr. Collins – it’s so honest about being a woman of 27 with limited options, and she delivered it beautifully. We’d collaborated before, so it was great to work together again. It’s funny, you do feel a little happy for Mr. Collins at the end, don’t you? And the whole thing just feels…right, like everyone ended up where they were supposed to be.

Do you think Mr. Collins is content? That was the impression at the conclusion of that part of the story. It seemed they were a good fit for each other and belonged together.

You know, people still talk to me about Pride & Prejudice all the time. It seems like that story really resonated with a lot of us, especially those of us who were starting out in the industry around the time it was made – so many careers were launched or boosted by it! Honestly, when they first suggested another adaptation, I was a bit skeptical. It hadn’t been long since the Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle version, and I thought, ‘Do we really need another one?’ But I quickly realized this story has a way of captivating a new generation of readers every decade, and this version was meant for them.

So, a couple of years ago I was at a lunch in New York, and someone was trying to introduce me to this woman. I didn’t recognize her, said hello, and she immediately started quoting a line from one of my movies – something about perfectly boiled potatoes, I think. As she said it, I realized, ‘Wow, that’s Jennifer Lawrence, and she’s not even wearing makeup!’ It was a pretty cool moment. But then someone else chimed in and said it wasn’t her saying the line, it was actually on a T-shirt…apparently it became a meme! I still have no idea how that happened, but it was a bizarre and funny experience.

Macfadyen has said he “felt a bit miscast” in the role.

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2026-02-26 16:56