Though young Jane Austen's financially strapped parents expect her to marry the nephew of wealthy Lady Gresham, Jane herself knows that such a union will destroy her creativity and sense of self-worth. Instead, she becomes involved with Tom Lefroy, a charming but penniless apprentice lawyer who gives her the knowledge of the heart she needs for her future career as a novelist.

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Cast

Anne Hathaway

Jane Austen

James McAvoy

Tom Lefroy

Julie Walters

Mrs. Austen

James Cromwell

Mr. Austen

Maggie Smith

Lady Gresham

Joe Anderson

Henry Austen

Lucy Cohu

Eliza de Feuillide

Laurence Fox

Mr. Wisley

Ian Richardson

Richter Langlois

Anna Maxwell Martin

Cassandra Austen

Anne Hathaway — Jane Austen

Anne Jacqueline Hathaway (born November 12, 1982) is an American actress. She has received numerous accolades, most notably an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for her performance as Fantine in Les Misérables (2012). In 2015, she was one of the highest-paid actresses in the world, and in 2024, she was included on Time magazin

James McAvoy — Tom Lefroy

James McAvoy (born April 21, 1979) is a Scottish actor. He made his acting debut as a teen in The Near Room (1995) and appeared mostly on television until 2003, when his feature film career began. His notable television work includes the thriller State of Play, science fiction miniseries Frank Herbert's Children of Dune and the channel 4s BAFTA award-winning series Shameless (British TV series).

Julie Walters — Mrs. Austen

Dame Julia Mary Walters DBE (born February 22, 1950), known professionally as Julie Walters, is an English actress, author, and comedian. She is the recipient of four British Academy Television Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, two International Emmy Awards, a BAFTA Fellowship, and a Golden Globe. Walters has been nominated twice for an Academy Award: once for Best Actress and once for Best