The Search for Jane Eyre Continues

Edit May 16, 2018: For updated and added reviews and content, visit my new website Lit Lovers & Corset Laces. 

I've been seeing quite a few faces that might be suitable Janes lately. Just thought I'd share them with you. Comment and tell me what you think!

Claire Foy

First up is Claire Foy. I ran across her quite by chance when watching the BBC adaption of Little Dorrit,  and something about her struck me as very "Janey". Foy isn't what one would really deem naturally pretty, and her performance in Little Dorrit was both sweet and reserved (like Jane) and very young and naive. The problem with her is that she's twenty-seven, which is much too old for Jane. I was actually quite surprised when I looked up her age because she struck me as so much younger. Despite the age problem, Clair has some great strengths. She was raised in Leeds and therefore probably knows the natural Yorkshire tongue and mannerisms that would fit Jane's culture, and she's also (obviously) had experience in solid literature adaptations. Here is a clip of her below. Judge some of her scenes in Little Dorrit and tell me whether you think something about them is a bit "Jane-esque".

Andrea Riseborough

Once again, another girl whose age I was utterly surprised to find out. But something about this lady is so pixie-like and spritely that I just couldn't help but somehow imagine her as Jane. This picture was from The Devil's Whore; a movie that I watched for the satisfaction of seeing Michael Fassbender. Yet, as the movie progressed I couldn't help observe her strong performance, and sure enough the back of my head told me that something about her might be able to suit Jane Eyre. The far-away and forlorn look in her eyes that manifests itself in the movie walks hand in hand with the same wistful gaze I imagine in Jane. Here is a clip from The Devil's Whore:

Felicity Jones

Yet another one whose age surprised me! What is in the water over there in the UK that's keeping people from aging? Anyway, I loved her in Cheri and that's all there is to it. Even though I couldn't stand the movie in its entirety, I like the reserved, young simplicity of her performance and I would REALLY love to see her as Jane. Her face has the perfect juxtaposition of angular roundness that I described in my visual Jane, and the piercing hazel of her eyes fits the character perfectly. She too has a good dose of experience with period pieces. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a clip, so you'll just have to watch Cheri for yourself.

What do you guys think?