Warning: SPOILERS for The Pursuit of Love.
The Pursuit of Love boasts a stellar cast bringing the novel by Nancy Mitford to life. Written and directed by Emily Mortimer, The Pursuit of Love is a satire of British aristocracy set in the 1930 and 1940s. The 3-episode miniseries premiered on BBC in May 2021 and it streams on Amazon Prime Video starting July 30, 2021.
The Pursuit of Love centers on Linda Radlett (Downton Abbey's Lily James) and her cousin Fanny Logan (Emily Beecham), who also serves as the narrator of the story. Best friends since childhood, Linda and Fanny want a grander life beyond the stuffy walls of Alconleigh, Linda's ancestral home. They get their chance to break free when they enter adulthood, which means finding a proper husband and raising a family according to the rules of the British aristocracy. But Linda has her own dreams of finding her ideal of love and it leads her to live a dramatic and tumultuous life. Meanwhile, Fanny can only watch from the sidelines and pick up the pieces for Linda as she struggles with her own choices in life.
Lily James' star power is one of the main draws of The Pursuit of Love but she is backed by a fantastic supporting cast. In addition, The Pursuit of Love follows Bridgerton by packing its soundtrack with modern songs that lend an electric pulse to the witty period drama. Here's who's who in The Pursuit of Love.
Lily James as Linda Radlett
An incurable romantic, Linda Radlett is The Pursuit of Love's main character. Although sheltered and uneducated, Linda upends her life and those around her as she pursues her idea of what a life of love means. Lily James played Lady Rose in Downton Abbey and starred in the films Cinderella, Baby Driver, and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. Next, James will portray Pamela Anderson in the upcoming miniseries Pam & Tommy.
Emily Beecham as Fanny Logan
Fanny is The Pursuit of Love's narrator and Linda's cousin. Fanny is fascinated by Linda's adventurous life as "a bolter" while she laments her own sense of responsibility as "a stayer". Beecham appeared as The Widow in Into The Badlands and stars in Hail Caesar!, Daphne, and Netflix's Outside The Wire.
Andrew Scott as Lord Merlin
Having portrayed a hot priest in Fleabag season 2, the terrifying Moriarty in Sherlock, and the villainous C in Spectre, Andrew Scott now takes a turn as Lord Merlin. A wealthy neighbor to the Radletts, Lord Merlin is eccentric and irascible but he takes an interest in Linda's well-being as a society beauty.
Dominic West as Uncle Matthew Radlett
Uncle Matthew, Lord Alconleigh, is Linda's bullying and closed-minded father. Matthew hates foreigners and educated women, which is why he refused to school Linda and his other daughters. West first rose to fame as Detective McNulty on HBO's The Wire and, more recently, has gained plaudits for his performance as Noah Solloway in The Affair. As for West's future roles beyond Uncle Matthew, he will next portray Prince Charles in The Crown season 5.
John Heffernan as Davey Warbeck
Davey is Fanny's uncle who raised her along with his wife, Emily. A distinguished writer and critic, Davey is also a hypochondriac who consumes endless remedies for his various ailments. Heffernan appeared in season 2 of The Crown and he played Jonathan Harker in Netflix's Dracula.
Shazad Latif as Alfred Wincham
Alfred Wincham becomes Fanny's husband. An Oxford scholar, Alfred quietly suffers as Fanny pays more attention to spending her time admiring Linda and her adventures than minding and working on her marriage. Latif played Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in Penny Dreadful but he may be best known for portraying the dual role of the Klingon Voq and Lt. Ash Tyler on Star Trek: Discovery.
Dolly Wells as Aunt Sadie Radlett
Aunt Sadie is the wife of Matthew Radlett and Linda's mother, although she is often too passive a matriarch and doesn't stand up to Lord Alconleigh's bullying. Wells appeared alongside Lily James in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and she played Sister Agatha in Netflix's Dracula.
Assaad Bouab as Fabrice de Sauveterre
Fabrice de Sauveterre is a French duke and one of the most infamous men in Paris during World War II. Fabrice takes an instant shine to Linda and becomes her patron and lover. Bouab is best known for his roles in Homeland and Messiah.
Freddie Fox as Tony Kroesig
Tony Kroesig is the first object of teenage Linda's desires and he becomes her husband. But soon, Linda grows bored of Tony, a conservative with political views she considers dull. Fox appeared in King Arthur: The Legend of the Sword and Hulu's The Great. He also played Mark Thatcher opposite Gillian Anderson as Margaret Thatcher in season 4 of The Crown.
Emily Mortimer as The Bolter
The Bolter is the name given to Fanny's mother because of her lifelong habit of abandoning her responsibilities to her children and dashing off to have torrid affairs with men. The Bolter periodically returns to Fanny's life, unapologetic about her absences. Mortimer wrote and directed The Pursuit of Love and she is known for her roles as Phoebe in 30 Rock and Mackenzie McHale in The Newsroom.
Other Characters In The Pursuit of Love
Beattie Edmonson as Louisa Radlett: Louisa is the eldest Radlett daughter and Linda's dependable and proper older sister who remained at Alconleigh to raise her family. Edmonson has appeared in numerous UK productions like Marley's Ghost, Patrick, and Upstart Crow.
James Frecheville as Christian Talbot: Christian becomes Linda's second husband and she becomes fascinated by his Communist worldview, eventually following him to Europe. Frecheville played Buster on New Girl, Patrick in Transparent, and he will appear in Peaky Blinders season 6.
Annabel Mullion as Aunt Emily Warbeck: Emily is Sadie Radlett, Lady Alconleigh's, sister who raised Fanny with her husband Davey. Mullion appeared in the original Mission: Impossible film as well as Breathless and Midsomer Murders.
Martha West as Jassy Radlett: Linda's younger sister, Jazzy collects "running away" money since she was a child and eventually runs off to America. The Pursuit of Love is one of West's first screen roles but she also played Annie Darwin in the 2009 movie Creation.
Sam Nivola as Matt Radlett: Matt is Linda's younger brother who eventually runs away from Eton College to fight in the Spanish Civil War. Nivola is Emily Mortimer's son who also appeared alongside her mother in Doll & Em before she cast him in The Pursuit of Love.