Rose Williams, Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Crystal Clarke, and other members of the Sanditon cast reveal their experiences of filming the unforgettable and iconic scenes from the series finale. They delve into the process of creating the “Happy Ever Afters” episode and discuss their characters’ potential futures beyond the show. Please note that this article contains significant spoilers for the series finale.
Rose Williams on All the Happy Ever Afters
In my opinion, the ending was brilliant and it met our expectations. As a show inspired by the works of Jane Austen and the characters she created, it was fitting to give each character their own “Austen ending.” The essence of the show was to observe the dynamics of relationships, which was a significant aspect of Jane Austen’s legacy. Her stories always emphasized the importance of learning to love and searching for the best in others, rather than giving up. The focus was always on finding true love. Therefore, it was essential to conclude our version of Sanditon in the same spirit.
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Ben Lloyd-Hughes on the Ending
In the scenes on the cliff and the promenade, I believe there was a tremendous sense of relief for Colbourne. When we first met his character, he was weighed down by grief and painful memories. The cliff scene provided him with closure, but it also symbolized a release of the burden he had been carrying for two series. It was as though he had not been able to breathe properly until that moment. Throughout the series, his character had been contained, insular, and introverted, so I tried to convey his physical transformation as he finally looked up and held his head high.
Regarding the kiss scene, I recall that we had an intimacy director on set who guided us on how to convey the emotions of relief and exhaustion. We wanted to capture the feeling of months of ups and downs leading up to that moment, and the realization that the kiss wasn’t the defining moment of their lives. They were about to spend the rest of their lives together, so it was more of an embrace than a kiss. The previous stolen kisses in the series were either illicit for relationship or societal reasons, but this kiss represented relief, happiness, and the promise of a future filled with kissing. We didn’t want to put too much pressure on that one moment because it was just the beginning of their new life together.
Rose Williams on the Ending
The final scenes of Sanditon were crucially important. Ben, our director Steve Brett, and I all understood that those scenes were pivotal to the series and had to be treated with great care. It was important to honor the character of Charlotte and keep the style in line with Jane Austen’s vision. Filming was done out of sequence, so we shot the final scene during the last week of filming. I remember that day being particularly emotional because it was also the last day for Flora Mitchell, who played Leo. We took pictures together and it was a meaningful moment for all of us. Closing out the final chapter of a character was similar to the feeling I had when I read the last page of the final Harry Potter book, the satisfaction of knowing that everything was going to be okay. I felt grateful for the experience and working with such amazing people.
Crystal Clarke on Georgiana’s Happy Ever After
Love is certainly an important aspect of life and it’s no different for Georgiana, but her happy ending also involves having independence and discovering who she truly is, including her likes, values, and family ties. It’s not just about having a partner to share life with, but also having a sense of community and belonging, which she lacked in the beginning. Her journey towards this happy ending involved overcoming isolation and finding a supportive community around her.
Liam Garrigan & Sophie Winkleman on Samuel and Lady Susan’s Happy Ever After
Liam Garrigan and Sophie Winkleman both weigh in on the potential future for their characters in Season 3. Liam believes that Samuel and Lady Susan would move back to London, where their lives were, but their unexpected true love would be strong enough to handle anything that comes their way. Sophie thinks that while Samuel may have been attracted to dazzling figures in the past, she has found a good egg in Lady Susan and would let her guard down. They have a strong friendship as well as a romantic connection and have a lot of fun together, which Sophie believes is the key to their lasting relationship. They both agree that they could be happy without children and that their future together looks very bright.
Liam Garrigan & Sophie Winkleman on Charlotte & Colbourne’s Happy Ever After
Liam Garrigan thinks that Charlotte and Sidney would have more children and that Sanditon and Heyrick Park would become their whole world. Sophie Winkleman agrees with him and believes they would have numerous children. However, she and Liam are the complete opposite and plan to travel to Paris and Rome. Despite their troubled pasts, Charlotte and Sidney have learned to trust each other, and Sophie believes they have a strong and fruitful future together.
Ben Lloyd-Hughes on Augusta’s Happy Ever After
It is evident that Augusta will have her own spinoff series, and I am thrilled to watch it. We used to joke about it. I think Augusta will not settle down soon. Initially, she had a conflict with Miss Charlotte Heywood and seemed entirely different from her. However, as the series progressed, it became apparent that they share similarities in their passionate, intelligent, romantic, and loyal nature. So, Augusta might unknowingly follow Charlotte’s path and go on an adventure before settling down. Perhaps she might work as a governess or at Charlotte’s school and have her own experiences before finding the right person to love and marry.
Rose Williams on “A girl can be anything she chooses to be.”
The final scene in which Rose delivers the line “You can be whatever you want to be” was crucial to me and went through several versions before its completion. I was determined to retain the final line and believed in it as Rose. The message conveyed by Charlotte, beyond the romantic aspect, is to encourage young girls to pursue their passions and interests, and that is what I care about the most. It was significant to me that she could be a mother, something she always desired, and simultaneously inspire the next generation by working. Perhaps Charlotte would not have become a teacher if she had been in different circumstances. It could be her daughter or one of her students who would be encouraged to follow their dreams and explore places, thanks to Miss Heywood’s inspiring descriptions of the world. This would continue her legacy, and that’s what I kept in my mind while filming. Charlotte broke the cycle and paved the way for her daughter. The parts of the character that I enjoyed the most are the bookends, the initial scene with a gun and the final line, “You can be what you choose to be.” These are the highlights that marked the character’s journey for me.
