So, apart from Laurence Olivier, David Rintoul, Colin Firth and Matthew MacFadyen, who makes the best Darcy? It’s a bit of a wooden spoon contest of course, but nevertheless enough to occupy my little mind, and hopefully the larger minds of our dear readers. I’m talking about the Darcys of Bride and Prejudice, Pride and Prejudice: A Latter Day Comedy, Lost in Austen, and Bridget Jones Diary. I’m not sure that Mark Darcy from Bridget Jones really counts as a Darcy, but he made the list after Colin Firth called me last night and begged to be included. Wait! That was probably a dream…
Judging a Darcy is like judging a fruit cake. He has to be easy on the eye, crusty on the outside, soft in the middle, extraordinarily rich, and not particularly fond of dancing. OK, the simile doesn’t quite stretch but you get the idea.
Here are the nominations:
William Darcy from Bride and Prejudice (2003) – Martin Henderson
William Darcy played by Martin Henderson
Bio: An American hotelier who arrives in India harboring stereotypes of the local culture, akin to Jane Austen’s Darcy’s preconceptions about life outside elite society.
Positives: Classic Hollywood good looks.
Negatives: Perhaps a little too “new-money” for Darcy. The real Darcy wasn’t merely wealthy, of course, and as a gentleman wasn’t one for holding down a job either, whereas this chap is never off his laptop.
Will Darcy from Pride and Prejudice: A Latter Day Comedy (2003) – Orlando Seal
Will Darcy played by Orlando Seal
Bio: A British publisher who receives a manuscript from a certain Elizabeth Bennet, he is initially contemptuous of Miss Bennet’s social circle, before inevitably love begins to blossom.
Positives: His Englishness definitely helps him to appear arrogant and superior at the beginning (I can say this, I’m English. Americans, please don’t leave comments agreeing with me!”)
Negatives: He featured in an episode of the comedy series ‘The IT Crowd,’ in which his name was Peter File. See the YouTube clip below. It’s just impossible to take him seriously after this. In Pride and Prejudice; A Latter Day Comedy, he also has the misfortune to be in a pretty bad film, which doesn’t help matters.
Mark Darcy from Bridget Jones Diary (2001) – Colin Firth
Mark Darcy played by Colin Firth
Bio: Mark Darcy is a stuffy, yet bizarrely well-connected human rights lawyer, who bumps into Bridget at a new year party and eventually becomes a rival of Daniel Cleaver, Bridget’s boss, for her affections.
Positives: He has a natural advantage of course, being for many people the “real” Darcy due to his fabulous performance in the BBC’s 1995 series. His turn in Bridget Jones, in which his head appears to be a perfectly good shape (regardless of Miss Amanda Price’s allegations) is very different of course, but still very Darcy.
Negatives: He is, of course, as socially awkward as Jane Austen’s Fitzwilliam Darcy but lacks the sheltered, aristocratic upbringing in comparison with Bridget. In fact, everyone in the movie is more or less equally posh.
Fitzwilliam Darcy in Lost in Austen (2008) – Elliot Cowan
Elliot Cowan as Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy
Bio: Cowan plays the ‘real’ Darcy from the book, of course, but his life is knocked off course by the arrival of Miss Amanda Price from modern-day London. Amanda seeks to bring Elizabeth and Darcy together, yet slowly the two become drawn to one another instead.
Positives: Cowan is suitably tall, handsome and yet superficially ‘toxic,’ then turns on the charm rather delightfully as the series progresses.
Negatives: Perhaps a little angrier and pricklier than Darcy as portrayed in the book and the major adaptations. Not just cold or insensitive at the beginning, this Darcy is baldly unpleasant.
My Two Cents
My winner has to be Elliot Cowan from Lost in Austen. He takes Darcy to the extremes of insufferability and affability, and somehow binds it all together into one consistent character. He is handsome, of course, but not in a pretty-boy way, and has great chemistry with Miss Amanda Price.
What do you think? Aside from the Darcys of the major, straight adaptations, who is the best of the rest?
Dear Lizzy and Darcy,
in my humble opinion (reading too much Mr. Collins) the best Mr. “D” is… Colin Firth as Mark Darcy. Ever.
your sincerely,
raquel
Matthew MacFadyen, of course!
He’s perfect and complete! Forever and ever. He’s very handsome and cult. 
The WORST Darcy that hasn’t been mentioned here was Laurence Olivier’s version. Lord, that was awful. He was almost effeminate.
Firth for me, sorry.
Where is Matthew Darcy? He is the best one.
Elliott Cowan for me… a close second to Colin Firth’s Fitz Darcy
Hi!
I have to say that… I love your blog. I love the way that you write. It’s very interesting and makes me laught. Congrats!
Lory
MM will always be my favorite Darcy, maybe unless Richard Armitage gets to play the role someday.
But I LOVE Mark Darcy. He’s my favorite of the choices above. Elliot Cowan’d be second.
Could you please post information about MM in other films? I am really, really impressed by his role in ” Pride and Prejudice”.
And Jane, Lizzi, Kitty, Mary, Lydia… I want to know all about them.
Thanks.
Elliot Coewn, hottest scene ever!! Coming out of the water, yummm
lovely blog!
ELLIOT COWAN is the BEST Mr. Darcy EVER! I just realized this. . . it was sort of bitter sweet, since I always favored Colin Firth. Sorry, Colin, Elliot is my Mr. Darcy
P&P 2 has always been my favorite so I should say Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy in Bridget Jones Diary, but since we are going with the choices above I really must say Elliot Cowan.
Who I really agree with is Carol who said if Richard Armitage played Mr. Darcy he would be her favorite. I agree, I agree!
Mr. Darcy is the best character in the scene
Colin, Congrats for the BAFTA and good luck for the Oscars 2010 … your performance in A Single Man is absolutely breathtaking.
Colin Firth – The Best Mr Darcy Ever!
Matthew MacFadyen – second.
This might be interesting to you…
http://followingjane.wordpress.com/about/
I just can not choose. Love Colin Firth’s Darcy, love Matthew Macfadyen’s Darcy and love Elliot Cowen’s Darcy. These 3 guys are absolutely fantastic, gorgeous and hot! What can I say I almost swooned when I watched them!
The most perfect Mr. Darcy in my oppinion is COLIN FIRTH…he’s amazingly handsome and he plays darcy’s character perfect!!!
Colin Firth of course…………….he is Mr Darcy !
Urgh, Elliot Cowan (as Darcy) is out for sure. Way too tall, bad-tempered etc. He’s almost as bad as lawrence Olivier when sitting down or wringing his hands.
Well, not counting Colin Firth or Matthew MacFayden, I’ll have to say Martin Henderson from Bride and Prejudice. That was such a colourful and cute version.=)
Definitely Matthew Macfadyen is THE best Darcy! He brings such depth to the character. He is the best at conveying those mixed feelings he tried so hard to fight. You can tell what is going on in his heart just by looking at him, at his beautiful eyes, the expression of his face and listening to his mesmerizing voice. Oh, that voice. He is perfect for the role and has forever changed the character. I love Mr. Darcy because of him. Has anyone read Pamela Aidan’s novels? The story from his perspective? Wonderful and it makes you love him even more!
I think that (Mathew MacFadyen) Fitzwilliam Darcy from the 2005 adaptation is the best, even though he wasn’t included in your nominee list. I didn’t like Darcy in Lost in Austen (which I have seen) because his change from incredibly rude to soft and in love with Amanda Price was too sudden. I think that, like in the 2005 version, he should slowly progress into love before becoming the final Darcy. Also, when Darcy in LIA changed, I am firmly convinced that they did something to Cowan’s make-up because he LOOKED softer, not just acted it.
I totally agree with the 2 previous comments, Matthew MacFadyen plays a wonderful Mr Darcy. His deep feelings, the way he fought them, the way he looks to Elizabeth, all he can’t say but all we can see! Amazing performance, along with Keira Knightley. When I read again “Pride and Prejudice”, I cannot longer imagine any other casting. I wish they could have introduce all the book’s details, keeping all the romantic changes done but keeping all the essence of this beautiful romance. I love this movie and it has become one of my favourite! And I’m totally agree with Patricia: I also love Mr Darcy because of him.
Colin Firth in the BBC P&P is my favorite Mr Darcy ever, so I also really liked him in Bridget Jones. I love this blog, P&P is my favorite book of all time
I have a reading challenge over on my blog called Jane Austen is my Homegirl Reading Challenge, and it has some great giveaways and linkups going on if you are interested 
Here is the link… http://thebookbuff.blogspot.com/p/jane-austen-is-my-homegirl-reading.html
Colin Firth the best, I’m not able to imagine another Darcy.
Agree with Patricia about Pamela Aidan’s novels – they would make a wonderful miniseries. I’ve probably read them as many times as I’ve read P & P. But disagree about Matthew MacFadyen – he just didn’t seem to have the “fire in the belly” that Colin Firth portrayed (or that Aidan’s Darcy had). Love maybe, but passion? I didn’t see it in MM. Tenderness in the final scene, but still seemed to be to missing something (testosterone perhaps?!). The costuming seemed all wrong to me too – he certainly didn’t appear wealthy – more like a western range rider (missing his horse!) with that way too-long coat flapping around. He just didn’t carry himself with a wealthy/proud/noble bearing and the clothes seemed sloppy instead of meticulous, as Aiden’s character portrayed, with the assistance of his ingenious valet.
Elliot Cowan wins hands down. They made it even better by including a wet white shirt look…to die for..After that I was really sold!
I Love pnp and Mr Darcy because of MM!!!
His voice … His eyes …
I MOST LOVED MATTHEW Macfadyen as Mr DARCY HE NOT OLNY HAD THE LOOKS HE ALSO PLAYED THE PART WELL IN EVERY WAY , HE HAD A AIR ABOUT HIM ,IT WAS LIKE YOU WAS BACK IN TIME AND COULD ALMOST SEE YOUR SELF LIVING IN THAT TIME IN LIFE , YES I MUST SAY THE FITS THE PART 100% EVEN IF THE OTHERS AND LOOKS A GOOD MOIVE HAS TO HAVE MORE THAN LOOKS AND HE BROUGHT IT ALL TO THE TABLE
I agree with all the persons that love Matthew Macfayden as Mr. Darcy (this actor is so “Shakespearian”) because of his amasing (theatrical) acting and that use of his eyes more than his words to show his feelings, we fall in love with the character even if he was houghty and mistaken, he was rough and seem so cold and the passion that is lacking, for some persons, we can almost touch it in the Rain scene when he revealed his love to lizzy for the first time, a duet impressively passionate.
This 2005 adaptation is told from the angle of Lizzy and we discover as the story goes on that Darcy is also vulnerable because of his inclination to Elisabeth even if she is “inferior” to his rank by birth, this story is mostly about deep love and tenderness and chemistry between two persons who many things and above all judgments and pride separate.
I vote for Matthew Macfayden as the best Mr.Darcy ever because when i read again Jane Austen’s book after seeing this film, i found that this actor gives it a profound vision helped with his looks (he is tall and viril), attitudes and voice which is so “Darcylious”, great performance and an amasing cast.
Colin Firth was great in Bridget Jones because he was more mature physically (he was thinner and taller) and this gave him more charm and virility but in 1995 version, he was somehow too young for the role, the hair was covering all parts of his face and the dialogues were too rough and somehow mechanical because they stay close to the book : example the first proposal to Lizzy in which he was supposed to be “vulnerable” because he is revealing his attachment to Lizzy “his weakness in a way” even if he was proud, and i didn’t touch that. For me, the vision of Joe Wright about the novel of Jane Austen isn’t a copy but an interpretation of a director about how he perceives the characters and how he can use them theatrically to touch his public audience and I absolutely agree because it was touching in every “meeting of their fingers, every sight between them, even in the words they use to tease each other especially Lizzy”.
Could you, please, be kind and add that version of 2005 with the others in your blog for which I congratulate you because I found it quite interesting and exahustive with so many informations about “Pride and Prejudice”, the novel of all centuries for me.
I love Matthew MacFadyen. He is my idea of the #1 Darcy! I love Colin Firth as Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones. So. Cute!
I wish I coude see HAU jACKMAN as mr DARCY it will be really great to see that great actor rolling that wounderful story the best romantic English novel ever
I’d have to go with Colin Firth as the best “classic” Mr. Darcy, but Elliot Cowan runs a very, very close second. I thought that Cowan did an outstanding job conveying tortured pent-up emotions. His Mr. Darcy was definitely swoon-worthy.
of cours the charming Matthew MacFadyen
My favorite of the other Darcy’s is Colin Firth as Mark Darcy. I haven’t seen Lost in Austen yet to give a good report of Elliot Cowan, but he is good eye candy from the photos. My all time favorite is Matthew MacFadyen. I love the scene where Darcy ask Lizzy to marry him, the first time. I love his stand offishness when he speaks of his love and her inferior birth. Then he moves closer to Lizzy when she mentions Wickham. He is clearly angered and the rain in the background is a lovely addition.
Elliot Cowan hands down.
He has everything going for him. Great warmth and charm when he show that side of him.
While this Amanda wins him, she really doesn’t carry period clothes well. Looks fine in modern dress, but I wish they had done something with the hair, and put her into something becoming.
Did see the chemistry towards the end, but no way would that man in that time marry this Amanda, who isn’t that interesting as a heroine.
Darcy might have kept Amanada as his mistress.
No way could she have handled that life.
I agree with Anne Lilly. Can’t see the Darcy say “I found both of your incarnations disagreeable..but”
Very weird but entertaining nevertheless and yes, didnt’ like Amanda’s character at all though she enjoyed herself being with her favorite hero – something no one gets to do which is the point of the movie in the end.
Best Darcy ever to me is Matthew McFadyen the pride and prejudice of 2005
I second latifamao opinion.
I would go for Matthew McFadyen. Colin Firth was great Darcy too in 1995 version, but I love Matthew McFadyen’s version more. His eyes speak. I love in the rain proposal scene, the second proposal dawn scene, you can see his emotion, affection through his eyes. just love 2005 version.
Matthew McFadyen IS Darcy. Give Colin Firth to Bridget, he may be a Darcy but a mere Mark only not a Fitzwilliam as MM most assuredly was. I saw the infamous wet shirt scene just recently and I’m sorry but did I miss something cause I saw nothing even remotely sexy. He jumps in a river and walks up a hill basically dry tiny bit of see through on the shirt oh please(if that gets you hot ladies it is a sad thing.) MM imparts to the viewer who Darcy really is, he is a man. One who does his best with what he is born as, he falters at times, he admits his mistakes, and makes them right. You can see all of this throughout MM’s performance. We see him as the true gentlemen Mr. Darcy would have absolutely been, had he been real. MM made him real to me as though there once was a man called Darcy observed by Austin herself. No other actor gave the nuances that MacFadyen so perfectly did in the 2005 version of P&P.
Colin Firth for me. He was the first Darcy I ever laid eyes on and he’ll always be my perfect Darcy. However Elliot Cowan comes in at a VERY close 2nd! And Matthew Macfayden a close 3rd!
Elliot Cowan does such a fantastic job i Lost in Austen, that I remember thinking “I hope the make a movie with Mr. Darcy just walking around modern day London, reacting to all the strange things” – it was BRILLIANT! And he had that sparkle in his eye, which made him sexy in my opinion… But as for the most faithful adaptation of Mr. Darcy, Colin Firth will always be no. 1 – but as Mr. and Mark