Finding the right actors for a production like Pride and Prejudice is a skilled job. While producers and directors always have some idea of who they'd like, they couldn't get the cast lined up without the help of a casting director. In this case, Producer Sue Birtwhistle knew from the outset that Colin Firth would be ideal for Darcy.

Once Elizabeth and Darcy were cast, the team moved onto finding the rest of the Bennet family. With five Bennet girls to cast, they ended up seeing just about every actress between 15 and 28. It was quite a challenge to find people who not only had the wit and charisma to do the script justice, but also had the right period air.

At the first audition the actors read a few scenes in front of the producer and director, and if they had the right presence at that point, they moved on to a screen test. They were dressed up in period costume and given the full hair and make-up. At this stage, the team could really assess whether the actors would be right for the characters.

But of course when it came to the more established actors such as Colin Firth and Alison Steadman, there was no need to audition. They were just sent the scripts and offered the part. Once they'd been persuaded to accept, it just remained for their agent to negotiate the deal.

Can you imagine what Pride and Prejudice would have been like if Colin Firth hadn't played Darcy? It very nearly happened.

Although the production team desperately wanted him, Colin felt he was the last person who should play the part. He thought he just wasn't sexy enough, and had major doubts about his ability to bring the character to life.

Colin said, "You really can't walk into a room and start acting your socks off, and doing all sorts of ambitious things, because Darcy wouldn't do that. But not doing anything is one of the most difficult things about acting."

It was the scripts that made Colin change his mind. Andrew Davies had managed to really bring the character to life. Andrew explained, "One of the first things that struck me about Pride and Prejudice is that the central motor which drives the story forward is Darcy's sexual attraction to Elizabeth. He doesn't particularly like her, he's appalled by the rest of her family and he fights desperately against this attraction.

Although Jane Austen's book was told very much from Elizabeth's point of view, Andrew decided to make his version very much Darcy's story as well. He did this partly by inserting new scenes which showed Darcy outside the stiff social events, allowing the viewer to see more of the real man.

In Andrew's adaptation, Darcy's seen fencing with Bingley and, of course, swimming in the famous lake scene. The audience can see, before Elizabeth does, that there's a lot more to Darcy than the uptight snob he at first appears.

The costumes for the drama were designed by Dinah Collin. Her first task was to research the period by collecting pictures and visiting museums. This project was particularly difficult because there was very little costume of the right period available at the usual costume hire places. This meant most of the costumes would have to be made from scratch.

There were one or two bits of genuine clothing from the early 19th century that could be used for filming. However, most items were far too delicate to be handled. It wasn't even possible to go out and buy the kinds of fabrics that were being used in that time. The only solution was to design and print special fabrics in the styles of the period. These were then made up into specially designed outfits for each character.

Dinah felt it was very important to make the actors look like real people wearing their own clothes. She didn't want them to seem stiff and ill at ease in the costumes. To help with this she spent a lot of time talking to each actor and getting their input.

Elizabeth's clothes were designed to complement her practicality and active nature. Dinah deliberately chose earthy colours like browns, and ensured the clothes would allow Jennifer Ehle to move easily and naturally.

The most important location for Pride and Prejudice is Longbourne. So many scenes were set there, both inside and out, that it had to be the first place the production crew concentrated on finding. In the end they found a house in Wiltshire called Luckington Court. Luckily the owner was very welcoming because the house would be needed for ten weeks in total.

Lacock village nearby was chosen to be Meryton. This was only one of many TV and film appearances for Lacock, which has also starred in Moll Flanders, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and Harry Potter, amongst many others.

Pemberley was the next challenge. Jane Austen describes it as, "a large, handsome, stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills". The house had to be imposing and since it's supposed to be in Derbyshire, it had to look distinctively northern. In the end, Lyme Park was chosen, but the crew could only use it for exterior shots. Nearby Sudbury Hall was used for the interiors.

The most important location for Pride and Prejudice is Longbourne. So many scenes were set there, both inside and out, that it had to be the first place the production crew concentrated on finding. In the end they found a house in Wiltshire called Luckington Court. Luckily the owner was very welcoming because the house would be needed for ten weeks in total.

Lacock village nearby was chosen to be Meryton. This was only one of many TV and film appearances for Lacock, which has also starred in Moll Flanders, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and Harry Potter, amongst many others.

Pemberley was the next challenge. Jane Austen describes it as, "a large, handsome, stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills". The house had to be imposing and since it's supposed to be in Derbyshire, it had to look distinctively northern. In the end, Lyme Park was chosen, but the crew could only use it for exterior shots. Nearby Sudbury Hall was used for the interiors.

Belton House in Lincolnshire was chosen to be Rosings. There was a church at Belton, but no parsonage, so The Old Rectory at Teigh in Leicestershire stood in for Hunsford Parsonage. Once Edgecote Hall was chosen to play Netherfield, then the main locations were all in place for filming to begin.

Jennifer Ehle

Jennifer's parents were actress Rosemary Harris and American novelist John Ehle. She was brought up in the USA, but it didn't stop her landing the lead role in that most English of stories, Pride and Prejudice. She was discovered by Sir Peter Hall while still at drama school and cast in The Camomile Lawn playing Young Calypso. The older version of the same character was played by her mother!

A number of roles followed including Cynthia in Backbeat, and it wasn't long before she landed the part she would become most strongly identified with - Elizabeth Bennet. A number of film roles followed including parts in Wilde, Bedrooms and Hallways and This Year's Love. She has also won several awards for her stage work, including beating her own mother to the Tony Award for Best Actress in 2000. She won the Tony for her performance in Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing.

Jennifer won a Best Actress BAFTA for her performance as Lizzie in Pride and Prejudice.

Colin Firth

Born in 1960, Colin's career took off when he was spotted playing Hamlet in a drama school production. His first film role was in Another Country, playing Tommy, alongside Rupert Everett. He went on to star in a range of high-profile productions, including A Month in the Country, and Tumbledown. He then played the title role in Valmont alongside Annette Benning.

He took the role of John McCarthy in Hostages, alongside Ciarán Hinds as Brian Keenan. Then, in 1995, he took what is probably his most famous role, as Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. With his leading man status firmly cemented, he went on to take roles in Fever Pitch, Shakespeare in Love and Conspiracy, amongst many others.

His role in Pride and Prejudice even inspired Bridget Jones to great passion. When the books were adapted for film, Colin took the role of his famous character's namesake, Mark Darcy.

The parts keep on rolling in, and recent performances have included Vermeer in Girl with a Pearl Earring and starring alongside Emma Thompson in Nanny McPhee.

Alison Steadman

Alison's a much loved British actress. Early in her career she met and married the writer and director Mike Leigh. She was to perform in many of his plays and films, including taking the title role in Abigail's Party on both stage and screen, and starring in Life is Sweet and Secrets and Lies. Other film work includes A Private Function, Shirley Valentine and Wilt.

She's a regular face on TV, having appeared in a huge number of programmes, including Karaoke, Fat Friends, Adrian Mole: The Cappucino Years and Dalziel and Pascoe amongst many others.

She's also forged an enormously successful career on stage, including winning the Olivier Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her role as Mari in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.

In 2000 she was awarded an OBE for services to British Drama.

Crispin Bonham-Carter

Pride and Prejudice was one of Crispin's earliest roles and remains one of his most recognisable. Since the programme he has continued appearing on TV in dramas such as The Rag Nymph, Wuthering Heights, Victoria and Albert and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet.

However, he spends much of his time these days working as a director. He's worked on productions at prestigious venues such as the Young Vic and the National Theatre, as well as working with students at several drama schools, including LAMDA and East 15.

And yes, he is related to Helena Bonham-Carter - he's her cousin.

Susannah Harker

By the time Susannah appeared in Pride and Prejudice, she'd already been nominated for an Oscar for her role in House of Cards, another adaptation by Andrew Davies. After Pride and Prejudice, she went on to star opposite Trevor Eve in Heat of the Sun. She's continued to appear on television in programmes such as Murder in Mind and Waking the Dead.

Her career has taken in stage work as well as film and TV, and she's starred in plays such as The Three Sisters in London as well as Uncle Vanya in New York.

David Bamber

David Bamber had a huge range of work behind him already by the time he landed the role of Mr Collins. His appearances included dramas such as Juliet Bravo, A Very Peculiar Practice, The Buddha of Suburbia and Poirot.

After Pride and Prejudice, he won the Best Actor Olivier Award for his role as Guy in My Night With Reg, which was later adapted for film. He took the lead role of Eric Slatt in two series of the sitcom Chalk. He also appeared in other TV adaptations of classic books such as The Railway Children and Daniel Deronda. Film roles included I Capture the Castle and Gangs of New York. Most recently he's been seen as Cicero in epic drama Rome.

Julia Sawalha

Julia will always be remembered for starring as Lynda in Press Gang. She played the role for five years. She went on to play Hannah in five series of the sitcom Second Thoughts and then took another classic role, playing Saffy in the hit sitcom Absolutely Fabulous with Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley - again the show went on for five series.

After Pride and Prejudice her career continued to go from strength to strength. Her sitcom roles continued and she also appeared in a film adaptation of the classic book Wind in the Willows. Her voice starred in the Nick Park film Chicken Run, as Ginger and in 2003 she took over from Caroline Quentin as Jonathan Creek's lovely assistant. She can also regularly be seen in a series of TV adverts, alongside Richard E Grant.

Adrian Lukis

An accomplished actor on both stage and screen, Adrian's credits include Campion, Miss Marple, Maigret and Prime Suspect.

Since Pride and Prejudice the work has continued to flood in with roles in Foyles War, Midsomer Murders, Spooks and Judge John Deed amongst others on TV. He also spent two years playing Dr David Shearer in Peak Practice. On stage, his high profile work has included roles at the Old Vic and the National Theatre.

Anna Chancellor

Played Colin's fiancee in "What a girl wants".

Benjamin Whitrow

Benjamin came to Pride and Prejudice with over 30 years acting experience. A wide variety of TV and film roles included TV adaptations of Shakespeare plays, Quadrophenia, The Pallisers and A Man for All Seasons, starring John Gielgud and Charlton Heston. He also had roles in Boon, Chancer, Rumpole of the Bailey and Crossroads.

However, Ben is best known as a stage actor, and has been a regular performer with such prestigious companies as the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. Where he has appeared in such classics as Twelfth Night, Loot, Uncle Vanya, School for Scandal and What The Butler Saw amongst many many others.

He was nominated for a BAFTA award for his performance as Mr Bennett.

Mary Bennet:   Lucy Briers

Kitty Bennet:   Polly Maberly

Mrs Louisa Hurst:   Lucy Robinson

Mr Hurst:   Rupert Vansittart

Lady Catherine de Bourgh:   Barbara Leigh-Hunt

Miss Anne de Bourgh:   Nadia Chambers

Sir William Lucas:   Christopher Benjamin

Lady Lucas:   Norma Streader

Charlotte Lucas:   Lucy Scott

Maria Lucas:   Lucy Davis

Georgiana Darcy:   Emilia Fox

Fitzwilliam:   Anthony Calf

Mr Gardiner:   Tim Wylton

Alice Gardiner:   Natasha Isaacs

Kate Gardiner:   Marie-Louise Flamank

William Gardiner:   Julian Erleigh

Robert Gardiner:   Jacob Casselden

Mrs Phillips:   Lynn Farleigh

Denny:   David Bark-Jones

Colonel Forster:   Paul Moriarty

Mrs Forster:   Victoria Hamilton

Sanderson:   Christopher Staines

Chamberlayne:   Tom Ward

Mrs Reynolds:   Bridget Turner

Sarah:   Kate O'Malley

Hill:   Marlene Sidaway

Carter:   Roger Barclay

Mary King:   Alexandra Howerd

Mrs Jenkinson:   Harriet Eastcott

Hannah:   Sarah Legg

Hodge:   Roy Holder

Fossett:   Neville Phillips

Priest:   Sam Beazley

Sanderson:   Christopher Staines

Maggie:   Annabel Taylor

Baines:   Peter Needham