Disney Plus doing Jilly Cooper's Rivals

[countrylifer]

This is just the best news. I've been waiting for an adaptation of Rivals since I first fell in love with the bounder Rupert C-B in circa 1997.

But the question is who will play him? I can't think of anyone off the top of my head who can fill those boots - any suggestions?

Honestly that trailer gave me major anxiety. Like most Rivals fans I reckon I could cast this & location scout it perfectly. None of it looked quite right & I am 100% looking forward to being proved totally wrong as I want this to be magnificent.

There def won’t be another crack the whip for this adaptation of this isn’t a success.

Omg that trailer 😭it’s all wrong

I don't recognise anyone as their character bar maybe the tv presenter and Sarah Stratton as they are on a sofa.

I will of course watch it but I don't think I will love it. In my head it's not 80s set with hair flicks and tashes. It's just timeless. It could be now.

Honestly that trailer gave me major anxiety. Like most Rivals fans I reckon I could cast this & location scout it perfectly. None of it looked quite right & I am 100% looking forward to being proved totally wrong as I want this to be magnificent.

Every word of this!! I don't want to say I've spent the best part of 25 years thinking on and off what Rivals would look like on screen but... if I had, and of course I haven't, it's 100% not this!! Rupert is all wrong. He looks far too creepy and not at all blonde?! I really hope it's an awful trailer (will obviously be watching regardless)

I suspect they had to make it clear that the story was based in the 80s to allow for some threads of the plot - limited TV channels making Declan a more significant star, fights over tv franchises, Rupert shagging most of the female cast etc.

I've more disappointed now I've seen the trailer. Are there no blond actors in the world??! He is not RCB. David Tennant is totally miscast as Tony.

Should have been Rupert Perry jones even if too old.

Tony I am still not sure. But sandy blonde I thought. A bit thinning. Maybe even toby jones with a glow up?

Rupert’s defining feature is his blondness. Makes no sense to change it.

James Norton with his hair lightened would have been excellent.

I will defend the I Beg Your Pardon - “pardon” is non U whereas the whole thing is ok. But the fecking dogs on leads. Jilly, TELL THEM HOW TO BE PROPER.

I will reserve judgement til I’ve seen it all. I do HOPE I can immerse myself in it enjoyably.

James Norton or Rupert Penry Jones would have been excellent choices for Rupert.

Is there a release date confirmed yet?

I'm going to go against the grain here and say let's not panic that Rupert isn't blonde. Jilly has given this actor her seal of approval and Rupert is her creation so let's suspend the doubt until we've seen it.

I just don't think the actor playing Ruper is good looking enough. Agree James Norton would have been a good call or Jude Law albeit he is probably too old now.

Plus, I honestly don't think there is an actor that is good looking enough to truly do Rupert justice so maybe they've gone with someone who can act well and embodies his personality traits!

I watched trailer and hats off to the soundtrack - Robert Palmer's addicted to love nails it. Thought on the surface they'd done a good job of capturing the mad essence of it, from what you can tell from the short clip!

Can't wait for this!

I agree re hard to match the good looks of a fictional character - Bridgerton has this issue in s3 with Colin, he's not really got enough dash (excellent actor though).

I’ve watched the trailer about 50 times and I’m coming round to it. I will die on the hill of Rupert being blonde though 😂

anyone know when it’s out?

There's no reference to a release date - it's very frustrating. I hope there isn't a long teaser campaign or we will be picking fragments apart!

It had me when addicted to love came on - music is a big part of Jilly setting her scenes.

Tennant can do good menace.

I felt it caught some of the joie de vivre - let's see. Hoping it won't be too long!

That's where books are better than TV, so many of her characters must be near impossible to cast.

I agree the song was an excellent choice!

Hm. Was that cheesy looking dark bloke on the plane meant to be Rupert? I think so, but he looked more Bas with shirt open. Rupert is supposed to be smooth and classy and crucially blonde!

Tony looks too skinny and small. He is meant to be a bit of a thug under the money.

Lizzie looked right, and Taggie.

Still really looking forward to it!

But Tony was always really about the upper class pretender, thug is more of a way of operating rather than looks? Tennant's got that going to seed thing down - good looking ish but mostly due to his position rather than innately.

I agree about Rupert, that wink had shades of a carry on film - maybe not wrong for series overall?
The jury's out for me on Rupert.

Really plane man was Rupert? He looked Latin! Not English upper crust? I assumed that was bas.

Tony is described as having a "hunky, bull necked body", " attractive in a brutal sort of way", "more like a Sicilian wide boy than an English peer". Tennant will have a lot of acting to do to make up for the fact he looks tiny.

Agree the Rupert actor looks much more how I imagine Bas.