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?

Already looking forward to this!

I don’t know if I am looking forward to it! The risk they will mess it up is surely huge.

I’ll have to reread it now.

I always imagined Gabrielle Byrne as Declan back in the 80s but I think he is too old now. As is Liam Neeson.

I think this was my favourite JC book.

OMG!

Who will be Valerie Jones? Got to be someone who can do the accent, without making us feel bad for her because on the one hand she is pretty awful, on the other she doesn't do anything much wrong apart from having a fake accent and being a bit of a bitch - which several other characters are too, but they get away with it because they have the 'right' accent....

Alex Jennings (who played the Duke of Windsor in the first two seasons of The Crown) is my pick for Paul Stratton!

Same. I don't see how they can make a good job of it in these days of woke.

@Peridot1 oh yes yes!! Liam Neeson as Declan! Would be perfect!!

I imagine Valerie Jones to be someone like Helen George of CTM! She has the same perfect doll like face and is tiny like VJ is.

Who would we have Tony's wife, Monica, as? Big bones and red cheeked but awfully lovely who washes her hair as the only way to clean her fingernails! I'm was leaning towards Pam Ferris

Liam Neeson is too old for Declan. Declan, Rupert and Tony are all in their late 30s/early 40s.

I hope that they do better than ITV who filmed an adaptation of "Octavia" and never released it, either on screen or on DVD. 😫

Brilliant! I am really enjoying this thread, I love a bit of fantasy casting.

The new adaptation on Audible is really good, btw (the last one was crap, but I think they've removed that now).

Way too old I think - Tony and Monica were only in their 50s I think. She needs to be attractive as well, Tony wants sex with her every night (although she keeps him to once a week)

I always thought Taggie could be played by Elle Fanning who plays Catherine the Great in The Great - if you imagine her with her hair dyed brunette. She's got that wide-eyed, round cheeked thing going on in that and is very very pretty (to say the least), but you can also imagine a slightly jealous 80s woman making disparaging comments about her.

Got to be Nigel Hager's surely!

Trouble is I read this book x years ago so in my mind I cast them then so the right actors are now all years too old!

She no I am thinking of James Vekerer, the tv presenter. Paul was another mp.

Sorry @blobby10 - I meant Liam Neeson is too old now sadly.

When does Jake appear? He'd be an excellent Jake!

Omg omg omg omg omg omg

Jake is only in Riders, not Rivals, unfortunately.

Not an actress but Clare Balding would be the perfect Monica (who turns out to be gay in later books too)

Oh I love this book

His Son isa turns up quite often dating Ruperts daughter and then sone men.

Not in Rivals though both Isa and Tabitha are just kids

Yes! That's definitely the sort of character -very no-nonsense and outdoorsy.

I always imagine James Vereker as a slightly younger version of the teleshopping guy Brigit Jones' mother runs off with in the first film - spray-tanned mahogany and alarming coiffed 😁

It's difficult trying to pick a really good looking blonde man

Clive Owen for Tony?

And Colin Farrell for Declan