Going on a Bingley Hunt

Bingley - 2005There’s a children’s book and kiddie camp song that my son used to love when he was a preschooler called We’re Going on a Bear Hunt. (Anyone familiar with it?) I’ve been thinking about it a lot lately because I’m doing an Austenesque version of it this month…except, in my case, it would be called: I’m Going on a Bingley Hunt!

Why?

Well, because I’ve gotten a significant number of emails, tweets and even some Facebook requests from readers this year requesting a sequel to my latest ebook romantic comedy Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Match and asking if I’d consider writing Jane and Bingley’s story this time.

Special requests from awesome and supportive readers like these are ones I take very seriously and, in pondering the possibilities, I realized I did have a few ideas already about what might happen between these characters… So, I’ve been doing a fair bit of thinking and some plotting and even several pages of draft writing.

But, I ran into a little snag and I’d love the help of the Austen experts, i.e. All of YOU!!

Here’s the thing, I need to find an image of an actor or male model to fit my Bingley. The Bingley that I described in Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Match doesn’t look like either of the two famous Bingleys from the most well known Pride and Prejudice movie adaptations. In fact, for a number of narrative reasons, I’d set out to make him resemble my Darcy character. One major reason is because — in my novel — “Will Darcy” and “Bingley McNamara” are first cousins. So, my Bingley needs to be tall and lean and dark haired and, of course, rather handsome. He, along with his heroine Jane, are also not quite so obviously nice at first glance as they were in Austen’s original (!!), so he doesn’t necessarily need to have the same look of innocence as was portrayed so well by Crispin Bonham-Carter in 1995 or Simon Woods in 2005.

To give you a sense of his personality, this is a segment from the first scene in Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Match that introduces my particular incarnation of Bingley:

In the Regents General Hospital cafeteria, Dr. William Darcy gulped his last swallow of the Mocha-Cappuccino De-latte Delight he’d gotten at the gourmet coffee shop nearby. Then he glared at his cousin. “No, I don’t want to bet a hundred bucks on whether or not you can catch a fish stick between your teeth.”

Bingley McNamara grinned, crossed his long legs at the ankles and propped them up on the metal chair to Will’s left. “Face it, Cuz. You’re intimidated by my varied and remarkable skills.” He tossed his last greasy fish stick in the air and caught it neatly between his incisors. He chomped down. “I’d have won,” he said around a mouthful of deep-fried pseudo-fish. “My talent frightens you.”

“The only thing about you that frightens me is your insatiable gambling habit.” Will leveled his most disapproving stare at the guy but, as usual, his cousin ignored him.

“Aw, c’mon. Everyone makes a wager now and then.”

“Only if ‘now and then’ means every fifteen minutes.” Will scanned his watch. “Go. Get out of here. Although this may be a foreign concept to you, I’ve actually got a job.”

“I’ve got a job,” Bingley said, sounding indignant. “It’s just a little less, oh, how should I put it? Obvious.”

“Overseeing your trust fund is not a bona fide career. It’s a sick obsession. Although how it manages to grow profits, despite your wagering addiction, is a mystery.”

“Jealous?”Bingley - 1995

“No.”

Bingley snorted, guzzled his short Colombian espresso then sent Will a semi-serious look. “Listen up. Did you give any more thought to my proposition last month? Any bites online?”

Will turned his back on his favorite and only cousin, whom — at present — he wanted to strangle to within a millimeter of the rich party boy’s life. He pitched the remains of their lunch in the trash then loosened his tie.

“And what if I have?” Will said finally, knowing he’d regret even considering Bingley’s latest ludicrous bet. But, dammit, he needed the help and he needed it now. “Are you prepared to follow through if I can get the lady to materialize?”

“Not just any lady,” Bingley reminded him. “A girlfriend who could take an active role in your precious clinic.” He sniffed. “That’ll give you a shot at wanting to be with her long term. I expect a five-date minimum, and I need to meet her before the second Sunday in May.”

“Listen, Bingley–”

“I know you don’t believe me, but I’m looking out for your best interests here, Cuz. Before I plunk my money into some do-good operation, I want proof that you’ve finally gotten a life outside of this, this…morgue.” He waved the arm with the Rolex attached to it in a wild loopy arc. “Evidence that you’ve scored a little balance in your daily life — among other things.” He waggled his brows suggestively.

Will marveled at how a guy who resembled him physically could act with all the subtlety of a Saturday-morning cartoon character.

“So keep the movie-ticket stubs from your dates,” Bingley said. “Learn how to use the camera app on your phone, or even grab your old Polaroid, and snap some pretty pictures of the two of you. Save her emails and make sure she shows up happy and talkative by my birthday. It’s on Mother’s Day, this year.” He tilted his head as if in deep contemplation. “Whoever this chick is, I wanna see her hanging on your arm with lovely-dovey eyes only for you.”

*~*~*

PPPM - paperbacksSo, I’m on a Bingley hunt, and I want to find a great one! I’d love to have a strong mental snapshot of him as I write his story… If you were a Hollywood casting director and could audition an actor or two for this role, who is somebody (tall, lean, dark and yummy!) that you’d want to see play the part? He could be British, American or Australian or any nationality, I’m just looking for a few names of actors that I can search for online that some of you think might fit that description – or, if you have a link to one of his pictures on the web, I’d enjoy seeing that, too. I love blending characteristics when I write, so the more Bingley-ish men I can find, the better!!

And, finally, for anyone interested, the paperback copies of Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Match are available now on both Barnes & Noble and Amazon!! So, if you’d prefer to read the story in print, please check them out :).

007 Marilyn Brant--clipped

Marilyn Brant

Marilyn Brant is a USA TODAY Bestselling Author of Contemporary Women’s Fiction and Romantic Comedy. She’s published eight novels to date, including ACCORDING TO JANE, which was a #1 Kindle Bestseller, won RWA’s Golden Heart Award and was named one of Buzzle.com’s “100 Best Romance Novels of All Time.” She also wrote PRIDE, PREJUDICE AND THE PERFECT MATCH, which was a Top 100 Bestseller on both Amazon and Barnes & Noble. And her latest novel, a coming-of-age romantic mystery called THE ROAD TO YOU, is just out!

64 comments on “Going On A Bingley Hunt…by Marilyn Brant”

    1. LeslieGB
      Hi Marilyn,Wow what a challenge. There are so many to choose… my suggestion is Josh Duhamel – definitely American but tall, athletic and very handsome. Not as dark or serious as Mr. Darcy, but more happy and playful as I envision Mr. Bingley. Check out this picture on Pinterest – http://pinterest.com/pin/518265869588664384/

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Leslie,Ohhhh, yes! I like Josh a LOT :).And I love how he looks all dressed up like that — you’re right, he’s not only dashing, but he’s got a playful side.Thank you so much for sharing this!p.s. I’m so glad to know you’re on Pinterest, too — just followed you!!

    1. Lúthien84
      What about Richard Armitage who recently acted in The Hobbit? He fits your description perfectly but he looks a bit serious though. Perhaps he may fit the part of Dr Darcy and Gerard Butler as Bingley? :wink:

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Lúthien,I am a HUGE Richard Armitage fan and just like looking at pictures of him for general inspiration… ;) Hadn’t thought about Gerard Butler!! Must check out a few recent shots of him, too.Thank you!

    1. Ceri
      A young Hugh Jackman perhaps? Zac Ephron? Who does your Darcy look like?Ooh! I just googled Josh Duhamel and he is pretty much perfect for Bing in my opinion :smile:

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Ceri,You ask a good question — my Darcy has come to look (in my mind) like the guy on the front cover of my book, who turned out to be just a little younger than I’d originally imagined the character. So, your Zac Ephron idea is a particularly interesting one! Though, really, what’s not to LOVE about Hugh and Josh, right??! :razz:

    1. Susan Adriani
      Marilyn, you’ve posed a challenge that I’m especially bad at: picking out faces to go with characters! I don’t know how much help I’ll be, but I sure did enjoy your excerpt. :) It was the perfect way to start my Tuesday. (Have fun writing your sequel!)

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Susan,LOL!! Well, clearly, I needed a little help with this task myself, which is why I called in the experts here ;). Thrilled you enjoyed the story excerpt and big hugs to you!! xo

    1. Stephanie L
      wellll…two could-be-related, dark, yummy…You have GOT to google a young Armitage and a young Jackman and put them next to each other! I’ll send an email to you on fb. :smile: Josh is a great one, don’t know what Darcy looks like, but Josh would be a great playboy cousin. Adrian Paul fits the bill in my thoughts, as does John Stamos…hey, I think he’s eternally beautiful. LOL

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Stephanie,THANK YOU!! I was on FB a little bit ago and saw the *fabulous* photos you sent. The guys looked so young and SO charming — it’s easy for me to forget some of those earlier images of them, esp. when I’ve gotten used to seeing them as they are today — which is still very handsome, btw! Hadn’t thought of either Adrian Paul or John Stamos before!! Loved all of your ideas :).

    1. Ann
      What about Matt Bomer from TNT’s White Collar, definitely fits the dark, good looking playboy type

            1. Stephanie L
              :eek: oh Matt Bomer is pretty!!! That’s a new one for me.

                1. Marilyn Brant
                  Definitely an attractive man, Stephanie!!!:razz:

            1. Ceri
              I’ve never heard of him before but he is certainly lovely to look at!

                1. Marilyn Brant
                  Agreed, Ceri!!

    1. Karana
      I am with Ceri. Hugh Jackman is good in anything. What about the guy who played Darcy on the Lizzie Bennet Diaries or even Girard Butler? They are all tall, dark and handsome.

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Karana,Agreeing with you and Ceri about Hugh Jackman… He’ll always be one of my faves! And I need to find out more about the guy on the Lizzie Bennet Diaries — much check that out today!!Thank you ;).

    1. Sophia Rose
      I like Chris Evans, but I’m not very good at this character stuff.

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Sophia,I had to stop everything and go check out a few Chris Evans photos!!My goodness is he ever handsome…thanks for suggesting him! Not that I mind seeing him shirtless (LOL), but the pictures with him in a tux are pretty stunning. And since the first scene of the new book starts out at a wedding… :razz:

    1. Liz Josette
      My suggestion is Henry Cavill!!! He would make an excellent Bingley!

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Liz,Oh, yes! Henry Cavill would be an excellent choice for MANY great characters!!! *swoon*It’s funny you should mention him because I was working on finishing up another book (not Austen-related) this fall and, when I was trying to find some images for a pretty devilish character, I kept going back to Henry… He looks so intense on “The Tudors” but I really like seeing him in a more relaxed look, when he’s just in a t-shirt and jeans, and when I can admire his cute curly hair ;).

    1. Cassie Grafton
      I adore Richard Armitage, but I think he (and some of the other lovely men named) might be a bit too mature for a Bingley role?I really did like Tom Riley in Lost in Austen – I’ve seen him a couple of other things and he is rather dishy (and tall and dark!)

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Cassie,I’d forgotten about Tom Riley!! Yes, I’d liked him in “Lost in Austen,” too ;).As for the maturity of some of the great guys mentioned, I don’t mind that at all!! I just have to hunt for pictures of them when they were in their mid- to late-20s or so… It’s not an unpleasant task, LOL.

            1. Cassie Grafton
              LOL I am sure it is not!!!!

                1. Marilyn Brant
                  :) :) Cassie!

    1. Jakki L.
      Mmm-mmm! What a fun blog post! :lol:This must be one of the tedious parts of writing a novel. :wink:I like Josh Duhamel as Leslie suggested. But let me just warn you, if you type in “tall, dark, and handsome” into Google images, all kinds of yummy pictures pop up…one could spend hours there, not that I have or anything. :wink:Oh, and let me just tell you how very excited I am that you are writing Jane & Bingley’s story! yay! :mrgreen:Good luck on finding the right man!

        1. Marilyn Brant
          LOLOL, Jakki!!Yeah…novel writing can be very tedious at times…but, I’ll readily admit, not this week! And certainly not TODAY with all of you suggesting such FABULOUS eye candy for me to ponder as my potential Bingley. If anything, this experience is making me want to write an Austen-esque book with each of these hot men as the inspiration for the lead!!:razz:HUGE hugs to you and hopes that all is well!! xox

    1. Stephanie L
      alright…cousins. Matt Bomer and Ian Somerhalder. Younger than my previous choices, still gorgeous

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Stephanie,You know about my “Vampire Diaries” addiction, don’t you?!! My long-standing crush on beautiful Ian, yes??!Mmmmm…Matt and Ian as Bingley and Darcy…this could be be really, REALLY good! :grin:

            1. Monica P
              I swear if I ever see Ian Somerhalder in regency attire I will swoon to death.

                1. Marilyn Brant
                  He gets sort of close to it in those TVD episodes from the 1860s… I think if we squint a little, he’d look almost Mr. Darcyish in those scenes. Hey, we should lobby the producers to have a “decade dance” set during the Regency :smile: .

    1. Carole in Canada
      A book on Jane and Bingley?!!! Love it! As to an image…what about…1. Barry Sloane: Plays Aiden on Revenge – serious role but when I checked out pictures of him on line, I just love the twinkle in his eyes and his smile…a bit of rogue2. Orlando Bloom: Legolas in the Lord of the Rings…no more needs to me said though he was blonde for that role3. Scott Foley: Currently playing Jake on Scandal but he has a wonderful smile which makes him look very light-hearted and fun!This is fun and looking forward to who you eventually select!

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Carole!I didn’t immediately know who Barry Sloane was, so I just looked him up — what a cutie!! I could see right away what you meant about the twinkle in his eye ;).Definitely, I could imagine him in the “rogue” role!! Thank you so much for telling me about him!I remember really liking Scott Foley from back in his “Felicity” days and, ohhh, Orlando Bloom in “LOTR”… I was *just* talking about him with some writing friends last night. He was great fun to watch in that film, and so was Viggo Mortensen, of course!LOVE all of these fabulous suggestions :).

    1. Monica P
      Ooh, Matt Bomer is some sweet eye candy! I wasn’t familiar with him. I’ve never really thought about a dark-haired Bingley. I always envision him as a blond (Colonel Fitzwilliam, too) and I’m usually too into Darcy to give a fig what Bingles looks like. My first thought when I read this, this morning, was of Dominic Cooper, probably bc I just watched him as Willoughby in S&S. But I couldn’t find a picture online that was particularly good.Or Ian Somerhalder! He’s good for sooooo many things. hahaAs your agent, I will set up a personal meeting with whoever you pick so you can make sure they’re really right for the job! ;)

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Monica,I’m getting kind of attached to Matt Bomer. *fanning self* And just the thought of adding Ian Somerhalder onto my mental storyboard is pretty exciting! I know you and I share a mutual appreciation for him!!Will definitely look up some shots of Dominic Cooper and, as my “Austen agent,” I’m greatly looking forward to your setting up these personal meetings with my potential heroes! I will think of tasks they’ll have to complete in order to be considered for the final role… :razz:

            1. Monica P
              If he can’t catch a fishstick in his teeth, he’s out!

                1. Marilyn Brant
                  *Snort!!*:razz:

    1. Theresa
      Ben Affleck can certainly be both serious and goofy, and is easy on the eyes. Then there’s Travis Fimmel (the star of The Vikings). Not sure if I prefer him all cleaned up or in his Viking persona.

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Theresa,Ben Affleck seems like such a sweetheart! Good looking and, also, kind. I wasn’t familiar with Travis Fimmel, but THANK YOU for introducing me (virtually, LOL) to him!! Boy, does he ever have that “bad look” down… I’m so intrigued ;).And something I find especially interesting is how different he can look from image to image — so I can see what you mean now about not being sure which version of him you like best!

    1. Bonnie Carlson
      Marilyn,Every time I read this, I picture Joseph Fiennes. I know he may be a bit long in the tooth for the part, but he definitely has that boyish, mischievous heir I associate with your Bingley.

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Oh, Bonnie, I *love* Joesph Fiennes! I watch him in “Shakespeare in Love” at least once a year and sigh all the way through the movie… (Totally annoys my husband, who is, rather predictably, not nearly as smitten, LOL.)You’re SO right about that boyish/mischievous quality!! Really glad you thought to mention him :smile: .

        1. Bonnie Carlson
          Wow, just noticed I put “heir” instead of “air!” End of a long day for this high school English teacher! :oops:

            1. Marilyn Brant
              LOL! Think nothing of it — I *know* how it is! My husband teaches high school and I used to teach elementary. After a whole day of school chaos, the brain get fried… ;) xo

    1. Susan Mason-Milks
      We used to sing “Going on a Lion Hunt” instead of a bear hunt. I’m sure it’s the same thing basically! I love the characters Bingley and Jane and am planning a novella about them. I wrote quite a few pieces for the P&&P200 about them and the response was so good that I’m going to pull it together and add more scenes.

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Wonderful news, Susan!!Yes, Bingley and Jane are fabulous characters and fun to write about in a variety of settings and eras. Glad you’ll be doing more of that ;).And I love the idea of a “Lion” hunt — hadn’t heard that version!

    1. Sail
      If Colin Firth is Darcy I think you can’t look past Rupert Everett. They performed together in the film version of the ‘Importance of being Earnest’ and Rupert portrays all that Darcy is not, fun, cheeky, witty and a bit naughty??

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Sail,That’s right!! I’d forgotten that the two of them were in “The Importance of Being Earnest” together! It’s a comedy I’ve always loved. How fun to imagine Colin Firth and Rupert Everett reunited…and, LOL, you’re definitely right about Rupert being cheeky ;).On the subject of the play version of the story: Years ago, my husband and I were in London and we had the rare opportunity to see Maggie Smith (!!) onstage in a live production of the show. She was wonderful!

    1. Lisa S
      Oh, what a fun post. I was gonna say Richard Armitage (just because I love to look at him) but I see several people have beat me to the punch. ;) I’d be happy with pretty much all the nominees brought forward though. And I have a story about Orlando Bloom. One of my friends was on holiday down in Mexico surfing. She and her husband ended up buddying up with a guy for the week who looked vaguely familiar to them (I guess it’s important to always have a buddy when surfing and the dude was there alone). Anyway, they didn’t realize till they got back to the States and were able to google him that the dude was Orlando Bloom. And he had even told them his name and everything (so he wasn’t being all that super sneaky). They were just kinda clueless about him although they kept thinking they should know him but didn’t want to pry. Kinda a fun story. :)

        1. Marilyn Brant
          LOL, Lisa!!!That Orlando Bloom story is hilarious!I can’t help but think that for a major celebrity, it has to be a relief sometimes NOT to have people recognize you. To just get to be yourself, hanging out like you used to before you were famous. To feel as though the people around you are interested in YOU, not just your fame…Can’t help but hope that your friends managed to get a couple of pictures of their lone surf buddy, though!! :)

    1. Sarah
      Although I love Richard Armitage, he’s my ultimate Darcy, so I’ll suggest Max Brown instead (he’s been in Spooks, The Tudors, Foyle’s War and other shows). Do a google images search for Max Brown actor and you’ll find lots of photos to inspire you ;)

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Sarah,You’re right!I just looked up Max Brown and recognized him as soon as the images came up (probably from “Spooks” — what a great series), so thank you! I’m sure I wouldn’t have remembered his name otherwise. There’s this one picture of him in a black leather jacket leaning up again a London doorway that I especially like… :razz:

    1. Kat
      How about Aussie actor Daniel MacPherson. When he laughs he looks mischievous and there are some great shirt-off pics which show the ‘lean’ body you mentioned.If you want early pics of Richard Armitage, go to http://www.richardarmitagenet.com – the most comprehensive collection of pictures of him I’ve found (yes, I’m an obsessed fan!).

    1. Barb
      All the gentlemen you named are truly fantastic looking. But, I was thinking more of one that resembled Colin Firth, since they are cousins. How about Christian Bale?Oh, but he is too old. However, I still think we want a Bingley that is a younger version of Colin Firth – how about Ben Barnes?? :cool:

                1. Marilyn Brant
                  Barb!I don’t think I’ve seen Ben Barnes before, but I’m so glad you told me about him and shared these photos!! Thank you ;). I especially loved the second one (‘devil in his eyes’ for sure!) and really liked that longish hair of his, too.Such wonderful men you’ve all found for me — I’m so appreciative and delighted to have new inspirations for my heroes!!

    1. BeckyC
      Mmmm…many of my first thoughts have already been mentioned. What about Kyle Schmid? Beautiful smile and gorgeous eyes.I, too share the Richard Armitage obsession, but for me, he is all Darcy!

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Becky, thank you!Kyle Schmid is a new actor to me (handsome!!), but I saw immediately what you meant about his smile and his eyes. The very first picture I looked at showcased them both…a gorgeous bright smile on his face and some very twinkly blue eyes ;).I’m looking up some of the films he’s been in and hope to check out his acting, too!

    1. Kristin Lee
      How about James Franco. I was thinking of him from the Spider-man movie’s with Toby Maguire.

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Kristin,Oooh! Another good one that I hadn’t thought of — thank you!!I liked him in that movie :razz: .

    1. Edie Ramer
      Definitely Matt Bomer. What about a young Pierce Brosnan?I’m already looking forward to Jane and Bingley’s story!

        1. Marilyn Brant
          Edie,Thank you!I was always such a fan of Pierce!!! I’ve watched a few “Remington Steele” episodes recently and they seem so sexist and outdated now, but I loved them as a teen just because of him ;).As for Matt Bomer…swoon. I kinda love him, LOL!

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    • Lisa G. on February 15, 2014 at 6:31 am
    • Reply

    I’ve got the perfect Bingley, Alex Pettyfer, an English actor who starred in ‘I am number four’ and ‘beastly’ he sounds spot on for your Bingley. He looks scruffy, but handsome, he has an undeniable charm and a cheeky grin topped by wickedly sparkling eyes. He’d be perfect.

    1. Lisa!!
      I did not know the name of that actor, but when I looked Alex up on IMDb, I recognized him immediately!! I’ve seen him in a few films (loved him in “I Am Number Four”) but didn’t realize until I read the bio that he was a British actor. SO ruggedly handsome — wow! An EXCELLENT suggestion 😀 .

    • Deborah on February 15, 2014 at 8:24 am
    • Reply

    I do know “Going on a Bear Hunt” and use it with my PreK class. As for Binhlry’s character…Gerard Butler may be a good fit.

    1. Deborah,
      I have always adored Gerard Butler!! (He melted my heart in “Phantom of the Opera”…) And I particularly love his bad-boy attitude! Thank you!!
      😉

    • Wendy Roberts on February 15, 2014 at 9:50 am
    • Reply

    If you are looking for good-looking and fun-loving, look no further than Tom Hiddleston! Most recently seen as Loki in the Thor movies, he is so adorable!

    1. Oh, my goodness, Wendy, does that man ever look good in a suit!!! I just looked up a few pictures of him, and I remembered him in his “Thor” role as Loki, but I hadn’t seen him dressed in formalwear 😉 . I need to watch him in more movies…

    • Vesper Meikle on February 15, 2014 at 12:50 pm
    • Reply

    What about Tom Hiddleston? Though I have just noticed someone else has mentioned him. He came straight to my mind. He’s English, tall and dark. But please don’t make him act like the idiot Bingley in the 2005 film

    1. Vesper,
      I just read your comment and Wendy’s…and I now have several windows open on my computer with pictures of Tom H!! He’s a fabulous choice and has such a playful look in several of these photos. There are a few interview clips I’m anxious to watch with him, too, just to observe his mannerisms.
      And I PROMISE not to make my Bingley idiotic 😀 . He’s clever, charming and good dancer; a little insecure but tries to cover it up with the appearance of ego; has a competitive streak and likes to make a bet or two…LOL.

    • Sheila L. M. on February 15, 2014 at 1:35 pm
    • Reply

    OK , this post is from April of last year. Are you still looking for images because I have already read the start of the Bingley and Jane book on line? I copied all those names so I can look up the eye candy and drool when I need some dreaming time. LOL We used to sing “Going on a Bear Hunt when I was a Brownie Girl Scout Leader”. Girls thought it was so funny.

    1. Sheila,
      I am *ALWAYS* looking for images of good-looking men!! Seriously! When I wrote the post above, I was still gathering ideas and just doing some basic playing around with the Bingley and Jane’s storyline. I had other books I need to finish writing and publishing first, so I couldn’t work on it full time. I am now, though ( 🙂 ), and you can bet I’m still enjoying reading all of these great actor suggestions. So, if you have any more ideas — anytime! — please don’t hesitate to share!!

        • Sheila L. M. on February 15, 2014 at 3:04 pm
        • Reply

        This actor is not English, Australian, Canadian nor American, but he has been on Sex and the City movie (shower scene) and Dancing With the Stars and is as sexy as they come. Giles Marini http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1694302/

        He is French. Also on Brothers and Sisters, daytime soap – don’t know the name as I don’t watch.

        1. Oh, my goodness – yes!! I remember that shower scene, Sheila! My friend had already seen the “Sex and the City” movie in the theater and later bought the DVD. She invited a few of us to watch it with her at her house. And she paused the DVD (for effect!) during that particular scene…LOL. I didn’t know the actor’s name before, so thank you for sharing it, along with the IMDb link! LOVE it 🙂 .

    • Talia on February 15, 2014 at 9:02 pm
    • Reply

    How about Torrance Coombs? I first saw him in the great TV show “Endgame.” Here is his website. http://www.torrancecoombs.com/ I think he fits the bill!

    1. Talia,
      The picture of Torrance on his website is *fabulous*!! Definitely got that clever/smoldering/playful look — and I *love* his eyes — wow!! With all of these wonderful new suggestions, I’m beginning to imagine my Bingley with a bit of facial hair now…I’m liking it a LOT on these handsome actors 🙂 .

        • Talia on February 16, 2014 at 9:53 am
        • Reply

        This is the first time I have seen him with the scruffy look. He is usually clean shaven.

        1. That’s one of the things that been so interesting to me lately about seeing many of these actors in multiple roles — or at least in still shots of them dressed differently. I was truly stunned when I realized Tom Mison, as he was costumed in “Sleepy Hollow,” was the same actor who played Bingley in “Lost in Austen.” I’d really liked his variation on Bingley and thought him very handsome as that clean-shaven, well-dressed character. But as Ichabod Crane — with long hair, ragged clothing and facial hair — I had to admit that, to me, that look suited him more. It was fascinating to see the transition! 😉

    • Carol hoyt on February 16, 2014 at 12:47 pm
    • Reply

    Hello Marilyn!
    When I read your book, the face that attached itself to your Bingley for me was Orlando Bloom!

    He definitely has the Darcyswoon factor!

    1. Carol,
      I’m just seeing your comment and Chanpreet’s now!
      I agree wholeheartedly on Orlando Bloom — he has such a level of playfulness about him that I really love 😉 .

    • Chanpreet on February 16, 2014 at 7:14 pm
    • Reply

    Hmmm it might help me if I knew what your chosen Darcy looked like. I also find your version of Bingley interesting. I’m looking forward to seeing him and Jane fall for each other!

    1. Chanpreet,
      Sorry to be replying so late! As I mentioned to Carol, I just came across your comments ;). As for Darcy, he is featured on the front cover of Pride, Prejudice and the Perfect Match — dark hair, stubble, trim and serious… So glad you like my version of Bingley!

  1. […] just how MANY fabulous suggestions you wonderful Austen friends gave me for what Bingley McNamara should look like (!!), I wanted to […]

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