Ben Lloyd-Hughes Went to Great Lengths to Film That Sanditon Finale Cliff Scene
It appears that the actor was willing to risk his own health to create the best possible scene.
TV series based on the works of Jane Austen are hardly a novelty, as every major network and streaming service has tried to capitalise on the cherished romantic novelist's legacy. While most of these shows often come across as half-baked and lazily written, PBS's Sanditon stands out.
The series is brimming with genuine emotion and carefully recreates the original book's unique romantic atmosphere, making it virtually impossible for period drama fans not to love. Having the talented Ben Lloyd-Hughes in the lead role is undoubtedly a bonus.
With season three just concluding, fans finally discovered the fate of star-crossed lovers Colbourne and Charlotte, whose affair seemed doomed from the start. However, love ultimately triumphs, as the lovers deliver one of the greatest finale scenes in romantic television history – Colbourne and Charlotte stand on a cliff, with him expressing his enchantment with her. The scene culminates in a heartfelt kiss, signifying that the couple will be together for eternity.
The setting is incredibly romantic, as the grey sky and massive cliff the couple stands on, set against the grey, tumultuous sea, perfectly complement the atmosphere. It seems that Lloyd-Hughes went above and beyond to make this moment as beautiful as possible, even disregarding his own safety. The scene was filmed in practically gale-force wind, with the actors running a very real risk of getting blown off the cliff they were standing on.
‘I remember filming it. It was so windy and so cold, and Rose and I were just almost getting blown off the cliff, it was that strong. And I remember in between takes having to hide in Land Rovers just to protect the wigs and costumes and everything from the wind, and just to hear yourself think,’ Lloyd-Hughes recalled.
Indeed, the filming conditions for that tender scene were quite challenging, but they certainly contributed to evoking the desperate emotions in the actors that their characters genuinely needed.
Source: PBS.