Jane Austen · 1817

Persuasion characters

Who’s who, from Anne Elliot to Louisa Musgrove

Eight years after she was persuaded to refuse him, Anne Elliot meets Captain Wentworth again.

Persuasion

The characters

Milsom Street, Bath

Anne Elliot

“All the privilege I claim for my own sex … is that of loving longest, when existence or when hope is gone.”

Their match: Captain Wentworth

Sit as Anne Elliot Free to sit

Tenant of Kellynch

Admiral Croft

“Such a number of looking-glasses! oh Lord! there was no getting away from one's self.”

Their match: Mrs Croft

Sit as Admiral Croft With any portrait pack

The Admiral's Wife

Mrs Croft

“I can safely say, that the happiest part of my life has been spent on board a ship.”

Their match: Admiral Croft

Sit as Mrs Croft With any portrait pack

Of Kellynch Hall

Sir Walter Elliot

“Vanity was the beginning and the end of Sir Walter Elliot's character; vanity of person and of situation.”

Sit as Sir Walter Elliot With any portrait pack

Camden Place, Bath

Elizabeth Elliot

“An agreeable manner may set off handsome features, but can never alter plain ones.”

Sit as Elizabeth Elliot With any portrait pack

For two

The couples

Sit for one portrait each and hang them side by side.

  • Anne Elliot & Captain Wentworth

    Persuasion

  • Admiral Croft & Mrs Croft

    Persuasion

On screen

The Persuasion cast, on screen

Who played whom in three adaptations: the 1995 BBC film, the 2007 ITV film and Netflix’s 2022 film.

Character 1995 BBC film 2007 ITV film 2022 Netflix film
Anne Elliot Amanda Root Sally Hawkins Dakota Johnson
Captain Wentworth Ciarán Hinds Rupert Penry-Jones Cosmo Jarvis
Sir Walter Elliot Corin Redgrave Anthony Head Richard E. Grant
Elizabeth Elliot Phoebe Nicholls Julia Davis Yolanda Kettle
Louisa Musgrove Emma Roberts Jennifer Higham Nia Towle
Admiral Croft John Woodvine Peter Wight Not in the film
Mrs Croft Fiona Shaw Marion Bailey Not in the film

The 1995 BBC film, with Amanda Root and Ciarán Hinds, is often called the most faithful Persuasion. Fiona Shaw, its Mrs Croft, returns to Austen as Lady Catherine in Netflix’s 2026 Pride and Prejudice.

The 2007 ITV film starred Sally Hawkins and Rupert Penry-Jones. Netflix’s 2022 film, directed by Carrie Cracknell, starred Dakota Johnson, Cosmo Jarvis and Henry Golding as Mr Elliot.

Four questions

Which Persuasion character are you?

Four questions from the novels. Find your match among the characters of Persuasion, then sit for their portrait.

  • The same quiz as in the app
  • Every result has its portrait waiting
  • Share it and dare a friend to find their match

Question 1 of 4

At a ball, you…

  • Dance every single dance
  • Stand apart and judge the company
  • Make sure the grandest person there knows you
  • Look after whoever has been left out
  • Hope one particular person notices you

Persuasion questions

Questions about the Persuasion characters

Anything else? Write to us at [email protected].

Who was in the cast of Persuasion?

Anne Elliot has been played by Amanda Root (1995 BBC film), Sally Hawkins (2007 ITV film) and Dakota Johnson (Netflix’s 2022 film), with Ciarán Hinds, Rupert Penry-Jones and Cosmo Jarvis as Captain Wentworth.

A Regency lady at a candlelit ball

Sir Walter Elliot, of Kellynch Hall, in Somersetshire, was a man who, for his own amusement, never took up any book but the Baronetage…

Your Regency portrait as any character on this page, from one photo of you. Your first three portraits are free.

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Photo Portrait

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