David Matthew Macfadyen is an English actor. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he gained prominence for his role as Mr. Darcy in Joe Wright's Pride & Prejudice (2005). He rose to international fame for his role as Tom Wambsgans in the HBO drama series Succession (2018–2023), for which he received two consecutive Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award.
Macfayden in 2019
A bust of Mr. Darcy played by Matthew Macfadyen in Pride & Prejudice
Fitzwilliam Darcy Esquire, generally referred to as Mr. Darcy, is one of the two central characters in Jane Austen's 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice. He is an archetype of the aloof romantic hero, and a romantic interest of Elizabeth Bennet, the novel's protagonist. The story's narration is almost exclusively from Elizabeth's perspective; the reader is given a one-sided view of Darcy for much of the novel, but hints are given throughout that there is much more to his character than meets the eye. The reader gets a healthy dose of dramatic irony as Elizabeth continually censures Mr. Darcy's character despite the aforementioned hints that Mr. Darcy is really a noble character at heart, albeit somewhat prideful. Usually referred to only as "Mr. Darcy" or "Darcy" by characters and the narrator, his first name is mentioned twice in the novel.
Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet by C. E. Brock (1895) "She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me."
Mr. Darcy by C. E. Brock, 1895
Colin Firth’s portrayal of Darcy in Pride and Prejudice (1995 TV series) is regarded as among the finest interpretations of the character.
Bust of Mr. Darcy played by Matthew Macfadyen in the 2005 film adaption