Downton Abbey
“Upstairs Cast” Cast Conversation
There is truly nothing more exciting than to see some of your favorite characters make their long overdue return on the big screen. In fact, there are only a few shows that been translated over to film. Thankfully, Downton Abbey is one of them.
After six acclaimed seasons on the air, Downton Abbey had ended much to the dismay of fans worldwide. It was not until a few years later that the cast of the show graced our screens once again in Downton Abbey: The Motion Picture. The first of the Downton Abbey films, with a second, Downton Abbey: A New Era, coming soon, was met with the same reception that its television predecessor received during its run. Downton Abbey’s popularity is able to transverse different mediums because of its beautiful storytelling and, of course, its cast. If you’re looking to see how the cast came together to pick up where they left off after the show’s finale, be sure to watch the roundtable discussion “Upstairs Cast” in our "Cast Conversation" section.
If you’ve seen the show, then you probably know that Downton Abbey’s ensemble is quite large. The “Upstairs Cast,” for context, is made up of the Crawley family and their privileged, high-ranking counterparts. These characters are portrayed by talented actors and actresses who have almost become synonymous with their respective roles. However, in this discussion, the cast talks about how they all originally doubted whether a movie adaptation of Downton Abbey would ever get the greenlight.
Elizabeth McGovern, who plays Cora Crawley, says “I never thought it would happen. I don’t know what anyone else felt. I just didn’t think it was going to happen.” The entire cast unanimously agree that the idea of getting the entire cast back together was almost like a dream. Despite the public speculation regarding the possibility of a film coming out, the cast continued to deny any such release. However, much to their surprise, the Downton Abbey cast was brought together again in an unforgettable fashion.
Even though they had originally played these parts for close to a decade, the cast of Downton Abbey had to learn how to play their characters all over again. Elizabeth McGovern admits that she spoke with a British accent when her character, Cora Crawley, is, in fact, American. The same exact mix-up happened with Michelle Dockery, who plays Lady Mary in Downton Abbey. Dockery confesses that she spoke with an American accent when she was meant to be speaking with a British accent. However, when you’re watching the film, you can see that they eventually became the Cora Crawley and Lady Mary that we know and love from the show. It might have taken some getting used to, but their performances are as memorable as ever in the end.
From the performances to the stories, Downton Abbey is surely for everyone to watch and enjoy. Laura Carmichael, who plays Lady Edith, certainly agrees with this sentiment when she says “I just love how you can watch this show with your grandmother and your kids and your mom. It’s like something you can watch with all your family, and everyone gets something out of it.” From the first season of the show to the first film in the series, Downton Abbey has truly become a worldwide phenomenon, and for good reason too. The characters are representative of everyone, and every single person out there can find someone to relate to. After all these years of having these characters in your living room or in your local cinema, the Crawleys have almost become like family to many. The stories and characters mean so much to the pre-existing audience and will do so for the upcoming fanbase as well.
Downton Abbey is here to stay, and the cast and fans are both ready to enter a new era of the beloved story.
Watch more Downton Abbey: The Motion Picture bonus videos and other exclusive content when you buy the movie on 4k Ultra HD, DVD, Digital, or Blu-rayTM*.
*Bonus features are only available at select digital retailers. Check the retailer for details.
Like this article? Read more about the making of Downton Abbey here: