Actors Laura Carmichael and Allan Leech spoke to Red Carpet News earlier in the week about their work on Downton Abbey season 4. Mild spoilers ahead.
Allan Leech and Laura Carmichael attended the opening night of the new James McAvoy-headed production of Macbeth in the West End this week, and both actors spoke to Red Carpet News about their work on Downton Abbey.
“It’s good to be back,” Leech said. “We’re about three weeks into production now and it’s great. The scripts are absolutely rocking as well, so it’s very exciting.”
“I think Mary’s journey is going to be pretty essential to it,” he added, when asked about what season 4 has in store for the Crawleys. “She’s trying to get over the death of her husband and that’s a very central arc to it… Downton is in a period of change, as it always is, and that’s pretty integral again to the family trying to cope with the changes that come with the ’20s.”
And as to what his own character Tom Branson will be up to, Leech couldn’t say much. “There are a couple of things I can’t really talk about,” he admitted. “But yeah, definitely toward the middle of the series it gets very exciting.”
In her own interview, Laura Carmichael echoed Leech’s appreciation for the series. “It’s going really well,” she said. “It’s nice to be back.” As the season begins, Carmichael said, “The house is reeling with the news, obviously, that Matthew’s died,” but Downton Abbey is also “moving on through the ’20s, so it’s more glamour and more like you’d expect.”
As far as what may be looming for the perpetually unlucky Lady Edith, Carmichael said, “I’m having a great time, it’s a really interesting change for her. It sort of carries on being fascinating, I hope.”
Both actors expressed their sadness at continuing work on Downton Abbey without Dan Stevens, who left the show at the end of season 3. “I miss him,” said Carmichael, “But you know, we’re emailing and keeping up with each other.”
“We were great buddies and we still are,” Leech agreed. “I’d love to have him there still to have the crack with but we’re getting on.”
We want to hear your thoughts on this topic!
Write a comment below or submit an article to Hypable.